关键词: 高原鼢鼠, 平均每日代谢率, 日代谢节律, 挖掘活动代谢率

Abstract: Plateau zokor (Myospatax baileyi) is the specific species of fossorial rodent in
Qinghai—Tibet Plateau and a dominant species of small mammals in alpine meadow
ecosystem．To understand the function of this species in the ecosystem，a research project of population energetics has been carried out year by year since 1987．This paper reports the results of laboratory experimental measurement for average daily metabolic rate (ADMR) monthly June through October and burrowing metabolic rate (MR_B) in October，1988． ADMR of the zokors in each month June through October was tabulated in Table I． No significant monthly difference was detected by ANOVA (F =0.731，p》0.05)，suggesting no seasonal variation of ADMR in the zokors．This pattern differed significantly from those of terrestrial small mammals and was partly due to the relative stbility of microelimate in burrows underground．The relationship between ADMR and body weight (W ) for the pooled data could be described by equation：ADMR =20．09W^{-0·5 0}(n=30，r =-0．726)，where ADMR expressed in terms of ml O_2/^g, hrand W in gram． burrowing metabolic rate(MRB) of the zokors was 4.62829332ml O₂/g hr，equialent to 3.15～3.78 times of averaged ADMR for different months．MRs was negatirely correlated with body weight．The relationship between M Rz and W could bedescribed by equation：MR_b=67.24W ^-0.50(n =20，r =-0.493)，where MR_b expressedint：rms of mt O₂/g·hr and W in gram． No significant circadian metabolic rhythm was found in the zokors under labora tory conditios with T =2O℃ ．which was viewed aS an adaptatiou to darkness of the burrow habitat．However，we presum ed that zokors ranging in the field perform a daily rhythm of m etabolism accompanied with that of burrowing because of higher metabolic rate in the process of burrowing．The haraeteristics of daily metabolism mentioned above will be helpful to establish a model fit to estimate daily energy budget of the zokor which will be discussed in the next paper .

Key words: Plateau zokor(Myospalax baileyi), Average doily metabolic rate(ADMR), Daily metabolic rhythm, Burrowing metabolic rate (MRB)