Wai Min Thu, Takashi O. Yato, Shinya Okabe, Yuta Shintaku, Masaharu Motokawa
Morphological variation in the house mouse Mus musculus was examined based on five external body measurements and 25 skull measurements of 166 specimens from Honshu, Kyushu, Kikaijima Island, Okinoerabujima Island, Okinawajima Island, Miyakojima Island (my1 and my2), and Yonagunijima Island (yn) in Japan, as well as 99 specimens of M. caroli from Okinawajima Island (ca). In skull measurements, yn and my2 specimens were overlapped and distinct from the other localities in principal component analysis (PCA). Specimens of yn and my2 had shorter mandible heights. Although yn and my2 specimens overlapped with ca specimens in PCA using mandibular measurements, yn specimens had an elongated angular process reaching the posterior tip of the coronoid process, different from ca specimens with a more robust and long coronoid process. In this study, distinct morphological features were found on Yonagunijima Island. Specimens of my1 and my2 from Miyakojima Island differed from each other; my2 specimens were more similar to Yonagunijima Island specimens. The mandibular morphometric similarity between M. musculus from Yonagunijima Island and M. caroli from Okinawajima Island is presumably related to adaptations in producing similar mechanical advantages and equivalent masticatory forces.
{"title":"Morphological Variation of the House Mouse Mus musculus and the Ryukyu Mouse M. caroli (Mammalia: Muridae) from Japan","authors":"Wai Min Thu, Takashi O. Yato, Shinya Okabe, Yuta Shintaku, Masaharu Motokawa","doi":"10.3106/ms2023-0014","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3106/ms2023-0014","url":null,"abstract":"Morphological variation in the house mouse Mus musculus was examined based on five external body measurements and 25 skull measurements of 166 specimens from Honshu, Kyushu, Kikaijima Island, Okinoerabujima Island, Okinawajima Island, Miyakojima Island (my1 and my2), and Yonagunijima Island (yn) in Japan, as well as 99 specimens of M. caroli from Okinawajima Island (ca). In skull measurements, yn and my2 specimens were overlapped and distinct from the other localities in principal component analysis (PCA). Specimens of yn and my2 had shorter mandible heights. Although yn and my2 specimens overlapped with ca specimens in PCA using mandibular measurements, yn specimens had an elongated angular process reaching the posterior tip of the coronoid process, different from ca specimens with a more robust and long coronoid process. In this study, distinct morphological features were found on Yonagunijima Island. Specimens of my1 and my2 from Miyakojima Island differed from each other; my2 specimens were more similar to Yonagunijima Island specimens. The mandibular morphometric similarity between M. musculus from Yonagunijima Island and M. caroli from Okinawajima Island is presumably related to adaptations in producing similar mechanical advantages and equivalent masticatory forces.","PeriodicalId":49891,"journal":{"name":"Mammal Study","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135570293","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Active acoustic emission from a mother to a calf after parturition is one strategy used to enhance recognition of mothers by calves and develop, then maintain, a mother–calf bond from an early stage. This study predicted that a high-calling postpartum period exists in a social delphinid, the Pacific white-sided dolphin (Lagenorhynchus obliquidens). This species produces pulsed call sequences for vocal exchange with conspecifics, and these sequences appear to be an important signal between mothers and calves. Sounds were recorded from three pregnant females at the Niigata City Aquarium, Marinepia Nihonkai, Japan, before and after each birth in 2019, 2020, and 2021 to investigate the rate of their pulsed call sequences. Continuous data from prior to four days to five days following parturition, opportunistic data within the last pre-parturition month, and data from the postpartum period were obtained from the females. The pulsed call sequence gradually increased during the last gestational month. A high-rate sequence was repeated daily for four days pre-parturition and faded within several hours postpartum, and few sequences were produced from the day after parturition. Contrary to our prediction, the many pre-parturition sequences and fewer postpartum sequences suggest a low efficiency of postpartum imprinting in this species.
{"title":"Pre- and Postpartum Acoustic Activity in Captive Pacific White-Sided Dolphin (Lagenorhynchus obliquidens) Mothers","authors":"Yuka Mishima, Teruyo Matsumoto, Tadamichi Morisaka, Fumio Nakahara","doi":"10.3106/ms2023-0020","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3106/ms2023-0020","url":null,"abstract":"Active acoustic emission from a mother to a calf after parturition is one strategy used to enhance recognition of mothers by calves and develop, then maintain, a mother–calf bond from an early stage. This study predicted that a high-calling postpartum period exists in a social delphinid, the Pacific white-sided dolphin (Lagenorhynchus obliquidens). This species produces pulsed call sequences for vocal exchange with conspecifics, and these sequences appear to be an important signal between mothers and calves. Sounds were recorded from three pregnant females at the Niigata City Aquarium, Marinepia Nihonkai, Japan, before and after each birth in 2019, 2020, and 2021 to investigate the rate of their pulsed call sequences. Continuous data from prior to four days to five days following parturition, opportunistic data within the last pre-parturition month, and data from the postpartum period were obtained from the females. The pulsed call sequence gradually increased during the last gestational month. A high-rate sequence was repeated daily for four days pre-parturition and faded within several hours postpartum, and few sequences were produced from the day after parturition. Contrary to our prediction, the many pre-parturition sequences and fewer postpartum sequences suggest a low efficiency of postpartum imprinting in this species.","PeriodicalId":49891,"journal":{"name":"Mammal Study","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135569275","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Food Habits of Feral Dogs and Red Foxes in a New Endemic Area of Echinococcus multilocularis","authors":"Hideharu Tsukada, Kinpei Yagi, Yasuyuki Morishima","doi":"10.3106/ms2023-0031","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3106/ms2023-0031","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":49891,"journal":{"name":"Mammal Study","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"136295135","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Although much research has accumulated on Sciuridae vocalizations, most of it has been on terrestrial squirrels, and there is still a significant knowledge gap regarding arboreal squirrels. Vocalizations of the Japanese squirrel, Sciurus lis, were investigated in the urban park of Iwate Prefecture, Japan. The Japanese squirrels produced “kuk” and “moan” in alert and “squeal” and “buzz” in social interactions. Of the “kuk” sounds, 58.2% were uttered toward cats, dogs, or observers, while 36.4% of the “moan” sounds were toward crows or hawks. In a playback experiment of two types of alarm calls, when the squirrels were on the ground, they immediately fled up the tree in response to the “kuk” sound but remained still in response to the “moan” sound. However, squirrels in the trees often responded to remain still for both sounds. These results indicated that “kuk” tends to be emitted against terrestrial mammals and “moan” against aerial birds, and the decision to flee or stay is more critical on the ground, where they are more vulnerable to predation. The two types of alarm vocalizations in the Japanese squirrel may function to ensure the rapid and appropriate escape behavior of nearby close relatives.
{"title":"Structure and Function of the Vocalization of Japanese Squirrels, Sciurus lis","authors":"Noriko Tamura, Yukiko Fujii, Keiji Imai","doi":"10.3106/ms2023-0037","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3106/ms2023-0037","url":null,"abstract":"Although much research has accumulated on Sciuridae vocalizations, most of it has been on terrestrial squirrels, and there is still a significant knowledge gap regarding arboreal squirrels. Vocalizations of the Japanese squirrel, Sciurus lis, were investigated in the urban park of Iwate Prefecture, Japan. The Japanese squirrels produced “kuk” and “moan” in alert and “squeal” and “buzz” in social interactions. Of the “kuk” sounds, 58.2% were uttered toward cats, dogs, or observers, while 36.4% of the “moan” sounds were toward crows or hawks. In a playback experiment of two types of alarm calls, when the squirrels were on the ground, they immediately fled up the tree in response to the “kuk” sound but remained still in response to the “moan” sound. However, squirrels in the trees often responded to remain still for both sounds. These results indicated that “kuk” tends to be emitted against terrestrial mammals and “moan” against aerial birds, and the decision to flee or stay is more critical on the ground, where they are more vulnerable to predation. The two types of alarm vocalizations in the Japanese squirrel may function to ensure the rapid and appropriate escape behavior of nearby close relatives.","PeriodicalId":49891,"journal":{"name":"Mammal Study","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"136294691","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Yong Yuen Zhao, Anna Wong, Sylvia Alsisto, Ikki Matsuda, Henry Bernard
Human-macaque interactions and conflicts were examined at the main campus of Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS). The study observed the behavior of long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis) and their dependence on both natural and anthropogenic food sources. Results revealed that the macaques' diet primarily consisted of young leaves (40.6%) from the natural environment within the UMS campus, but anthropogenic food discarded by students in garbage cans (27.6%) also contributed a major component in their diet. The availability of anthropogenic food positively correlated with the macaques' consumption, indicating that they consumed more of such foods when they were more abundant, particularly during the semesters when students were present. A questionnaire survey further highlighted that while the presence of macaques on the UMS campus was not considered a major concern, it still posed a problem that necessitated immediate attention. The main driving factor behind these interactions, as perceived by the students, was the macaques accessing anthropogenic food waste in garbage cans located in human-dominated spaces. To mitigate conflicts, it is suggested to implement macaque-proof garbage cans, reduce the amount of leftover anthropogenic food, and improve waste management practices. Additionally, educational activities should be considered to discourage direct feeding of macaques by students.
{"title":"Long-Tailed Macaque Reliance on Anthropogenic Food with Potential Conflicts toward Humans in the Campus of Universiti Malaysia Sabah","authors":"Yong Yuen Zhao, Anna Wong, Sylvia Alsisto, Ikki Matsuda, Henry Bernard","doi":"10.3106/ms2023-0002","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3106/ms2023-0002","url":null,"abstract":"Human-macaque interactions and conflicts were examined at the main campus of Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS). The study observed the behavior of long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis) and their dependence on both natural and anthropogenic food sources. Results revealed that the macaques' diet primarily consisted of young leaves (40.6%) from the natural environment within the UMS campus, but anthropogenic food discarded by students in garbage cans (27.6%) also contributed a major component in their diet. The availability of anthropogenic food positively correlated with the macaques' consumption, indicating that they consumed more of such foods when they were more abundant, particularly during the semesters when students were present. A questionnaire survey further highlighted that while the presence of macaques on the UMS campus was not considered a major concern, it still posed a problem that necessitated immediate attention. The main driving factor behind these interactions, as perceived by the students, was the macaques accessing anthropogenic food waste in garbage cans located in human-dominated spaces. To mitigate conflicts, it is suggested to implement macaque-proof garbage cans, reduce the amount of leftover anthropogenic food, and improve waste management practices. Additionally, educational activities should be considered to discourage direct feeding of macaques by students.","PeriodicalId":49891,"journal":{"name":"Mammal Study","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135815826","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Abstract. We report the movements related to feeding behavior (using radio telemetry), and the contribution of gut passage to seed germination, of a male masked palm civet Paguma larvata in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo. The 95% kernel and 95% minimum convex polygon (MCP) home-range sizes were 1.20 km2 and 2.85 km2, respectively, based on 39 telemetry fixes during 151 tracking days. We recorded six feeding sites consisting of fruiting Ficus trees. The civet repeatedly visited the same fruiting trees, indicating specific food resources may be limited within these forests. However, we observed the civet leaving ripe figs uneaten. Thus the total number of ripe fruits might not be the priority factor determining civet feeding behaviors. The tracked civet usually slept in places that were 0.5 km away from feeding sites and he visited several trees in one night. Gut passage enhanced seed germination of a hemi-epiphytic fig species, Ficus lawesii, and ingested seeds germinated much earlier than intact ones, indicating that gut passage may be essential for improving germination. The results suggest the possible contribution of this species to seed dispersal, especially in plants having epiphytic life forms. More studies are needed to evaluate the ecological role of this species in its ecosystem.
{"title":"First Report on the Movements Related to Feeding Behavior and Potential Importance as a Seed Disperser of the Masked Palm Civet Paguma larvata in Borneo","authors":"Miyabi Nakabayashi, Abdul Hamid Ahmad","doi":"10.3106/ms2023-0007","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3106/ms2023-0007","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract. We report the movements related to feeding behavior (using radio telemetry), and the contribution of gut passage to seed germination, of a male masked palm civet Paguma larvata in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo. The 95% kernel and 95% minimum convex polygon (MCP) home-range sizes were 1.20 km2 and 2.85 km2, respectively, based on 39 telemetry fixes during 151 tracking days. We recorded six feeding sites consisting of fruiting Ficus trees. The civet repeatedly visited the same fruiting trees, indicating specific food resources may be limited within these forests. However, we observed the civet leaving ripe figs uneaten. Thus the total number of ripe fruits might not be the priority factor determining civet feeding behaviors. The tracked civet usually slept in places that were 0.5 km away from feeding sites and he visited several trees in one night. Gut passage enhanced seed germination of a hemi-epiphytic fig species, Ficus lawesii, and ingested seeds germinated much earlier than intact ones, indicating that gut passage may be essential for improving germination. The results suggest the possible contribution of this species to seed dispersal, especially in plants having epiphytic life forms. More studies are needed to evaluate the ecological role of this species in its ecosystem.","PeriodicalId":49891,"journal":{"name":"Mammal Study","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2023-09-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41760483","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Abstract. We studied temporal (monthly and inter-yearly) variations in the dietary habits of wild Japanese badgers (Meles anakuma) inhabiting Ishinomaki City, northern Japan through fecal analyses, focusing on the relationship with the availability of main diets. The diets of the badgers in our study site were mainly composed of three items: fruits, arthropods, and earthworms, which were similar to those in other study sites in Japan. The degree of fruit and earthworm feeding by the badgers was higher throughout the year, whereas arthropod feeding was higher during spring and summer. Vertebrates were less detected in badger feces. During the fall of 2021, the percentage of fruits was greater than that in 2020, while that of arthropods and earthworms showed reverse trends, likely due to inter-yearly difference in fruit availability. For the three predominant food items, no significant correlation was found between feeding and availability. Our results imply that, similar to European badgers, the Japanese badger can be viewed as a generalist animal that uses profitable resources when available but shifts their preference to other food resources when availability of other primary food resources increases.
{"title":"Dietary Habits of Japanese Badgers (Meles anakuma) in Northern Japan: Relationship with Food Availability","authors":"Yuki Shikama, Taichi Araki, Tomohito Ito, Yamato Tsuji","doi":"10.3106/ms2023-0024","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3106/ms2023-0024","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract. We studied temporal (monthly and inter-yearly) variations in the dietary habits of wild Japanese badgers (Meles anakuma) inhabiting Ishinomaki City, northern Japan through fecal analyses, focusing on the relationship with the availability of main diets. The diets of the badgers in our study site were mainly composed of three items: fruits, arthropods, and earthworms, which were similar to those in other study sites in Japan. The degree of fruit and earthworm feeding by the badgers was higher throughout the year, whereas arthropod feeding was higher during spring and summer. Vertebrates were less detected in badger feces. During the fall of 2021, the percentage of fruits was greater than that in 2020, while that of arthropods and earthworms showed reverse trends, likely due to inter-yearly difference in fruit availability. For the three predominant food items, no significant correlation was found between feeding and availability. Our results imply that, similar to European badgers, the Japanese badger can be viewed as a generalist animal that uses profitable resources when available but shifts their preference to other food resources when availability of other primary food resources increases.","PeriodicalId":49891,"journal":{"name":"Mammal Study","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2023-09-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45166971","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
J. Sato, Haruna Matsuda, Honoka Fujita, Kouki Yasuda, Haruka Aiba, S. Minato
Abstract. Noninvasive methods for species identification and dietary profiling from fecal samples in an artificial nest box were developed for the Japanese dormouse Glirulus japonicus. The species is a natural monument in Japan protected by domestic regulations since 1975. We assessed the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene for species identification and obtained location-specific sequences for Oki and Yamanashi, Japan. This marker was able to identify the dormouse species from feces. We also performed DNA metabarcoding analyses to clarify the invertebrate and plant diets of the Japanese dormouse. Various invertebrates and plants were detected, supporting the omnivorous nature of this species. Furthermore, almost all dietary items were identified to the genus level (82.1% and 99.5% for invertebrates and plants, respectively). The dietary components in Yamanashi Prefecture suggested that the Japanese dormouse mainly consumed Lepidoptera and various plants in summer, and Diptera and Hemiptera (aphids) invertebrates and Actinidia sp. plants in autumn. The latter plants produce fruit in autumn, enabling the dormouse to accumulate fat before hibernation. We discuss the potential and pitfalls of the noninvasive method, including the necessity of local DNA databases, reliability of the global DNA database, sampling procedure to avoid contamination, and individual identification.
{"title":"Noninvasive Genetic Methods for Species Identification and Dietary Profiling of the Japanese Dormouse Glirulus japonicus from Fecal Samples","authors":"J. Sato, Haruna Matsuda, Honoka Fujita, Kouki Yasuda, Haruka Aiba, S. Minato","doi":"10.3106/ms2023-0003","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3106/ms2023-0003","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract. Noninvasive methods for species identification and dietary profiling from fecal samples in an artificial nest box were developed for the Japanese dormouse Glirulus japonicus. The species is a natural monument in Japan protected by domestic regulations since 1975. We assessed the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene for species identification and obtained location-specific sequences for Oki and Yamanashi, Japan. This marker was able to identify the dormouse species from feces. We also performed DNA metabarcoding analyses to clarify the invertebrate and plant diets of the Japanese dormouse. Various invertebrates and plants were detected, supporting the omnivorous nature of this species. Furthermore, almost all dietary items were identified to the genus level (82.1% and 99.5% for invertebrates and plants, respectively). The dietary components in Yamanashi Prefecture suggested that the Japanese dormouse mainly consumed Lepidoptera and various plants in summer, and Diptera and Hemiptera (aphids) invertebrates and Actinidia sp. plants in autumn. The latter plants produce fruit in autumn, enabling the dormouse to accumulate fat before hibernation. We discuss the potential and pitfalls of the noninvasive method, including the necessity of local DNA databases, reliability of the global DNA database, sampling procedure to avoid contamination, and individual identification.","PeriodicalId":49891,"journal":{"name":"Mammal Study","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2023-08-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44610811","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
K. Tochigi, S. Steyaert, K. Fukasawa, Misako Kuroe, T. Anezaki, T. Naganuma, Chinatsu Kozakai, A. Inagaki, K. Yamazaki, S. Koike
Abstract. Currently, fundamental demographic data for wild Asian black bears (Ursus thibetanus) in Japan are lacking. As a first step toward science-based management, we must improve our understanding of life history characteristics such as reproduction and mortality. This study aimed to quantify the demographic parameters of Asian black bears in central Japan. (1) By measuring the cementum annuli width of the teeth of females, age at first reproduction was estimated to be 5.44 ± 0.22 (mean ± SE) years and reproductive interval 2.38 ± 0.48 years. (2) By counting placental scars in uteri sampled from recovered bear carcasses, we estimated litter size to be 1.58 ± 0.09 cubs and minimum age at primiparity to be two years. (3) We clarified the annual rates of natural mortality (0.108, 95% CI: 0.064–0.174) and human-caused mortality (0.005, 95% CI: 0.002–0.021) by using capture–recapture records for subadult and adult bears. We used observation data from the first six months after birth to estimate cub mortality rate (0.235, 95% CI: 0.080–0.465). Further research will allow us to identify which endogenous and exogenous factors affect demographic parameters and to use these parameters to estimate population dynamics as a next step.
{"title":"Demographic Parameters of Asian Black Bears in Central Japan","authors":"K. Tochigi, S. Steyaert, K. Fukasawa, Misako Kuroe, T. Anezaki, T. Naganuma, Chinatsu Kozakai, A. Inagaki, K. Yamazaki, S. Koike","doi":"10.3106/ms2022-0034","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3106/ms2022-0034","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract. Currently, fundamental demographic data for wild Asian black bears (Ursus thibetanus) in Japan are lacking. As a first step toward science-based management, we must improve our understanding of life history characteristics such as reproduction and mortality. This study aimed to quantify the demographic parameters of Asian black bears in central Japan. (1) By measuring the cementum annuli width of the teeth of females, age at first reproduction was estimated to be 5.44 ± 0.22 (mean ± SE) years and reproductive interval 2.38 ± 0.48 years. (2) By counting placental scars in uteri sampled from recovered bear carcasses, we estimated litter size to be 1.58 ± 0.09 cubs and minimum age at primiparity to be two years. (3) We clarified the annual rates of natural mortality (0.108, 95% CI: 0.064–0.174) and human-caused mortality (0.005, 95% CI: 0.002–0.021) by using capture–recapture records for subadult and adult bears. We used observation data from the first six months after birth to estimate cub mortality rate (0.235, 95% CI: 0.080–0.465). Further research will allow us to identify which endogenous and exogenous factors affect demographic parameters and to use these parameters to estimate population dynamics as a next step.","PeriodicalId":49891,"journal":{"name":"Mammal Study","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2023-07-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43029607","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Chie Murano, J. Sato, T. Wada, S. Kasahara, N. Azuma
Abstract. The Japanese field vole Alexandromys (Microtus) montebelli is prevalent in apple orchards and is the dominant cause of damage to fruit trees during winter. A recent study revealed that the Japanese field vole bred and increased its population during winter in regions with deep snow. Understanding what food resources support the voles during winter can assist in formulating a better understanding of the factors of the annual variations in orchard damage. In this study, we sampled faeces of the voles from November 2018 to May 2021 and performed the DNA metabarcoding analysis for plant dietary profiling with a molecular marker on the internal transcribed spacer region in the nuclear genome. We obtained results from 60 samples, and the food sources detected most frequently were the broadleaf docks Rumex obtusifolius, followed by the cultivated apples Malus spp. The detection frequency of Fabaceae sp. declined after March, and the one of apple rootstocks increased instead. During March and April, the various parts of fruit trees and Rumex spp. were the main diets for most of the voles. The biomass supplied by herbaceous plants, especially Rumex spp. could affect the extent of vole damage to fruit trees in winter.
{"title":"Genetic Analyses of Japanese Field Vole Alexandromys (Microtus) Montebelli Winter Diet in Apple Orchards with Deep Snow Cover","authors":"Chie Murano, J. Sato, T. Wada, S. Kasahara, N. Azuma","doi":"10.3106/ms2023-0015","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3106/ms2023-0015","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract. The Japanese field vole Alexandromys (Microtus) montebelli is prevalent in apple orchards and is the dominant cause of damage to fruit trees during winter. A recent study revealed that the Japanese field vole bred and increased its population during winter in regions with deep snow. Understanding what food resources support the voles during winter can assist in formulating a better understanding of the factors of the annual variations in orchard damage. In this study, we sampled faeces of the voles from November 2018 to May 2021 and performed the DNA metabarcoding analysis for plant dietary profiling with a molecular marker on the internal transcribed spacer region in the nuclear genome. We obtained results from 60 samples, and the food sources detected most frequently were the broadleaf docks Rumex obtusifolius, followed by the cultivated apples Malus spp. The detection frequency of Fabaceae sp. declined after March, and the one of apple rootstocks increased instead. During March and April, the various parts of fruit trees and Rumex spp. were the main diets for most of the voles. The biomass supplied by herbaceous plants, especially Rumex spp. could affect the extent of vole damage to fruit trees in winter.","PeriodicalId":49891,"journal":{"name":"Mammal Study","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2023-07-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44018386","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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