From January to March 2005, the effects of group size on the vigilance behavior of wintering Common Cranes Grus grus were studied at Lashihai Lake, Yunnan Province, China. We used scan sampling to record the group siz...From January to March 2005, the effects of group size on the vigilance behavior of wintering Common Cranes Grus grus were studied at Lashihai Lake, Yunnan Province, China. We used scan sampling to record the group sizes and the number of vigilant individuals in each group, and focal sampling to record the frequency and duration of individual vigilance behavior. Both the vigilance efforts of groups and individuals significantly decreased as group size increased, but when the group size exceeded 30 individuals, the decrease of group vigilance became not significant （P 〉 0. 05）, and the vigilance duration of adult cranes increased （P 〈 0.01 ）. The vigilance frequency of adults increased （P 〈 0.05） when the size exceeded 50 individuals. Presumably, the maximal group size allowing the lowest vigilance for juvenile cranes was larger than that for adults, and the flocks composed of 20 to 30 individuals represented the optimal group size of wintering Common Cranes by considering only the vigilance behavior. Further research should focus on the synthesized effects of various factors.展开更多
The Hooded Crane (Grus monacha) is a waterbird wintering in the wetlands of the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, China. The gradual habitat loss resulting from wetland degradation may have posed negative...The Hooded Crane (Grus monacha) is a waterbird wintering in the wetlands of the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, China. The gradual habitat loss resulting from wetland degradation may have posed negative effects on the structure of our wintering populations. For its effective protection, it is important to conduct an intensive study on the genetic structure of this population. A total of 221 faecal samples, nine feather samples and four muscle samples of Hooded Cranes from four wintering populations, i.e., from Caizi Lake and Shengjin Lake in Anhui, Poyang Lake in Jiangxi and Chongming Dongtan in Shanghai, were collected for this study. Full-length 1103–1104 bp mtDNA D-loop sequences from 72 samples were amplified using PCR. Based on our amplified D-loop sequences and the sequences of two individual birds obtained from GenBank (AB017625 and AB023813), we analyzed the genetic structure of these four wintering Hooded Crane populations. Twenty six variable sites were found among 72 target sequences in the four wintering populations and 23 haplotypes were defined. Genetic diversity analyses showed that the haplotype diversity of Hooded Cranes was 0.823 ± 0.042 with a nucleotide diversity of 0.00157 ± 0.00021. The FST values of the four populations show that there is no significant genetic differentiation among the populations of Hooded Cranes wintering in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River. Tajima’s D and Fu’s tests suggest that the Hooded Crane populations may have experienced population expansion in their evolutionary history.展开更多
The Black-necked Crane (Grus nigricollis) is an endemic species of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau,with its population in Xinjiang largely found in the Kunlun and Altun mountain regions.A survey of the distribution,popula...The Black-necked Crane (Grus nigricollis) is an endemic species of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau,with its population in Xinjiang largely found in the Kunlun and Altun mountain regions.A survey of the distribution,population dynamics,flock size and behavior was conducted in Altun Mountain National Natural Reserve from September to November 2011.We investigated the size and distribution of its population in this area with a sample spot survey and by direct counting.We found Black-necked Cranes on the wetlands of Wuzunxiaoer,Yusup Aleksei,Yaziquan,Qimantag,Tula Ranch and elsewhere,where we recorded 126 individual birds of the species in Yixiekepati (37° 15′-37°23′N,90°11′-90°20′E,elevation 3903 m),the largest population we have observed in this area.In the reserve,the population consists of about 180-200 birds.Combined with previous records,we conclude that more than 260 Black-necked Cranes live in Xinjiang.Cranes gathered conspicuously in the middle of October where the highest number of birds appeared on 29 October.All of the cranes had migrated out of this area by 6 November.Time budgets and diurnal behavior rhythms of Blacknecked Cranes were observed in the Yixiekepati wetland at daylight (from 06:00 to 18:00).Foraging was the most prevalent type of behavior during the autumn period,accounting for 58.9％ of the diurnal time budget,followed by preening (13.2％),vigilance (9.5％),walking (8.2％),flying (3.5％),resting (3.4％),chirping (2.7％) and other types of behavior (0.6％).展开更多
Background:The Yangtze River floodplain provides important wintering habitats for Hooded Cranes(Grus monacha) in China.Fluctuations in the water level change foraging habitat and food availability,affecting their temp...Background:The Yangtze River floodplain provides important wintering habitats for Hooded Cranes(Grus monacha) in China.Fluctuations in the water level change foraging habitat and food availability,affecting their temporal-spatial patterns of foraging activities.It is of considerable importance to investigate the effect of these fluctuations on food availability for wintering Hooded Cranes and their foraging response to these changes.Understanding their behavior patterns is beneficial in protecting the wintering crane population and restoring their wintering habitats.Methods:A field survey of the winter behavior of cranes was carried out at Shengjin Lake from November in 2013 to April in 2014.Habitat variables,as well as the spatial distribution and behavior patterns of wintering cranes at their foraging sites during five stages of water level fluctuation were collected.Based on this data we analyzed the relationship of foraging behavior relative to water level fluctuations and habitat types.Results:The foraging habitats used by Hooded Cranes varied at the different water level stages.As the water level decreased,the use of meadows and mudflats increased.When the water dropped to its lowest level,the use by the Hooded Crane in the mudflats reached a peak.There were statistically significant differences in time budget in the three types of habitats over the five stages of the water level.In the mudflats,the foraging behavior and maintenance behavior varied significantly with the water level,while the alert behavior showed little variation.Analysis of a generalized linear model showed that the five water level stages and three habitat types had a significant effect on foraging behavior,while the combined effect of these two variables was significant on the foraging time budget and the length of foraging activity of the Hooded Crane.Conclusions:With the decrease in the water level,the use of mudflats by Hooded Cranes increased correspondingly.Food availability in different habitats was affected by changes in the water level.The Hooded Crane adjusted its foraging patterns and made full use of the three available types of habitat in order to acquire enough food in response to fluctuations in the water level.展开更多
Background:The ideal habitat use of waterbirds can be considered to be fixed,but current habitat use depends on environmental conditions,especially those of food characteristics,considered crucial to their use of habi...Background:The ideal habitat use of waterbirds can be considered to be fixed,but current habitat use depends on environmental conditions,especially those of food characteristics,considered crucial to their use of habitats.Understanding how waterbirds respond to variation in food availability at degraded wetland sites and change their habitat use patterns over spatial and temporal scales should direct future conservation planning.The objectives of this study were to identify these spatial-temporal foraging habitat use patterns of Hooded Cranes(Grus monacha)and their relationship with food characteristics in the severely degraded wetlands of the Shengjin and Caizi lakes along with the Yangtze River floodplain.Methods:We investigated the changes in food characteristics,relative abundance and density of Hooded Cranes in various habitat types across three winter periods from November 2012 to April 2013.We examined the effect of these winter periods and habitat types on the pattern of use by the cranes and explored the relationship between these patterns and food characteristics using linear regression.Results:The food characteristics and habitat use clearly changed over spatial-temporal scales.In the early and mid-winter periods,the most abundant,accessible and frequented food resources were found in paddy fields,while in the late period the more abundant food were available in meadows,which then replaced the paddy fields.There were fewer effects of winter periods,habitat types and their interactions on habitat use patterns except for the effect of habitat types on the relative abundance,determined as a function of food abundance,but independent of food depth and sediment permeability.Conclusions:In response to the degradation and loss of lake wetlands,the cranes shifted their habitat use patterns by making tradeoffs between food abundance and accessibility over spatial-temporal scales that facilitated their survival in the mosaic of these lake wetlands.展开更多
White-naped crane （Grus vipio） is a globally threatened spe- cies. It is very important to analyze its nest site selection in circum- stances where there are multiple disturbances, and also helpful to accu- mulate v...White-naped crane （Grus vipio） is a globally threatened spe- cies. It is very important to analyze its nest site selection in circum- stances where there are multiple disturbances, and also helpful to accu- mulate valuable information about this threatened species and supply scientific suggestions for conservation and management. We studied nest site selection and the effects of environmental variables on nesting habits of white-naped crane at Zhalong National Nature Reserve, Qiqihar City, Heilongiiang, China, during March-May of 2002-2008. White-naped crane responded and adapted to changes in the quality of the spatial environments of landscape and microhabitat under multiple environ- mental disturbances. Nest site selection included two scales and two choices, namely the choice of nest site habitat type within the macro-habitat scale and nest site micro-habitat selection within the mi- cro-habitat scale. Nest sites were recorded only in reed marshes. The choice of nest site micro-habitat included three basic elements and six factors, namely incubation element （nest parameters factor, incubation temperature factor and incubation humidity factor）, safety element （pro- tection factor and concealment factor）, and food element （water factor）. Water, remnant reed clusters, and fire were major resource management challenges during the breeding period for the white-naped crane in this Reserve.展开更多
We studied migratory Red-crowned cranes from 1991-2012 in order to track population dynamics and trends for these cranes over time at Shuangtaihekou,northeastern China.Our results show that the earliest arrival date o...We studied migratory Red-crowned cranes from 1991-2012 in order to track population dynamics and trends for these cranes over time at Shuangtaihekou,northeastern China.Our results show that the earliest arrival date of the Red-crowned Crane (Grus japonensis) was usually around 1 March in the spring and the latest departure date of the cranes around 8 November.The peak period for the number of cranes observed in the spring was 10-20 March over these 22 years.The staging period in the spring is about 25 days.Comparing the highest number of Red-crowned cranes observed in the spring,the migratory population was around 400 birds in the 1990s,then,increased to over 800 birds in 2000.For a short while,the population maintained itself around 600-800 birds.After that,the population started to decline,until during the most recent years,we observed around 400 birds at peak times of each season.Our results match a similar population change pattern observed in the wintering area for a western population,which has been declining since 2000.There is an urgent need to reinforce protection and management,as well as to maintain and improve the quality of their habitats.展开更多
Facing climate and land use change,a species’ability to successfully adapt to changing environments is crucial for its survival.Extensive drainage and intensification of agriculture and forestry set wetlands and asso...Facing climate and land use change,a species’ability to successfully adapt to changing environments is crucial for its survival.Extensive drainage and intensification of agriculture and forestry set wetlands and associated species at risk of population declines.The population of Common Cranes(Grus grus)has experienced considerable fluctuations over the last century.Despite increasing population numbers,hatching success seemed to have decreased over the last years.The aim of this study was to identify factors influencing hatching success and nest survival of Common Cranes based on analyses of long-term individual-based monitoring data from northeastern Germany and evaluate the species ability to adapt to changing environments.Hatching success decreased over the course of the study period from 0.75 to 0.55.Surprisingly,nest survival and hatching success did not vary across different nesting habitats,whereas factors such as female age,timing of nest initiation and breeding pair density were found to have significant effects on hatching success.Older females showed higher hatching success,even though the proportion of unhatched eggs was highest in females aged 20 years or older.Early nest initiation had a positive effect on hatching success.Water levels are more favorable early in the nesting season,whereas increasing evaporation with time causes water levels to decrease,granting easier access for predators.Independently of female age,hatching success decreased with increasing numbers of breeding pairs within a 2-km radius around a nesting site.High population densities intensify competition for resources and promote intraspecific interactions,affecting reproductive outcome negatively.This study gives first insights into mechanisms behind population regulation in Common Cranes,highlighting the importance of population dynamics and individual features.We suggest to further investigate density dependent effects including landscape and habitat features as well as reproductive success in terms of chick survival,since successfully raising juveniles is crucial for a species survival.展开更多
Through scanning electron microscope, various trpes of feathers in various parts of red-crown crane--a kind of rare and precious bird were observed micrographically. It was shown in the result that in different type o...Through scanning electron microscope, various trpes of feathers in various parts of red-crown crane--a kind of rare and precious bird were observed micrographically. It was shown in the result that in different type of feather, the barbules show a great variation in their morphology and structure. This observation can be a basic reference for the taxonomy using the feather structure and the study of systematic relationship.展开更多
文摘From January to March 2005, the effects of group size on the vigilance behavior of wintering Common Cranes Grus grus were studied at Lashihai Lake, Yunnan Province, China. We used scan sampling to record the group sizes and the number of vigilant individuals in each group, and focal sampling to record the frequency and duration of individual vigilance behavior. Both the vigilance efforts of groups and individuals significantly decreased as group size increased, but when the group size exceeded 30 individuals, the decrease of group vigilance became not significant （P 〉 0. 05）, and the vigilance duration of adult cranes increased （P 〈 0.01 ）. The vigilance frequency of adults increased （P 〈 0.05） when the size exceeded 50 individuals. Presumably, the maximal group size allowing the lowest vigilance for juvenile cranes was larger than that for adults, and the flocks composed of 20 to 30 individuals represented the optimal group size of wintering Common Cranes by considering only the vigilance behavior. Further research should focus on the synthesized effects of various factors.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No 31172117)the Anhui Academic and Technical Leaders Fund
文摘The Hooded Crane (Grus monacha) is a waterbird wintering in the wetlands of the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, China. The gradual habitat loss resulting from wetland degradation may have posed negative effects on the structure of our wintering populations. For its effective protection, it is important to conduct an intensive study on the genetic structure of this population. A total of 221 faecal samples, nine feather samples and four muscle samples of Hooded Cranes from four wintering populations, i.e., from Caizi Lake and Shengjin Lake in Anhui, Poyang Lake in Jiangxi and Chongming Dongtan in Shanghai, were collected for this study. Full-length 1103–1104 bp mtDNA D-loop sequences from 72 samples were amplified using PCR. Based on our amplified D-loop sequences and the sequences of two individual birds obtained from GenBank (AB017625 and AB023813), we analyzed the genetic structure of these four wintering Hooded Crane populations. Twenty six variable sites were found among 72 target sequences in the four wintering populations and 23 haplotypes were defined. Genetic diversity analyses showed that the haplotype diversity of Hooded Cranes was 0.823 ± 0.042 with a nucleotide diversity of 0.00157 ± 0.00021. The FST values of the four populations show that there is no significant genetic differentiation among the populations of Hooded Cranes wintering in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River. Tajima’s D and Fu’s tests suggest that the Hooded Crane populations may have experienced population expansion in their evolutionary history.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.31272291,30970340)the Hong Kong Bird Watching Society China Conservation Fund and the Management Bureau of Altun Mountain Natural Reserve
文摘The Black-necked Crane (Grus nigricollis) is an endemic species of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau,with its population in Xinjiang largely found in the Kunlun and Altun mountain regions.A survey of the distribution,population dynamics,flock size and behavior was conducted in Altun Mountain National Natural Reserve from September to November 2011.We investigated the size and distribution of its population in this area with a sample spot survey and by direct counting.We found Black-necked Cranes on the wetlands of Wuzunxiaoer,Yusup Aleksei,Yaziquan,Qimantag,Tula Ranch and elsewhere,where we recorded 126 individual birds of the species in Yixiekepati (37° 15′-37°23′N,90°11′-90°20′E,elevation 3903 m),the largest population we have observed in this area.In the reserve,the population consists of about 180-200 birds.Combined with previous records,we conclude that more than 260 Black-necked Cranes live in Xinjiang.Cranes gathered conspicuously in the middle of October where the highest number of birds appeared on 29 October.All of the cranes had migrated out of this area by 6 November.Time budgets and diurnal behavior rhythms of Blacknecked Cranes were observed in the Yixiekepati wetland at daylight (from 06:00 to 18:00).Foraging was the most prevalent type of behavior during the autumn period,accounting for 58.9％ of the diurnal time budget,followed by preening (13.2％),vigilance (9.5％),walking (8.2％),flying (3.5％),resting (3.4％),chirping (2.7％) and other types of behavior (0.6％).
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant no.31172117,31472020)the Graduate Student Innovation Research Projects of Anhui University(YQH100269)
文摘Background:The Yangtze River floodplain provides important wintering habitats for Hooded Cranes(Grus monacha) in China.Fluctuations in the water level change foraging habitat and food availability,affecting their temporal-spatial patterns of foraging activities.It is of considerable importance to investigate the effect of these fluctuations on food availability for wintering Hooded Cranes and their foraging response to these changes.Understanding their behavior patterns is beneficial in protecting the wintering crane population and restoring their wintering habitats.Methods:A field survey of the winter behavior of cranes was carried out at Shengjin Lake from November in 2013 to April in 2014.Habitat variables,as well as the spatial distribution and behavior patterns of wintering cranes at their foraging sites during five stages of water level fluctuation were collected.Based on this data we analyzed the relationship of foraging behavior relative to water level fluctuations and habitat types.Results:The foraging habitats used by Hooded Cranes varied at the different water level stages.As the water level decreased,the use of meadows and mudflats increased.When the water dropped to its lowest level,the use by the Hooded Crane in the mudflats reached a peak.There were statistically significant differences in time budget in the three types of habitats over the five stages of the water level.In the mudflats,the foraging behavior and maintenance behavior varied significantly with the water level,while the alert behavior showed little variation.Analysis of a generalized linear model showed that the five water level stages and three habitat types had a significant effect on foraging behavior,while the combined effect of these two variables was significant on the foraging time budget and the length of foraging activity of the Hooded Crane.Conclusions:With the decrease in the water level,the use of mudflats by Hooded Cranes increased correspondingly.Food availability in different habitats was affected by changes in the water level.The Hooded Crane adjusted its foraging patterns and made full use of the three available types of habitat in order to acquire enough food in response to fluctuations in the water level.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant no.31172117 and 31472020)the Graduate Student Innovation Research Projects of Anhui University(YQ 01001770)
文摘Background:The ideal habitat use of waterbirds can be considered to be fixed,but current habitat use depends on environmental conditions,especially those of food characteristics,considered crucial to their use of habitats.Understanding how waterbirds respond to variation in food availability at degraded wetland sites and change their habitat use patterns over spatial and temporal scales should direct future conservation planning.The objectives of this study were to identify these spatial-temporal foraging habitat use patterns of Hooded Cranes(Grus monacha)and their relationship with food characteristics in the severely degraded wetlands of the Shengjin and Caizi lakes along with the Yangtze River floodplain.Methods:We investigated the changes in food characteristics,relative abundance and density of Hooded Cranes in various habitat types across three winter periods from November 2012 to April 2013.We examined the effect of these winter periods and habitat types on the pattern of use by the cranes and explored the relationship between these patterns and food characteristics using linear regression.Results:The food characteristics and habitat use clearly changed over spatial-temporal scales.In the early and mid-winter periods,the most abundant,accessible and frequented food resources were found in paddy fields,while in the late period the more abundant food were available in meadows,which then replaced the paddy fields.There were fewer effects of winter periods,habitat types and their interactions on habitat use patterns except for the effect of habitat types on the relative abundance,determined as a function of food abundance,but independent of food depth and sediment permeability.Conclusions:In response to the degradation and loss of lake wetlands,the cranes shifted their habitat use patterns by making tradeoffs between food abundance and accessibility over spatial-temporal scales that facilitated their survival in the mosaic of these lake wetlands.
基金financially supported by the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(No.2572014CA05and DL12EA04)National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.31401978 and 31070345)+1 种基金China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(No.2011M500631)Heilongjiang Postdoctoral Foundation(No.520-415268)
文摘White-naped crane （Grus vipio） is a globally threatened spe- cies. It is very important to analyze its nest site selection in circum- stances where there are multiple disturbances, and also helpful to accu- mulate valuable information about this threatened species and supply scientific suggestions for conservation and management. We studied nest site selection and the effects of environmental variables on nesting habits of white-naped crane at Zhalong National Nature Reserve, Qiqihar City, Heilongiiang, China, during March-May of 2002-2008. White-naped crane responded and adapted to changes in the quality of the spatial environments of landscape and microhabitat under multiple environ- mental disturbances. Nest site selection included two scales and two choices, namely the choice of nest site habitat type within the macro-habitat scale and nest site micro-habitat selection within the mi- cro-habitat scale. Nest sites were recorded only in reed marshes. The choice of nest site micro-habitat included three basic elements and six factors, namely incubation element （nest parameters factor, incubation temperature factor and incubation humidity factor）, safety element （pro- tection factor and concealment factor）, and food element （water factor）. Water, remnant reed clusters, and fire were major resource management challenges during the breeding period for the white-naped crane in this Reserve.
文摘We studied migratory Red-crowned cranes from 1991-2012 in order to track population dynamics and trends for these cranes over time at Shuangtaihekou,northeastern China.Our results show that the earliest arrival date of the Red-crowned Crane (Grus japonensis) was usually around 1 March in the spring and the latest departure date of the cranes around 8 November.The peak period for the number of cranes observed in the spring was 10-20 March over these 22 years.The staging period in the spring is about 25 days.Comparing the highest number of Red-crowned cranes observed in the spring,the migratory population was around 400 birds in the 1990s,then,increased to over 800 birds in 2000.For a short while,the population maintained itself around 600-800 birds.After that,the population started to decline,until during the most recent years,we observed around 400 birds at peak times of each season.Our results match a similar population change pattern observed in the wintering area for a western population,which has been declining since 2000.There is an urgent need to reinforce protection and management,as well as to maintain and improve the quality of their habitats.
基金partly funded by the German Ornithologists’Society(DO-G)。
文摘Facing climate and land use change,a species’ability to successfully adapt to changing environments is crucial for its survival.Extensive drainage and intensification of agriculture and forestry set wetlands and associated species at risk of population declines.The population of Common Cranes(Grus grus)has experienced considerable fluctuations over the last century.Despite increasing population numbers,hatching success seemed to have decreased over the last years.The aim of this study was to identify factors influencing hatching success and nest survival of Common Cranes based on analyses of long-term individual-based monitoring data from northeastern Germany and evaluate the species ability to adapt to changing environments.Hatching success decreased over the course of the study period from 0.75 to 0.55.Surprisingly,nest survival and hatching success did not vary across different nesting habitats,whereas factors such as female age,timing of nest initiation and breeding pair density were found to have significant effects on hatching success.Older females showed higher hatching success,even though the proportion of unhatched eggs was highest in females aged 20 years or older.Early nest initiation had a positive effect on hatching success.Water levels are more favorable early in the nesting season,whereas increasing evaporation with time causes water levels to decrease,granting easier access for predators.Independently of female age,hatching success decreased with increasing numbers of breeding pairs within a 2-km radius around a nesting site.High population densities intensify competition for resources and promote intraspecific interactions,affecting reproductive outcome negatively.This study gives first insights into mechanisms behind population regulation in Common Cranes,highlighting the importance of population dynamics and individual features.We suggest to further investigate density dependent effects including landscape and habitat features as well as reproductive success in terms of chick survival,since successfully raising juveniles is crucial for a species survival.
文摘Through scanning electron microscope, various trpes of feathers in various parts of red-crown crane--a kind of rare and precious bird were observed micrographically. It was shown in the result that in different type of feather, the barbules show a great variation in their morphology and structure. This observation can be a basic reference for the taxonomy using the feather structure and the study of systematic relationship.
文摘随着自动驾驶的发展,多传感器融合得到广泛应用。CLOCs是基于后融合的3D目标检测网络,但它对遮蔽物体的检测性能较差。针对此问题,提出一种融合双目测距和门控循环单元(Gated Recurrent Unit,GRU)的3D目标检测网络,其在CLOCs网络融合3D和2D的交并比(Intersection over Union,IoU)的基础上,在2D目标检测网络中引入双目测距来关联2D和3D的深度信息,在卷积之后加入GRU网络,用来捕捉时序数据的依赖关系。采用kitti数据集进行验证,实验结果表明检测精度得到了提升。
