Coexistence of two sympatric and morphologically similar bat species Rhinolophus affinis and Rhinolophus pearsoni

Ecologists have long focused on the coexistence of sympatric species. Here, we investigated two horseshoe bat species, Rhinolophus affinis and Rhinolophus pearsoni inhabited in the same cave, for their foraging strategies, niche differentiation, prey selection, and their coexistence status. These two species of horseshoe bats were different in the dominant frequency of their echolocation calls, but similar in their morphology. We found evidence for prey selectivity although there was a high degree of overlap in prey categories and sizes. R. affinis and R. pearsoni foraged on 16 and 7 categories insects, respectively, with Pyralidae, Geometridae, Melolonthidae dominating their diets. The degree of trophic niche overlap was 0.69. Pairwise comparisons suggested that there was no obvious differentiation in prey categories and size. However, high prey availability in the environment （Simpson diversity index = 0.79 and Margalef richness index = 4.12） contributed to their coexistence by dampening the interspecific competition. Since there are one or more mechanisms facil- itating species coexistence in a community, our results suggest that the spatial niche differentiation in foraging rnicrohabitats and in foraging habitats at landscape scale may promote the coexistence of the two bat species. However, additional field data are needed to confirm this speculation.     

Coexistence of two sympatric and morphologically similar bat species Rhinolophus affinis and Rhinolophus pearsoni

Ecologists have long focused on the coexistence of sympatric species. Here, we investigated two horseshoe bat species, Rhinolophus affinis and R. pearsoni inhabited in the same cave, for their foraging strategies, niche differentiation, prey selection, and their coexistence status. These two species of horseshoe bats were different in the dominant frequency of their echolocation calls but similar in their morphology. We found evidence for prey selectivity although there was a high degree of overlap in prey categories and sizes. R. affinis and R. pearsoni foraged on 16 and 7 categories insects, respectively, with Pyralidae, Geometridae, Melolonthidae dominating their diets. The degree of trophic niche overlap was 0.69. Pairwise comparisons suggested that there was no obvious differentiation in prey categories and size. However, high prey availability in the environment (Simpson diversity index = 0.79 and Margalef richness index ＝ 4.12) contributed to their coexistence by dampening the interspecific competition. Since there are one or more mechanisms facilitating species coexistence in a community, our results suggest that the spatial niche differentiation in foraging microhabitats and in foraging habitats at landscape scale may promote the coexistence of the two bat species. However, additional field data are needed to confirm this speculation.     

菊头蝠科蝙蝠鼻叶宽与回声定位声波主频率的相关分析

利用SPSS分析8种菊头蝠科蝙蝠:贵州菊头蝠(Rhinolophusrex)、中菊头蝠(Rhinolophusaffinis)、托氏菊头蝠(Rhinolophusthomasi)、鲁氏菊头蝠(Rhinolophusrouxi)、小菊头蝠(Rhinolophusblythi)、马铁菊头蝠(Rhinolophusferrumequinum)、皮氏菊头蝠(Rhinolophuspearsoni)、角菊头蝠(Rhinolophuscornutus)的回声定位声波主频率(DF)与鼻叶宽(NW)的相关性,分析结果显示:在控制前臂长影响的情况下,菊头蝠回声定位声波主频率与鼻叶宽呈显著负相关(r=-0.8539,P=0.014),而在控制鼻叶宽影响的情况下,主频率与前臂长之间的相关性不显著(r=0.3849,P=0.394),由此可见,尽管声波主频率和鼻叶宽及前臂长均相关(r1=-0.918,P=0.001,df=6;r2=-0.711,P=0.048,df=6),但如果仅仅研究一个变量和主频率的关系时,鼻叶宽的意义更大。本文的最后,分析并探讨了上述负相关关系产生的机理。     

基于Cyt b基因全序列分析河南7种菊头蝠系统发育关系

采用分子系统发育分析方法对菊头蝠科蝙蝠的系统发育关系和分类地位进行研究,以7种127个蝙蝠为研究对象,测定了mtDNA Cytb基因全序列(1140kb),用最大简约法(maximum parsimony,MP)和最大似然法(maximum likelihood,ML)建系统发育树,对菊头蝠种间亲缘关系及分类地位进行分析,角菊头蝠、菲菊头蝠和大耳菊头蝠属于较原始的种类,且彼此间有较近的亲缘关系;大菊头蝠、皮氏菊头蝠关系较近,为较原始的类群;马铁和中菊头蝠关系较近,为后分化的类群.     

Foraging strategies in the greater horseshoe bat （Rhinolophus f errumequinum ）on Lepidoptera in summer

Abstract The diet of the bat Rhinolophus ferrumequinum was studied at the Zhi＇an Village of Ji＇an City in China, from June to August 2004. The bats were trained in a laboratory （volume： 9×4×4 m^3）. Foraging strategies of the bat were observed at night and prey remains were collected and identified. The results showed that the diet consisted mainly of Lepidoptera in summer, including 11 families, more than 30 species of moths, such as Noctuidae （36.6% by number）,Sphingidae （24.1%）, Geometridae （13.4%） and Limacodidae （9.5%）. The length of culled wings ranged from 10--40 mm （97.7%）. Pearson correlation analysis showed that the bat R.ferrumequinum foraged their prey selectively, but not opportunistically. From field studies, two ways were observed in which the bats retrieved their prey including aerial hawking during peak active period of the insects and flycatching during the insects＇ non-peak activity period. The bats never gleaned prey from the ground, though they appeared to be well able to detect fluttering moths on the ground.     

精氨酸加压素免疫阳性神经元在中菊头蝠(Rhinolophus affinis)脑中的分布

精氨酸加压素(arginine vasopressin,AVP)属于垂体后叶激素家族,它与神经内分泌的调节、心血管功能的调节、血压调节、学习和记忆以及生殖等生理功能密切相关.AVP在不同哺乳动物中枢神经系统内的分布方式和传输路径存在明显差异.本实验采用免疫组织化学ABC法系统观察了AVP免疫阳性神经元和免疫阳性神经纤维在中菊头蝠(Rhinolophus affinis)脑中的形态特征和分布特点.结果显示AVP免疫阳性神经元和免疫阳性神经纤维明显可见于中菊头蝠下丘脑室旁核、视上核、视交叉上核、下丘脑外侧区、正中隆起和垂体后叶,其细胞形态与其它哺乳动物相应结构的细胞特征类似,提示AVP神经元在哺乳动物下丘脑中的分布具有高度的保守性,AVP在中菊头蝠下丘脑可能有着与其它哺乳动物类似的功能.室周视前区、终纹床核和前脑外侧束也有少量AVP免疫阳性(immunoreactive arginine-vasopressin,AVP-ir)神经元分布,而在海马、隔核、杏仁核和侧间隔等边缘核团没有发现与大鼠等哺乳动物相应结构类似的分布,这可能与蝙蝠的视觉退化有关.     

2种共栖蝙蝠捕食时间差异

对井冈山自然保护区同一山洞中大耳菊头蝠(Rhinolophus macrotis)和大蹄蝠(Hipposideros armiger)出洞时间和归洞时间进行了研究,发现大耳菊头蝠的出洞时间比大蹄蝠早,而归洞时间比大蹄蝠晚,大蹄蝠的夜间活动时间比大耳菊头蝠少,2种蝙蝠活动时间的差异可能是由主要猎物不同导致的.妊娠期的大耳菊头蝠出洞时间比哺乳期和后哺乳期晚,后哺乳期出洞时间最早;妊娠期归洞时间比哺乳期和后哺乳期早,哺乳期和后哺乳期没有显著性差异.大蹄蝠出洞时间和归洞时间在3个阶段都不存在差异.     

河南省马铁菊头蝠肠道寄生线虫的研究

对河南省7个产地马铁菊头蝠(Rhinolophus ferrumequinum)的肠道线虫进行了调查,发现寄生线虫2种:比勒陀利亚圆钩线虫(Strongylacantha pretoriensis Ortlepp,1932)和齿蝠夜圆线虫(Nycteridostrongylus uncicollis Baylis,1930),分属于2个属.前者为我国新记录种,在宿主肠道中的感染率为72.60%,感染强度为1～12条;后者虽不是新记录种,但马铁菊头蝠是其新宿主,肠道内的感染率和感染强度均较低.比勒陀利亚圆钩线虫和齿蝠夜圆线虫也是河南省蝙蝠寄生虫的新记录.     

南亚热带马尾松人工林近自然恢复过程中林下木本植物生态位动态

为了解广西南亚热带近自然恢复过程中马尾松Pinus massoniana人工林林下主要木本植物的生态位动态变化特征,以“空间代替时间”的方法,在群落学调查的基础上采用Levins生态位宽度指数和Pianka生态位重叠指数对马尾松人工林亚乔木层和灌木层木本植物种群生态位进行定量分析。结果表明：（1）马尾松中龄林亚乔木层的山乌桕Sapium discolor、灌木层的鹅掌柴Schefflera heptaphylla,成熟林亚乔木层的狭基润楠Machilus attenuata、灌木层的三桠苦Evodia lepta,以及过熟林亚乔木层的鹅掌柴、灌木层的纽子果Ardisia palysticta生态位宽度较大,在各自群落中属于优势种群;（2）重要值越大的物种通常生态位宽度越大,但是二者之间的排序并不完全相同,生态位宽度与生态位重叠之间无显著的正相关关系;（3）随着马尾松人工林从中龄林到成熟林到过熟林近自然恢复的进行,亚乔木层物种间生态位分化程度增加,生态位重叠程度逐渐下降,灌木层物种受到可利用资源和自身生物学特性的限制,物种间生态位分化不明显,生态位重叠程度增加,马尾松人工林群落中亚乔木层较灌木层有更高的稳定性。     

中菊头蝠和折翼蝠组织乳酸脱氢酶同工酶的研究

以聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳法,测定了中菊头蝠（Ｒｈｉｎｏｌｏｐｈｕｓａｆｆｉｎｉｓ）和折翼蝠（Ｍｉｎｉｏｐｔｅｒｕｓｓｃｈｒｅｉｂｅｒｓｉ）的心脏、肝、胃、肾脏、骨骼肌和脑等６种组织乳酸脱氢酶（ｌａｃｔａｔｅｄｅｈｙｄｒｏｇｅｎａｓｅ,ＬＤＨ）同工酶．结果显示：①ＬＤＨ同工酶在不同动物的不同组织中表达各异;②出现了骨骼肌中Ｂ亚基含量显著高于Ａ亚基的异常现象,可能与翼手类飞行时需大量能量来源的生理特性有关     

贵州两种菊头蝠核型分析

采用常规骨髓细胞空气干燥法,分析了贵州两种菊头蝠的核型,大耳菊头蝠2n=62,30对常染色体均为端着丝粒染色体。其中第13对常染色体的端部带有1次缢痕。X染色体为大型亚端着丝粒染色体,Y染色体为端着丝粒染色体。染色体臂数(FN)为60。马铁菊头蝠2n=58,常染色体由2对小型的中部着丝粒染色体,26对端着丝粒染色体组成。X染色体为亚端着丝粒染色体,Y染色体为小型端着丝粒染色体,染色体臂数(FN)为60。马铁菊头蝠的核型为国内首次报道。     

百里杜鹃国家森林公园优势种生态位研究

【目的】评估百里杜鹃国家森林公园杜鹃花科优势种的资源利用能力和空间占据能力,为经营管理提供依据。【方法】应用生态位宽度、生态位相似度及Pianka生态位重叠度计算方法,对百里杜鹃优势种群生态位特征进行研究。【结果】①群落中杜鹃花科植物(马樱杜鹃、露珠杜鹃、迷人杜鹃、映山红)生态位宽度较大,分别为1.709、1.576、1.411、1.062,是群落的优势种; ②该群落种群间的生态位相似性比例较小,生态位宽度与生态位相似性之间无显著关系; ③生态位宽度大的物种与其他物种发生重叠的概率更大,但生态位重叠值不一定大。【结论】杜鹃花科植物在群落中生态位宽度较大,而马缨杜鹃与露珠杜鹃的生态位重叠程度在降低,这主要与植物的生物-生态学特性有关,是种群对资源利用的长期适应性结果。     

NgR在中菊头蝠(Rhinolophus affinis)脑中分布

Nogo和其受体相互作用可能在抑制神经再生中发挥着重要作用.运用免疫细胞化学方法,本研究观察了Nogo受体(NgR)在中菊头蝠脑中的分布.结果显示NgR在中菊头蝠脑皮层各层均有表达.在海马,NgR主要分布在CA1、CA3和DG区的神经细胞胞膜、胞质或/和突起上.杏仁核、丘脑、室旁核、视上核、视交叉上核等也有NgR阳性神经细胞着色.在脑的白质,轴突着色明显.小脑的分子层、Purkinje细胞层和颗粒细胞层均有NgR免疫阳性反应,其中阳性反应的颗粒细胞最多.这些提示NgR可能介导其配基对中菊头蝠脑多个区域的神经细胞起作用.     

河南省菊头蝠科1新纪录——皮氏菊头蝠Rhinolophus pearsoni

2006年4月,在西峡采到1种蝙蝠标本,经鉴定为皮氏菊头蝠Rhinolophus pearsoni,是河南省翼手类新纪录,目前其分布是我国的最北限.     

Response to seasonal change of insect resources in Changbai Mountain temperate forests by Greater Horseshoe bats

Knowing how bats select different habitats in response to environmental changes provides a framework for anticipating the likely consequences of changes in climate or vegetation. In this study we assessed the presence of greater horseshoe bats (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum) and their foraging behavior. This study depicts an effective approach for seasonal responses of habitat selection by Chiroptera.     

Harmonic-hopping in Wallacea's bats

Evolutionary divergence between species is facilitated by ecological shifts, and divergence is particularly rapid when such shifts also promote assortative mating. Horseshoe bats are a diverse Old World family (Rhinolophidae) that have undergone a rapid radiation in the past 5 million years. These insectivorous bats use a predominantly pure-tone echolocation call matched to an auditory fovea (an over-representation of the pure-tone frequency in the cochlea and inferior colliculus) to detect the minute changes in echo amplitude and frequency generated when an insect flutters its wings. The emitted signal is the accentuated second harmonic of a series in which the fundamental and remaining harmonics are filtered out. Here we show that three distinct, sympatric size morphs of the large-eared horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus philippinensis) echolocate at different harmonics of the same fundamental frequency. These morphs have undergone recent genetic divergence, and this process has occurred in parallel more than once. We suggest that switching harmonics creates a discontinuity in the bats' perception of available prey that can initiate disruptive selection. Moreover, because call frequency in horseshoe bats has a dual function in resource acquisition and communication, ecological selection on frequency might lead to assortative mating and ultimately reproductive isolation and speciation, regardless of external barriers to gene flow.     

北京地区翼手目一新记录——菲菊头蝠

北京地区翼手类目前共有3科17种,本次调查发现一新记录——菲菊头蝠Rhinolophus pusillus;其中绝大多数为古北型,有11种,占64.75%,此外,有4种季风型和南中国型1种,东洋型1种.北京西部种类特别丰富,占北京翼手类的82%;北部燕山山区,缺少大型溶洞,翼手类中主要为本市常见种类.平原地区翼手类分布较少,只有常见种类.随着人为活动的增加,北京翼手类中的稀有种的数量急剧较少,近乎绝迹,应该尽快开展深入研究,了解种类、分布、生态等详细资料,并且保护翼手类的栖息场所,适量开展旅游活动.     

Echolocation signals reflect niche differentiation in five sympatric congeneric bat species

Echolocating bats can be divided into guilds according to their preferred habitat and foraging behaviour, which coincide with distinct adaptations in wing morphology and structure of echolocation signals. Although coarse structuring of niche space between different guilds is generally accepted, it is not clear how niches differ within guilds, or whether there is fine-grained niche differentiation reflected in echolocation signal structure. Using a standardized performance test, here we show clutter-dependent differences in prey-capture success for bats from five species of European Myotis. These species are morphologically similar, sympatric, and all belong to the guild labelled "edge space aerial/trawling foragers". We further demonstrate a strong correlation between the prey-detection ability of the species and the respective search-call bandwidth. Our findings indicate that differences in echolocation signals contribute to within-guild niche differentiation. This is the first study relating sensory abilities of a set of potentially competing animal species to a direct measure of their respective foraging performance, suggesting an important role of sensory ecology in the structuring of animal communities.     

内蒙古乌拉特后旗荒漠蜥蜴种间关系研究

在内蒙古乌拉特后旗 (41°26'N,106°58'E,) 荒漠,变色沙蜥(Phrynocephalus versicolor)为蜥蜴群落的优势种,密点麻蜥(Eremias multiocellata)和无斑沙蜥(P.immaculatus)为伴生种.3种蜥蜴之间的时间生态位重叠指数均大于0.7.变色沙蜥具最大的空间生态位宽度指数(9.72)却具最小的营养生态位宽度指数(2.99),而密点麻蜥却相反(1.02和5.58),这2种蜥蜴的空间和营养生态位重叠指数分别为0.54和0.60,这两项指标在2种沙蜥之间分别为0.75和0.51.无斑沙蜥与密点麻蜥的空间生态位重叠指数最小(0.11),但营养生态位重叠指数却最大(0.92).