| Tamias sibiricus is one of important rodent populations in broad-leaved and Korean pine mixed forest of Xiaoxing’anling region. It is one of the important consumer of Korean pine seed, they directly affect the dispersion of Korean pine seeds and ecological process of broad-leaved and Korean pine mixed forest.Tracking observation, line transect method, quadrat method and mark-recapture method were used to investigate population dynamics and population structure and to explain interannual and seasonal fluctuations of population of Tamias sibiricus from October,2011 to October,2015 in Liangshui national nature reserve in Heilongjiang province, China.A 200 m x 400 m rectangular sample area was set in block 19 in the reserve.3225 m x 25 m quadrats were set in the sample area forming an 8 x 4 matrix. Center-center spacing of adjacent quadrats was 50 m. All of population dynamics research and part of habitat selection research were finished in these fixed quadrats.4 live traps(10 cm×10 cm ×25 cm) were set 10 m away from the center in the four directions, north and south, east and west in each quadrat. Traps were baited with locally picked cones, opened in the morning, checked twice during the day, and closed at the end of the second check. PIT tags were used to mark and identify individuals.Our results were listed as below:1. During the study period, the cone production of Korean pine strong interannual fluctuation is obvious. The cone of Korean pine has an explosive growth in 2011 and 2014. We catch 807 Tamias sibiricus, including 281 individual, on average 1.87 times per only be heavy. The population density of Tamias sibiricus appeared to have two peak time at the autumn of 2011 and 2014, which reached 11.56±2.76/hm2and 14.31±4.43/hm2. In addition,the population density of Tamias sibiricus at autumn is greater than it at spring,except of 2015.2. The earliest date of post-hibernation of Tamias sibiricus is at the end of march every year. After post-hibernation, Tamias sibiricus get in breeding season, which have 5.22±1.25 cubs.The female-male ratio of Tamias sibiricus which we catched was 0.93. The female-male ratio has significant change at the different season. The female-male ratio of Tamias sibiricus which was post-hibernation newly or hibernation early was less than 1, and which was at breeding season was greater than 1.3. In our mark record, the life of the Tamias sibiricus was no more than 4 years, and the age structure exists interannual variability, which has appeared to recession in 2012, and stabilization in 2014. The age structure of Tamias sibiricus has difference in different month. The youth of Tamias sibiricus is greater in April, May, June; the adult group is greater inAugust, September,October;the cubs is greater in July.In addition,The female-male ratio of Tamias sibiricus reach 2 in elderly group.4. The population of Tamias sibiricus had uniform distribution at the autumn of 2011, 2013,2014, and the rest of time was aggregated distribution. The average maximun range of Tamias sibiricus was 82.13±11.56m, which was 93.69±13.33m at spring,80.85±17.29m at autumn. The average maximun distance has greater difference in different years. The average maximun range of Tamias sibiricus was 132.46±18.28m, which was the largest in our study period.5.The average maximun distance of male Tamias sibiricus was greater than female. The average maximun distance of Tamias sibiricus has significant differences in different ages(ANOVA, F3,83=4.179,P=0.008). The youth was the largest(89.02±1.15m), the cubs was the lowest(61.2±0.71m).We hope our research can provide theoretical foundation in controlling chipmunk population and offer positive suggestions in biodiversity conservation and management of broad-leaved and Korean pine mixed forest. |
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