达乌尔黄鼠冬眠模式年龄性别差异的实验研究

野外环境中达乌尔黄鼠冬眠的模式存在年龄性别的差异,为研究这种差异是否与冬季可利用的能量有关,我们将动物按年龄和性别分为成年雄性、成年雌性、亚成年雄性和亚成年雌性4组,在实验室条件下监测冬眠前能量贮存和冬眠季节冬眠模式和体重的变化.结果表明:达乌尔黄鼠的入眠和出眠时间基本为先雄性后雌性,先成年后亚成年;成年黄鼠冬眠季节的持续时间和深冬眠的累计时间短于亚成年组,与野外的研究基本一致.代表能量贮存量的最大体重值为成年大于亚成年,雄性大于雌性;最大体重出现时间也是先雄性后雌性,先成年后亚成年,这与冬眠模式的年龄性别差异相一致.达乌尔黄鼠冬眠模式的年龄性别差异本质上可能受体内能量的贮存状况的影响,黄鼠能够利用可利用的能量减少冬眠表达.

Experimental Study on Hibernation Patterns in Different Ages and Sexes of Daurian Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus Dauricus)

There are differences in the hibernation patterns of different sexes and ages Daurian ground squirrel in the field. To elucidate whether these differences associate with the energy availability during hibernation,we grouped the animals into adult males,adult females, juvenile males and juvenile females. The energy storing before hibernation,the hibernation patterns and body mass changed during hibernation season were measured in the laboratory. Our results showed that the males generally entrance into and arousal from torpor earlier than the females, and the adults earlier than the juveniles. As to adult animals,the duration of hibernating season and the accumulated torpid duration were all shorter than juvenile animals. These results are consistent with the hibernation patterns showed in the field in this species. The maximum body mass,which represents the energy storage, was also larger in adults than juveniles, and larger in males than females. The dates when animals got maximum body mass also followed the similar time sequence. The different hibernation patterns may essentially affected by energy storage in the body and the ground squirrels could reduce the expression of hibernation while enough energy are available.