ACTA THERIOLOGICA SINICA ›› 2025, Vol. 45 ›› Issue (3): 368-377.DOI: 10.16829/j.slxb.150896

• ORIGINAL PAPERS • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Effects of sex and season on daily activity rhythms of Cervus elaphus songaricus

Xuejun MA1,2,3,4, Feng GAO5, Yuqin MU5, Han YAN2,3,4,6, Kechun WANG2,3,4,6, Weikang YANG2,3,4, Feng XU1,2,3,4,6()   

  1. 1.Xinjiang Key Laboratory for Ecological Adaptation and Evolution of Extreme Environment Biology, College of Life Sciences, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi 830052, China
    2.State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Key Laboratory of Ecological Safety and Sustainable Development in Arid Lands, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, China
    3.Sino-Tajikistan Joint Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Biological Resources, Urumqi 830011, China
    4.Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Biodiversity Conservation and Utilization in Arid Lands, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, China
    5.Tianchi Bogda Peak Nature Reserve Administration, Fukang 831500, China
    6.University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
  • Received:2024-01-08 Accepted:2024-10-16 Online:2025-05-31 Published:2025-06-03
  • Contact: Feng XU

性别和季节对天山马鹿日活动节律的影响

马雪君1,2,3,4, 高峰5, 穆玉琴5, 严晗2,3,4,6, 王克春2,3,4,6, 杨维康2,3,4, 徐峰1,2,3,4,6()   

  1. 1.新疆极端环境生物生态适应与进化重点实验室,新疆农业大学生命科学学院,乌鲁木齐 830052
    2.中国科学院新疆生态与地理研究所荒漠与绿洲生态国家重点实验室,干旱区生态安全与可持续发展国家重点实验室,乌鲁木齐 830011
    3.中国 -塔吉克斯坦生物资源保育与利用联合实验室,乌鲁木齐 830011
    4.中国科学院新疆生态与地理研究所新疆干旱区生物多样性保育与应用重点实验室,乌鲁木齐 830011
    5.新疆天池博格达峰自然保护区管理局,阜康 831500
    6.中国科学院大学,北京 100049
  • 通讯作者: 徐峰
  • 作者简介:马雪君 (2000- ),女,硕士研究生,主要从事动物行为与保护生物学研究.
  • 基金资助:
    第三次新疆综合科学考察(2021xjkk0600);中国科学院生物多样性监测与研究网络 (Sino-BON)

Abstract:

The interaction between animals and their environment remains a pivotal theme in animal ecology research, with activity rhythms serving as critical indicators of how species adapt to varying ecological contexts. This study explores the activity patterns of Cervus elaphus songaricus in Tianshan Mountains using cutting-edge infrared camera monitoring techniques. Independent valid photographs of the deer were captured and analyzed to study activity patterns across different sexes and seasons. The activity rhythm curves were plotted using the‘activity’package in R4.2.1, while the OverlapEst method was employed to quantify overlap in activity between different sexes in the same season and between seasons for the same sex. The Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test was further utilized to assess significant differences in activity intensity. Our results indicate that red deer in Tian Shan exhibit distinct bimodal activity rhythms in spring, summer, and fall with peaks in early morning and evening, contrasting with a trimodal pattern in winter. No significant differences were observed between the daily activity rhythms and intensities of male and female deer.In contrast, we detected distinct seasonal patterns in activity rhythms and intensities between sexes, with females exhibiting significant differences in activity between seasons, particularly higher intensity variations except between summer and fall. In male red deer, winter activity intensity was markedly lower, with no significant differences across other seasons. These rhythm patterns are likely influenced by factors such as food availability and the differing reproductive roles between sexes. The study concludes that while seasonal changes significantly impact the activity rhythms of red deer in Tianshan Mountains, sexual differences do not. These insights are crucial for effective conservation and management strategies of red deer in the region’s reserves.

Key words: Bogda Mountain, Daily activity rhythm, Kernel-density estimation, Activity density, Cervus elaphus songaricus

摘要:

动物的活动节律受到多种环境因素的影响,反映了其对不同环境的适应能力,是评估动物与环境关系的重要指标之一。本研究通过红外相机监测技术,结合核密度曲线、重叠度分析及Wilcoxon检验,深入探讨了性别和季节对新疆天池博格达峰自治区级自然保护区马鹿天山亚种 (天山马鹿) (Cervus elaphus songaricus) 活动节律和活动强度的影响。研究结果显示:(1) 天山马鹿在春、夏、秋季展现出典型的晨昏型活动节律,即在清晨和傍晚时段各有一个活动高峰,而在冬季则呈现出三峰型活动节律;(2) 雌性和雄性马鹿的日活动节律和活动强度并无显著性差异;(3) 在不同季节中,雌性和雄性马鹿的活动节律和活动强度表现出不同的变化规律。雌性马鹿的活动节律在不同季节间存在显著差异,除了夏季与秋季,其余季节间的活动强度皆有显著差异。相较而言,雄性马鹿在冬季的活动强度显著低于其他季节,而其他季节之间则无显著差异。雌、雄性马鹿在繁殖过程中扮演的不同角色及食物供应的变动可能是影响其活动节律的主要因素。上述研究结果揭示该保护区内天山马鹿的日活动节律显著受到季节影响,而性别影响不显著,为保护区内马鹿的保护与管理策略提供了科学依据。

关键词: 博格达峰, 日活动节律, 核密度估计法, 活动强度, 马鹿天山亚种

CLC Number: