Virtual cranial endocast of the oldest giant panda (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Ailuropoda microta</Emphasis>) reveals great similarity to that of its extant relative

Recent development of computed tomography and three-dimensional visualization techniques has enabled the non-destructive inspection of the endocast morphology of fossil neurocranium, the basic material for paleoneurological study. A virtual cranial endocast was reconstructed based on the first skull of the oldest giant panda, Ailuropoda microta, discovered recently and dated at more than 2 Myr (million years) ago. It was compared with that of the extant giant panda (A. melanoleuca) and that of the polar bear (Ursus maritimus), as well as CT slices of the late Pleistocene A. baconi. The overall endocast morphology of A. microta is more similar to that of A. baconi and A. melanoleuca than to that of U. maritimus. The absolute endocast size is the smallest in A. microta, largest in A. baconi, and intermediate in A. melanoleuca. However, the proportion of cerebral volume to total endocast size is very close to each other between the oldest and extant giant panda, as well as the sulcal length per unit area of cerebral endocast surface. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

圈养大熊猫排泄的粘液成分分析

收集并测定了8只圈养大熊猫的12个粘液样品的营养成分含量,包括水分、粗蛋白(CP)、粗脂肪(CF)、6种维生素(VA、VE、VD、VB1、VB2和VB6)以及4种微量元素(Fe、Zn、Cu和Mn).结果表明,大熊猫排泄的粘液营养物质含量丰富,尤其是含有很高的蛋白质、丰富的维生素和微量元素.粘液排泄频繁和排泄量大的大熊猫将从粘液排泄中损失很多的营养物质.因此,一方面必须给粘液排泄频繁和排泄量大的大熊猫补充营养,另一方面有必要采取切实可行的措施降低大熊猫的粘液排泄量及其频率.表4参5     

圈养亚成体大熊猫日粮粗蛋白表观消化率的初步研究

研究了7只1.5-4.7岁的亚成体大熊猫对23种日粮粗蛋白的表观消化率（ADCP），结果为37．86％－83．70％。分析表明，对1．5－2．5岁的大熊猫，粗纤维采食量与ADCP有极显著的负相关关系（图1）；对2．5－4．7岁的大熊猫。粗纤维采食量与ADCP没有明显相关关系（表3）。对1．5－2．5岁大熊猫，随竹粗蛋白占总粗蛋白比值升高，ADCP呈下降趋势（图2）；2．5－4．7岁的大熊猫，ADCP随竹粗蛋白比例升高而呈上升趋势（图3）；不同大熊猫ADCP还有个体差异。图3表3参10     

雅康高速公路对四川大熊猫栖息地世界自然遗产的影响

雅康高速公路的建设对于构建川藏“经济走廊”,促进甘孜及西藏地区的发展,具有十分重要的意义。雅康高速公路将穿越四川大熊猫栖息地世界自然遗产的外围保护区,建设过程中将可能对大熊猫栖息地的保护产生负面的影响,明确高速公路建设对四川大熊猫栖息地世界自然遗产的潜在影响,对于正确处理高速公路建设与世界遗产保护的关系具有重要的意义。通过实地调查和访问,根据拟建公路与遗产地关系剖面图,初步分析了拟建雅康高速公路所推荐的K方案对四川大熊猫栖息地的潜在影响。研究结果表明：雅康高速公路对四川大熊猫栖息地的真实性与完整性不会产生直接影响,但二郎山特长隧道的工程地质勘探以及通风井群的施工与维护对自然景观会形成明显干扰。为更好地保护四川大熊猫栖息地世界自然遗产,就拟建的雅康高速公路提出了相应的管理措施     

桑植县大鲵资源调查

张家界国家级大鲵自然保护区的核心区域位于湖南省桑植县境内。为了科学地掌握该县大鲵〖WTBX〗（Andrias davidianus）〖WTBZ〗资源状况,对大鲵资源的分布区域和数量进行了调查。结果表明：近年该县野生大鲵分布区域不断缩小,呈不连续点状分布,主要存在于澧水北源流经的五道水镇川洞峡,澧水南源流经的院子及酉水流经的芙蓉桥乡泉河等14处;野生资源量仍在衰退,目前仅约976尾。人工养殖大鲵资源主要分布五道水镇和芙蓉桥乡;人工养殖资源量增加较大,约2.64万尾。基于以上现状,认为需要加强大鲵资源保护管理,重视野生大鲵栖息地生态环境保护与基础研究,增加人工养殖大鲵的野外放流数量,以逐步恢复野生大鲵资源;同时继续发展大鲵人工养殖,不断增加人工养殖大鲵的资源量.     

大熊猫乳汁水解氨基酸含量的测定分析

收集了一只16岁圈养大熊猫产后d 2,d 3,d 5~9,d 11,d 12和d 17的乳汁样品各1个共计10个,并测定了其17种水解氨基酸(AA)的含量.结果表明,所有样品中G lu的含量最高,其次是Leu、Pro、Asp、Ser等,G ly含量最低.产后d 2~d 6的乳汁样品中AA含量稍有波动,除G ly和Cys外,其余含量从d 7~d 17呈逐渐升高的趋势;除Thr和G ly外,d 12或d 17乳汁样品中其余AA(d 12乳样中Asp除外)的含量都高于d 2的含量.d 2~d 6乳汁中Thr、G ly、Phe和Asp与总AA的比值极显著和显著高于d 7~d 17的(P<0.01和P<0.05),而G lu、Pro和A la(都为非必需氨基酸)比值极显著和显著低于d 7~d 17的(P<0.01和P<0.05).乳汁中非必需氨基酸与必需氨基酸比值(NEAA/EAA)平均值为1.55±0.05.NEAA和EAA都有随泌乳天数延长而逐步升高的趋势.图1表4参11     

What determines selection and abandonment of a foraging patch by wild giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) in winter?

Background, aim, and scope  Foraging patches can be described as a nested hierarchy of aggregated resources, implying that study of foraging by wild animals should be directed across different spatial scales. However, almost all previous research on habitat selection by the giant panda has concentrated upon one scale. In this research, we carried out a field study to understand foraging patch selection by giant pandas in winter at both microhabitat and feeding site scales and, for the first time, attempted to understand how long it would stay at the feeding sites before moving on. Materials and methods  The field survey was conducted from November 2002 to March 2003 at Fengtongzhai Nature Reserve (102°48′–103°00′ E, 30°19′–30°47′ N), Baoxing County of Sichuan Province, China, to collect data in both microhabitat and control plots. The microhabitat plots were located by fresh feces or foraging traces left by giant pandas, and the control plots were established to reflect the environment. Within each microhabitat plot, one 1 × 1 m² plot was centralized at the center of each feeding site, in which numbers of old bamboos and old shoots, including eaten and uneaten, were counted, respectively. Results  The results showed that winter microhabitats selected by this species were characteristic of gentle slopes and high old-shoot proportions and that the latter was even higher at feeding sites. Two selection processes, namely, from the environment to microhabitats and from the latter to feeding sites, were found during this species’ foraging patch utilization. Giant pandas preferred to eat old shoots to old bamboo at feeding sites in winter and did not leave unless old-shoot density fell to lower than the average in the environment. Discussion  Both microhabitats and feeding sites selected by giant pandas were characteristic of high old-shoot density, indicating that the preferred food item had a significant influence upon its foraging patch selection. The preference for gentle slopes by giant pandas was presumed to save energy in movement or reflect the need to sit and free its fore-limbs to grasp bamboo culms when feeding but also seemed to be correlated with an easier access to old shoots. The utilization of old shoots at feeding sites was assumed to help maximize energy or nutrient intake during their foraging. Conclusions  The difference between microhabitat plots and control plots and between microhabitats and feeding sites uncovered a continuous selection process from the environment via microhabitats to feeding sites. The utilization of old shoots at feeding sites was parallel to the marginal value theorem. The selection and abandonment of foraging patches by giant pandas was an optimal behavioral strategy adapted to their peculiar food with high cellulose and low protein. Recommendations and perspectives  Our results uncovered the importance of multiple scales in habitat selection research. To further understand the process of habitat selection, future research should pay more attention to resolve the question of how to locate foraging patches under dense bamboo forests by the giant panda, which was traditionally considered to have poor eyesight, although our research has answered what type of habitats the giant panda prefers and when to leave.     

使用冷藏精液进行大熊猫（Ailuropoda melanoleuca）人工授精

使用在4℃冷藏24 h和48 h的精液对5岁的雌性大熊猫妃妃进行了人工授精,以保持圈养大熊猫的遗传多样性. 供精者乐乐是一只患皮肤癌的雄性大熊猫,睾丸体积为(386.1±214) cm3,在2000-02-23～05-11期间,4次人工采精刺激电压5～8 V,射精电压5～8 V,每次采精量(3.2±1.2) mL,精子密度为(1 208.5±564.9)×106/mL-1,每次精子总量(3 908.3±2 546.6)×106,精液平均活力为84.8%±4.1%,活率为87.8%±5.2%,运动状态为2.9±0.25,畸形率为28.3%±11.1%,平均顶体正常率为96%±1%,pH值为7.9±0.3.乐乐的精液用TEST稀释后,在4℃冷藏24 h、48 h和72 h后,精子活力分别是65%,58%和47%,精子的活率分别为73%,73%和68%.用酶免法对雌兽妃妃尿液中雌激素的检测,发现妃妃的雌激素在发情前期开始增加,在发情前期的最后一天达到最大峰值,在发情期(4月3日～5日)迅速下降到正常值,进行人工授精的最佳时间是在雌兽尿液中的雌激素达到最大峰值后的48～72 h之间.妃妃在2000-08-10顺利地产下一仔,雌性,妊娠期127 d,初生幼仔179.3 g. 图1 表3 参19     

Application of least-cost path model to identify a giant panda dispersal corridor network after the Wenchuan earthquake—Case study of Wolong Nature Reserve in China

With growing levels of human-activity and frequent natural disturbances throughout the world, it is increasingly important that both research and management efforts take into account the widespread landscape fragmentation and its consequences for biodiversity conservation. The magnitude 5.12 Wenchuan earthquake in China caused dramatic impacts on giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) habitat in the nature reserves within Minshan and Qionglai mountains. With the combined stresses of the natural disaster and the extensive human activities during postquake reconstruction, giant panda habitat in this region may become more fragmented in the future. In order to preserve the giant panda population after the earthquake and protect the species against habitat fragmentation, this article explores a method of identifying giant panda migration corridors involving habitat suitability assessments and a least-cost path model. Focusing on postquake Wolong Nature Reserve, our results demonstrate that it contains 430.3 km² of suitable habitat (21.1% of total area), 463.8 km² of marginally suitable habitat (22.8%) and 1141.9 km² of unsuitable habitat (50.1%). We further show that several giant panda dispersal corridors exist in the reserve, including four corridor groups that cross the provincial highway and five corridors that do not intersect areas of human activity. This study will contribute to management and conservation efforts in Wolong Nature Reserve and beyond after the Wenchuan earthquake.     

The rhythm of stereotypic behaviors in captive giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca)北大核心CSCD

Stereotypy can be defined as a repetitive behavioral pattern with no apparent function or target in captivity. It is considered an abnormal behavior in contrast to the behavior in wild habitats and is often used as an important index to evaluate the captive environment, which has a significant scientific value. Many previous studies have focused on the impact of environment on stereotypical behavior; however, the rhythm of stereotypy remains unclear. To determine the mechanism of stereotypy, eight giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) were investigated 24 h a day from Jan 2018 to Dec 2019, with focal sampling and continuous recording. No stereotypy in the juveniles was noted, while the adult giant pandas displayed different stereotypies. Mean stereotypy durations were 0.72% of the total activity in circadian rhythm, with a peak of mean durations in all seasons occurring at 7:00 am–9:00 am, while, in spring, there was a peak of mean duration at 1:00 am–3:00 am. Although there was no significant difference, mean stereotypy durations and frequencies in the night were longer than those in the daytime. Mean stereotypy frequencies in spring reached the highest level, whereas mean stereotypy durations in winter were maximal. The adult giant pandas in the daytime showed maximal mean stereotypy durations in winter and minimal mean stereotypy durations in busy seasons (summer and autumn), whereas mean stereotypy durations at night were maximal in busy seasons. Despite no significant differences among these seasons, our results suggest that the stereotypy of giant pandas may have diurnal rhythms and seasonal differences. In light of the similar captive environment between adult and juvenile giant pandas, the appearance of stereotypy may be correlated with age, which may be the effects of the environment or a strategy of adaptation. © 2022 Science Press. All rights reserved.