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BODY TEMPERATURE REGULATION AND EVAPORATIVE WATER LOSS IN ROOT VOLE MICROTUS OECONOMUS)

WANG Dehua, WANG Zuwang   

  • Online:2006-06-27 Published:2008-07-07

高寒地区根田鼠的体温调节与蒸发失水

王德华,王祖望   

  1. 中国科学院动物研究所,农业虫鼠害综合治理研究国家重点实验室

Abstract: The metabolic rate, thermal conductance, and the role of evaporative water loss in thermoregulation were determined in root voles Microtus oeconomus)from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Root voles have high levels of basal metabolic rate and high levels of total thermal conductance, compared with the predicted values based on their body masses. while their body temperatures are relatively low. Evaporative water loss plays an important role in temperature regulation especially within and above the thermal neutral zone. All these characteristics have important adaptive significance for root voles to cope with extreme environmental conditions. Combined with the ecophysiological characteristics of other sympatricspecies the following conclusion was proposed that high metabolism, high thermal conductance and relative low body temperature are the common thermoregulatory characteristics for alpine nonhibernating small mammalian herbivores.

Key words: Small mammal, Energetics, Alpine meadow, Adaptive strategy

摘要: 对栖息于青藏高原地区的草食性小型哺乳动物根田鼠的代谢率、热传导、体温和蒸发失水等生理生态特征随环境温度的变化进行了测定,结果表明:根田鼠代谢水平较高,热传导率也较高,但体温相对较低;蒸发失水在体温调节中占十分重要的地位;这些特点对于栖居于日温差较大,年温差相对较小的环境中具重要的适应意义,说明动物在长期适应进化过程中,面临的主要选择压力是寒冷。结合同域分布的其它物种的生理生态特征,提出了高寒地区草食性小型兽拥有较高的代谢水平,较高的热传导率和相对较低的体温的观点。

关键词: 小型哺乳动物, 能量学, 高寒草甸, 体温调节, 适应对策