OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficacy and safety of intravenous cervus and cucumis polypeptides for treating avascular necrosis of the femoral head(ANFH) in regard to pain and hip function in a randomized clinical tr...OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficacy and safety of intravenous cervus and cucumis polypeptides for treating avascular necrosis of the femoral head(ANFH) in regard to pain and hip function in a randomized clinical trial.METHODS: A total of 96 subjects with ANFH who were recruited at the Orthopaedic Hospital Affiliated with Hebei United University and Qian Hai Femoral Head Hospital of Beijing were assigned by lottery to an intervention group(n = 48) or a control group(n = 48). All subjects underwent physical therapy and rehabilitation exercises. In addition,subjects in the intervention group were given intravenous infusions of cervus and cucumis polypeptides. Visual analogue scale(VAS), Harris hip score,and radiography or magnetic resonance imaging were applied to assess all subjects at the beginning of treatment and 3, 6, and 9 months afterward. All the subjects were followed up for 2 years.RESULTS: At the beginning of treatment, there were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in terms of the general condition of patients or the VAS and Harris hip scores(all P > 0.05). At 3, 6, and 9 months after treatment,however, the VAS score decreased and the Harris hip score increased in all patients, with the improvement of intervention group significantly greater than that of the control group(P < 0.05).The total effectiveness rates for the intervention and control groups were 89.58% and 70.83%, respectively, with the difference being statistically significant(P < 0.05). There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of the safety of the injections(P > 0.05).CONCLUSION: Intravenous infusion of cervus and cucumis polypeptides relieved pain and improved hip function of subjects with ANFH.Thus, the intravenous infusion of cervus and cucumis polypeptides was a safe, effective treatment for ANFH.展开更多
Six ultimate factors (forage abundance, horizontal sheltering class, distance from human disturbance,snow depth, tree coverage, and edge effect) of Red deer (Cervus elaphus) were investigated in eastern Heilongjiang P...Six ultimate factors (forage abundance, horizontal sheltering class, distance from human disturbance,snow depth, tree coverage, and edge effect) of Red deer (Cervus elaphus) were investigated in eastern Heilongjiang Province during winter from 1988 to 1991. On the basis of analysis of field data, we evaluated winter habitat conditions of Red deer. The results showed as follows; the wintering habitat quality of Red deer in poplar-birch stands was excellent in the Wanda Mountains, and was moderate in shrub-woods and Korean pine seed stands.According to habitat index (HI) values, the habitat quality in poplar-birch stands (HI=0.8185) was superior to that in shrub-woods (HI=0.4825) and in Korean pine seed stands (HI=0.4385). The wintering habitat quality of Red deer in the Wanda Mountains was superior to that of Daning Forestry Region. According to the current situations of forestry areas in northeastern China, strengthening habitat management was important for the conservation and management of Red deer population in the next decades.展开更多
Red deer can adjust to seasonal change of forage quality to maintain a relatively constant crude protein level (21. 1±4.0, 14.7± 1 .0, 11. 1± 1. 1 and 6.5 ±0.8 in spring. summer. fall and winter. r...Red deer can adjust to seasonal change of forage quality to maintain a relatively constant crude protein level (21. 1±4.0, 14.7± 1 .0, 11. 1± 1. 1 and 6.5 ±0.8 in spring. summer. fall and winter. respectively). Apparent protein digestibility is variable from -99.9% to 97.5%, depending upon season and forage type. True protein digestibility is 99%. Digestion of protein is significantly influenced by phenolics in diets.Minimumm digestible energy intase of 153.5kcal/kg0.75/day is necessary to maintain a positive nitrogen balance. Red deer recycles 18-85% of the urea produced and urea kinetic parameters (urea pool size, urea entry rate and urea excretion rate) are correlated to plasma urea conccntration. Rumen NH3-N production changes with season, but seasonal changcs in other NH3-N kinetic parameters (NH3-N concentration, NH3-N pool size and NH3-N outflow rate) are in dispute. Protein metabolism may be promoted in response to cold strcss. Endogenous urinary nitrogen is 0.09 (red deer) and 0. 16 g N/kg0.75day (elk), and metabolic frcal nitrogen is 5.58 g N/kg dry-matter intake. Protein requirements ranges from 100 g/kg DM to 170 g/kg DM for red deer of various ages and physiological stages. In conclusion.the knowledge of protein nutrition of red deer is limite.Much work is urgently needed in metabolism and requirements of protein before the appropriate feeding standard of red deer is coming.展开更多
Objeclive The aim of this study was to investigate R-band of Cervus nippon hortulorum chromosomes and to provide references for genetic variation and gene location of Cervus nippon hortulorum. [Metbod] Cell division w...Objeclive The aim of this study was to investigate R-band of Cervus nippon hortulorum chromosomes and to provide references for genetic variation and gene location of Cervus nippon hortulorum. [Metbod] Cell division was synchronized by the pepripheral blood lymphocyte culture and the excessive dosage of thymine deoxyribonucleoside, and R-band of Cervus nippon hortulorum chromosomes was also analyzed by RBG-banding technique. Result The number of haploid chromosome banding increased to 400. The R-band of No. 1, No. 2, No. 3, No. 4, chromosome X and Y were almost just opposite to the high-resolution G band of them. The terminal of chromosomes except No. 21, No. 24 and No. 28 were all pos- itive deeply stained. E Conclusion] R-band of Cervus nippon hortulorum chromosomes can be manifested by RBG-binding technique.展开更多
The genetic diversity of 27 different Cervus nippon hortulorum was studied to provide theoretical evidence for their identification and utilization. The genomie DNA of 27 different Cereus nippon hortulorum were analyz...The genetic diversity of 27 different Cervus nippon hortulorum was studied to provide theoretical evidence for their identification and utilization. The genomie DNA of 27 different Cereus nippon hortulorum were analyzed by amplified fragment length polymorphism （AFLP）. 11,443 bands associated with genetic polymorphism among total 15,169 bands were obtained with 9 kinds of primer pairs and restriction endonuclease EcoRI/Msel, percentage of polymorphie band was 78.43%, 1,271 polymorphic locus were shown per primer pair. The AFLP data showed that average genetic similarity was 0.7841 （0.6809-0.8648）. 27 samples were classified into Group I and Group II with cluster analysis, and Group II was divided into five subgroups. The result of AFLP and cluster analysis concluded that there was high genetic variation, which associated with orientated artificial breed selection and breeding in the population. Genetic similarity of Group II-4 was the highest, more than 0.82, while genetic distance in this group was the shortest, from 0.1354 to 0.1563, which was coordinated with breeding record. All these showed that there was great genetic polymorphism among the deer population. The results laid the foundation for main quantitative trait locus （QTLs） of Cervus nippon hortulorum.展开更多
Variation in the vocal behavior of nonhuman vertebrates includes graded transitions and more dramatic changes.Wapiti males produce a reproductive bugle that has a fundamental frequency that surpasses 2,000 Hz with evi...Variation in the vocal behavior of nonhuman vertebrates includes graded transitions and more dramatic changes.Wapiti males produce a reproductive bugle that has a fundamental frequency that surpasses 2,000 Hz with evidence of biphonation and other nonlinear phenomena.Here,we analyze the acoustic structure of captive wapiti vocalizations to compare the male bugle with 3 categories of distress vocalizations:neonate distress(capture)calls,calf isolation calls,and adult female isolation calls.These 4 high-arousal call categories serve a common general function in recruiting conspecifics but occur in different behavioral contexts(capture,isolation,reproduction).Our goal was to distinguish characteristics that vary in graded steps that may correspond to an animal’s age or size from characteristics that are unique to the bugle.Characteristics of the high and loud fundamental(G0)varied in an age/size-graded manner with a decrease in minimum G0,an increase in the maximum and range of G0,with no evidence of sex differences.The nonlinear phenomena of deterministic chaos,biphonation,and frequency jumps were present in all 4 call categories and became more common from the distress vocalizations of neonates to calves to adult females to the male bugle.Two temporal characteristics sharply distinguished the bugle from the 3 categories of distress vocalizations:these included a prolonged call duration and a maximum G0 that occurred much later in the call for the bugle than for distress vocalizations.Our results suggest that distress vocalizations of different age groups and the reproductive bugle of wapiti share a high G0,with age/size-graded changes in G0 and nonlinear phenomena,but differ sharply in temporal characteristics.展开更多
目的探讨梅花鹿鞭及牛鞭线粒体细胞色素b(cytochrome b,Cytb)基因特异性片段特征,建立梅花鹿鞭的DNA指纹鉴定方法。方法采用引物设计软件Primer Premier 5.0设计了用于鉴定梅花鹿鞭的特异性引物,用此引物对市售的梅花鹿鞭样本进行DNA指...目的探讨梅花鹿鞭及牛鞭线粒体细胞色素b(cytochrome b,Cytb)基因特异性片段特征,建立梅花鹿鞭的DNA指纹鉴定方法。方法采用引物设计软件Primer Premier 5.0设计了用于鉴定梅花鹿鞭的特异性引物,用此引物对市售的梅花鹿鞭样本进行DNA指纹鉴定。结果梅花鹿鞭能扩增出306 bp大小的片段,而牛鞭未能扩增出相应片段。结论梅花鹿鞭DNA具有特异性指纹特征,所得梅花鹿鞭DNA指纹特征图谱可用于市售梅花鹿鞭的鉴定。展开更多
Aspects of time budgets, activity patterns and rut-related changes in behavior are well documented in temperate un-gulates; however, the application of this understanding to tropical and sub-tropical ungulate species ...Aspects of time budgets, activity patterns and rut-related changes in behavior are well documented in temperate un-gulates; however, the application of this understanding to tropical and sub-tropical ungulate species has attracted less attention and remains an area that may re-shape our knowledge of ungulate behavior. Eld＇s deer Cervus eldi hainanus has a tropical and sub-tropical distribution on Hainan Island, China, and males have an extended rut exceeding five months during which they do not maintain harems or defend resources. We studied males from the only remaining population on Hainan Island, and describe rut-related changes in behavior by collecting data on time budgets and activity patterns. We show that male Eld＇s deer do not fol- low a strict crepuscular activity pattern, do not spend the majority of their time foraging and do not increase foraging nor display rut-induced hypophagia during rut, in obvious contrast to temperate ungulates. These results are discussed in light of current hy- potheses explaining the proximate mechanisms governing feeding time in ungulates, while appreciating the need for further re-search .展开更多
Background： Recently, deer have expanded their distribution to higher altitude ranges including subalpine forests However, culling deer and construction of deer fence in subalpine forests are difficult because of ste...Background： Recently, deer have expanded their distribution to higher altitude ranges including subalpine forests However, culling deer and construction of deer fence in subalpine forests are difficult because of steep slopes and complex topography. Thus it is necessary to clarify the factors which are associated with debarking by deer for the effective protection of subalpine forests. In this study, we examined which factors are associated with debarking b： sika deer （Cervus nippon） in subalpine coniferous forests. Methods： We conducted our survey in Minami-Alps National Park, central Japan. We established 24 10 m × 40 m plots and surveyed the occurrence of debarking on saplings 〉30 cm in height and 〈3 cm in diameter at breast heigh （DBH） and on trees 〉3 cm in DBH, as well as sapling density within each plot. Minimum distances to nearest grasslan（ of plots were calculated （tentatively assuming grassland would attract deer and would cause high debarking pressure in the surrounding subaipine forests）. Results： The mean percentage of debarked live saplings was higher than that of live trees. The mean percentage of debarked saplings which had already died was 81.6 %. Debarking of saplings increased with lower elevation taller sapling size, and marginally increased near grassland. Sapling density was lower in plots with low basa area of conspecific trees near grassland and differed among species. Sapling density marginally decreased with decreasing elevation and increasing stand tree density. Debarking of trees was positively related to small DBH and Io~ elevation, and marginally increased near grassland and differed among species. Conclusions： Our results suggest that tall saplings in subalpine forests of low elevation or near subalpine grassland were susceptible to debarking by deer and monitoring of these areas may permit the early detection of the impacts of deer in subalpine coniferous forests.展开更多
Male copulatory patterns, female multiple copulation and male post-copulatory guarding were studied in Eld＇s deer Cervus eldi in Datian National Nature Reserve, China. Mating behavior in 18 females and 11 males from ...Male copulatory patterns, female multiple copulation and male post-copulatory guarding were studied in Eld＇s deer Cervus eldi in Datian National Nature Reserve, China. Mating behavior in 18 females and 11 males from a group of 61 semi-captive Eld＇s deer were observed. The majority （55.8%） of copulations occurred between 15：00-19：00 h. The ejaculatory mount was preceded by an average of 5.1 prior mounts. Successful copulation consisted of a single thrust with ejaculation during one intromission, with no lock. This copulatory pattern is classified as pattern No. 15 （no lock, no intravaginal thrusting, single intromission, and multiple ejaculation） and No. 16 （no lock, no intravaginal thrusting, single intromission, and single ejaculation） under Dewsbury＇s scheme （1972） and as No. 16 （no lock, no thrusting, single and brief intromission） under Dixson＇s classification （1998）. Copulation frequency was 1.5 ± 0.9 times for males/females with the same female/male per day. The duration of the final mount, which included ejaculation, was brief （3.4±1.3 s）, and ejaculation usually terminated copulation. Eleven females copulated more than once in this study： three of them copulated with several males （multi-male copulations） and the remainder copulated with a single male （repeated copulations）. Our results indicate that some female Eld＇s deer may seek multiple copulations to be a strategy to improve the genetic quality of their offspring or to avoid harassment. Post-copulatory guarding of females by males followed all copulations, with dominant males guarding for significantly longer than subordinate males. Dominant males appear to be more effective at post-copulatory guarding than subordinate males. Subordinate males engaged in a quicker pre-copulatory phase to improve their chances of finishing copulation before being forced to accede to dominant males [Current Zoology 57 （3）： 284-292, 2011].展开更多
基金Supported by Tangshan Science and Technology Research Project(No.13130242b)
文摘OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficacy and safety of intravenous cervus and cucumis polypeptides for treating avascular necrosis of the femoral head(ANFH) in regard to pain and hip function in a randomized clinical trial.METHODS: A total of 96 subjects with ANFH who were recruited at the Orthopaedic Hospital Affiliated with Hebei United University and Qian Hai Femoral Head Hospital of Beijing were assigned by lottery to an intervention group(n = 48) or a control group(n = 48). All subjects underwent physical therapy and rehabilitation exercises. In addition,subjects in the intervention group were given intravenous infusions of cervus and cucumis polypeptides. Visual analogue scale(VAS), Harris hip score,and radiography or magnetic resonance imaging were applied to assess all subjects at the beginning of treatment and 3, 6, and 9 months afterward. All the subjects were followed up for 2 years.RESULTS: At the beginning of treatment, there were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in terms of the general condition of patients or the VAS and Harris hip scores(all P > 0.05). At 3, 6, and 9 months after treatment,however, the VAS score decreased and the Harris hip score increased in all patients, with the improvement of intervention group significantly greater than that of the control group(P < 0.05).The total effectiveness rates for the intervention and control groups were 89.58% and 70.83%, respectively, with the difference being statistically significant(P < 0.05). There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of the safety of the injections(P > 0.05).CONCLUSION: Intravenous infusion of cervus and cucumis polypeptides relieved pain and improved hip function of subjects with ANFH.Thus, the intravenous infusion of cervus and cucumis polypeptides was a safe, effective treatment for ANFH.
文摘Six ultimate factors (forage abundance, horizontal sheltering class, distance from human disturbance,snow depth, tree coverage, and edge effect) of Red deer (Cervus elaphus) were investigated in eastern Heilongjiang Province during winter from 1988 to 1991. On the basis of analysis of field data, we evaluated winter habitat conditions of Red deer. The results showed as follows; the wintering habitat quality of Red deer in poplar-birch stands was excellent in the Wanda Mountains, and was moderate in shrub-woods and Korean pine seed stands.According to habitat index (HI) values, the habitat quality in poplar-birch stands (HI=0.8185) was superior to that in shrub-woods (HI=0.4825) and in Korean pine seed stands (HI=0.4385). The wintering habitat quality of Red deer in the Wanda Mountains was superior to that of Daning Forestry Region. According to the current situations of forestry areas in northeastern China, strengthening habitat management was important for the conservation and management of Red deer population in the next decades.
文摘Red deer can adjust to seasonal change of forage quality to maintain a relatively constant crude protein level (21. 1±4.0, 14.7± 1 .0, 11. 1± 1. 1 and 6.5 ±0.8 in spring. summer. fall and winter. respectively). Apparent protein digestibility is variable from -99.9% to 97.5%, depending upon season and forage type. True protein digestibility is 99%. Digestion of protein is significantly influenced by phenolics in diets.Minimumm digestible energy intase of 153.5kcal/kg0.75/day is necessary to maintain a positive nitrogen balance. Red deer recycles 18-85% of the urea produced and urea kinetic parameters (urea pool size, urea entry rate and urea excretion rate) are correlated to plasma urea conccntration. Rumen NH3-N production changes with season, but seasonal changcs in other NH3-N kinetic parameters (NH3-N concentration, NH3-N pool size and NH3-N outflow rate) are in dispute. Protein metabolism may be promoted in response to cold strcss. Endogenous urinary nitrogen is 0.09 (red deer) and 0. 16 g N/kg0.75day (elk), and metabolic frcal nitrogen is 5.58 g N/kg dry-matter intake. Protein requirements ranges from 100 g/kg DM to 170 g/kg DM for red deer of various ages and physiological stages. In conclusion.the knowledge of protein nutrition of red deer is limite.Much work is urgently needed in metabolism and requirements of protein before the appropriate feeding standard of red deer is coming.
基金supported by Chongqing Normal University Fund (XLY012)Natural Science Foundation of Chongqing Science and Technology Commission (CSTC 2006BB1260)
文摘Objeclive The aim of this study was to investigate R-band of Cervus nippon hortulorum chromosomes and to provide references for genetic variation and gene location of Cervus nippon hortulorum. [Metbod] Cell division was synchronized by the pepripheral blood lymphocyte culture and the excessive dosage of thymine deoxyribonucleoside, and R-band of Cervus nippon hortulorum chromosomes was also analyzed by RBG-banding technique. Result The number of haploid chromosome banding increased to 400. The R-band of No. 1, No. 2, No. 3, No. 4, chromosome X and Y were almost just opposite to the high-resolution G band of them. The terminal of chromosomes except No. 21, No. 24 and No. 28 were all pos- itive deeply stained. E Conclusion] R-band of Cervus nippon hortulorum chromosomes can be manifested by RBG-binding technique.
文摘The genetic diversity of 27 different Cervus nippon hortulorum was studied to provide theoretical evidence for their identification and utilization. The genomie DNA of 27 different Cereus nippon hortulorum were analyzed by amplified fragment length polymorphism （AFLP）. 11,443 bands associated with genetic polymorphism among total 15,169 bands were obtained with 9 kinds of primer pairs and restriction endonuclease EcoRI/Msel, percentage of polymorphie band was 78.43%, 1,271 polymorphic locus were shown per primer pair. The AFLP data showed that average genetic similarity was 0.7841 （0.6809-0.8648）. 27 samples were classified into Group I and Group II with cluster analysis, and Group II was divided into five subgroups. The result of AFLP and cluster analysis concluded that there was high genetic variation, which associated with orientated artificial breed selection and breeding in the population. Genetic similarity of Group II-4 was the highest, more than 0.82, while genetic distance in this group was the shortest, from 0.1354 to 0.1563, which was coordinated with breeding record. All these showed that there was great genetic polymorphism among the deer population. The results laid the foundation for main quantitative trait locus （QTLs） of Cervus nippon hortulorum.
基金The University of Winnipeg and The University of Winnipeg Foundation contributed funding to this research.
文摘Variation in the vocal behavior of nonhuman vertebrates includes graded transitions and more dramatic changes.Wapiti males produce a reproductive bugle that has a fundamental frequency that surpasses 2,000 Hz with evidence of biphonation and other nonlinear phenomena.Here,we analyze the acoustic structure of captive wapiti vocalizations to compare the male bugle with 3 categories of distress vocalizations:neonate distress(capture)calls,calf isolation calls,and adult female isolation calls.These 4 high-arousal call categories serve a common general function in recruiting conspecifics but occur in different behavioral contexts(capture,isolation,reproduction).Our goal was to distinguish characteristics that vary in graded steps that may correspond to an animal’s age or size from characteristics that are unique to the bugle.Characteristics of the high and loud fundamental(G0)varied in an age/size-graded manner with a decrease in minimum G0,an increase in the maximum and range of G0,with no evidence of sex differences.The nonlinear phenomena of deterministic chaos,biphonation,and frequency jumps were present in all 4 call categories and became more common from the distress vocalizations of neonates to calves to adult females to the male bugle.Two temporal characteristics sharply distinguished the bugle from the 3 categories of distress vocalizations:these included a prolonged call duration and a maximum G0 that occurred much later in the call for the bugle than for distress vocalizations.Our results suggest that distress vocalizations of different age groups and the reproductive bugle of wapiti share a high G0,with age/size-graded changes in G0 and nonlinear phenomena,but differ sharply in temporal characteristics.
文摘目的探讨梅花鹿鞭及牛鞭线粒体细胞色素b(cytochrome b,Cytb)基因特异性片段特征,建立梅花鹿鞭的DNA指纹鉴定方法。方法采用引物设计软件Primer Premier 5.0设计了用于鉴定梅花鹿鞭的特异性引物,用此引物对市售的梅花鹿鞭样本进行DNA指纹鉴定。结果梅花鹿鞭能扩增出306 bp大小的片段,而牛鞭未能扩增出相应片段。结论梅花鹿鞭DNA具有特异性指纹特征,所得梅花鹿鞭DNA指纹特征图谱可用于市售梅花鹿鞭的鉴定。
基金Funding for this study was provided by National Nature Science Foundation of China （30430120）. We followed guidelines for the use of animals in research as pub-lished by the journal Animal Behaviour. We thank staff at Hainan Datian National Nature Reserve for assistance during our field research with special thanks to Li Shanyuan and Xing Yichang who graciously contributed their time and effort during this study.
文摘Aspects of time budgets, activity patterns and rut-related changes in behavior are well documented in temperate un-gulates; however, the application of this understanding to tropical and sub-tropical ungulate species has attracted less attention and remains an area that may re-shape our knowledge of ungulate behavior. Eld＇s deer Cervus eldi hainanus has a tropical and sub-tropical distribution on Hainan Island, China, and males have an extended rut exceeding five months during which they do not maintain harems or defend resources. We studied males from the only remaining population on Hainan Island, and describe rut-related changes in behavior by collecting data on time budgets and activity patterns. We show that male Eld＇s deer do not fol- low a strict crepuscular activity pattern, do not spend the majority of their time foraging and do not increase foraging nor display rut-induced hypophagia during rut, in obvious contrast to temperate ungulates. These results are discussed in light of current hy- potheses explaining the proximate mechanisms governing feeding time in ungulates, while appreciating the need for further re-search .
基金funded by the Comprehensive Research Organization for Science and Technology of Yamanashi Prefectural Government and Mitsui&CO.,LTD
文摘Background： Recently, deer have expanded their distribution to higher altitude ranges including subalpine forests However, culling deer and construction of deer fence in subalpine forests are difficult because of steep slopes and complex topography. Thus it is necessary to clarify the factors which are associated with debarking by deer for the effective protection of subalpine forests. In this study, we examined which factors are associated with debarking b： sika deer （Cervus nippon） in subalpine coniferous forests. Methods： We conducted our survey in Minami-Alps National Park, central Japan. We established 24 10 m × 40 m plots and surveyed the occurrence of debarking on saplings 〉30 cm in height and 〈3 cm in diameter at breast heigh （DBH） and on trees 〉3 cm in DBH, as well as sapling density within each plot. Minimum distances to nearest grasslan（ of plots were calculated （tentatively assuming grassland would attract deer and would cause high debarking pressure in the surrounding subaipine forests）. Results： The mean percentage of debarked live saplings was higher than that of live trees. The mean percentage of debarked saplings which had already died was 81.6 %. Debarking of saplings increased with lower elevation taller sapling size, and marginally increased near grassland. Sapling density was lower in plots with low basa area of conspecific trees near grassland and differed among species. Sapling density marginally decreased with decreasing elevation and increasing stand tree density. Debarking of trees was positively related to small DBH and Io~ elevation, and marginally increased near grassland and differed among species. Conclusions： Our results suggest that tall saplings in subalpine forests of low elevation or near subalpine grassland were susceptible to debarking by deer and monitoring of these areas may permit the early detection of the impacts of deer in subalpine coniferous forests.
基金This research was supported by the Key Project in the National Science and Technology Pillar Program in the Eleventh Five-year Plan Period of China （Grant No. 2008BADBOB01）, and the National Natural Science Foundation of China （Grant No. 30770320）. We thank B. D. Bravery and Z.-Y. Jia for English editing and helpful comments on the manuscript, and we thank S.-Y. Li, Y.-Q. Wu, B. Long, E.-B. Zhang, H. Zhang and X. Wen of Datian National Nature Reserve for their assistance when we conducted fieldwork.
文摘Male copulatory patterns, female multiple copulation and male post-copulatory guarding were studied in Eld＇s deer Cervus eldi in Datian National Nature Reserve, China. Mating behavior in 18 females and 11 males from a group of 61 semi-captive Eld＇s deer were observed. The majority （55.8%） of copulations occurred between 15：00-19：00 h. The ejaculatory mount was preceded by an average of 5.1 prior mounts. Successful copulation consisted of a single thrust with ejaculation during one intromission, with no lock. This copulatory pattern is classified as pattern No. 15 （no lock, no intravaginal thrusting, single intromission, and multiple ejaculation） and No. 16 （no lock, no intravaginal thrusting, single intromission, and single ejaculation） under Dewsbury＇s scheme （1972） and as No. 16 （no lock, no thrusting, single and brief intromission） under Dixson＇s classification （1998）. Copulation frequency was 1.5 ± 0.9 times for males/females with the same female/male per day. The duration of the final mount, which included ejaculation, was brief （3.4±1.3 s）, and ejaculation usually terminated copulation. Eleven females copulated more than once in this study： three of them copulated with several males （multi-male copulations） and the remainder copulated with a single male （repeated copulations）. Our results indicate that some female Eld＇s deer may seek multiple copulations to be a strategy to improve the genetic quality of their offspring or to avoid harassment. Post-copulatory guarding of females by males followed all copulations, with dominant males guarding for significantly longer than subordinate males. Dominant males appear to be more effective at post-copulatory guarding than subordinate males. Subordinate males engaged in a quicker pre-copulatory phase to improve their chances of finishing copulation before being forced to accede to dominant males [Current Zoology 57 （3）： 284-292, 2011].
