福山試驗林雌性大赤鼯鼠（Petaurista philippensis）棲所形質與溫度緩衝程度

Abstract

本研究藉由測量福山試驗林大赤鼯鼠（Petaurista philippensis grandis）的棲所形值、溫度以及雌性個體於不同繁殖階段的棲所使用情形，來檢驗雌性大赤鼯鼠對棲所形質的使用偏好是否受到棲所緩衝環境溫度變化的程度所影響，也就是棲所形質是否影響棲所緩衝環境溫度變化的程度繼而影響大赤鼯鼠對棲所的利用。本研究於 2011 年 7 月至 2013 年 4 月間，共發現大赤鼯鼠棲所 89 個；無線電追蹤 5 隻雌性成體的結果顯示其活動範圍平均 0.96 ± 0.13 公頃，活動範圍與棲所使用在雌性個體之間有明顯的區隔。雌性大赤鼯鼠偏好具有冬季樹冠覆蓋比例低、大容積、小開口與高度較低等特徵的棲所，且顯著偏好使用對緩衝環境溫度變化效果較佳的棲所，並對此類棲所有較高的棲所忠誠度。而雌性個體偏好的大容積形質對夏季全日最低溫（Tmin）、夏季日均溫（Tave）與冬季日溫差（Tran）的緩衝效果顯著較佳，符合雌性大赤鼯鼠對棲所形質的偏好是因為此棲所形質能夠緩衝環境溫度變化的假說。此外，雌性個體也對其他與溫度緩衝沒有顯著相關的棲所形質表現偏好或較高棲所忠誠度，則可能與其他非溫度相關的因子有關。

To examine whether roost characteristics affect temperature in roosts and roost preference or fidelity of female Petaurista philippensis grandis, we measured the characteristics and temperature inside and outside of roosts of P. philippensis, and monitored roosts utilization and home range of adult females at difference reproductive stages by observation and radio tracking at Fushan Experimental Forest. We radio-tracked 5 female adults and found 89 roosts used by them from July 2011 to April 2013. Results of this study indicated that the average home range of these females is 0.96 ± 0.13 ha. Home range of these females hardly overlapped and none of their roosts was shared by more than one adult female. Female P. philippensis showed preference to roosts with low canopy cover in winter, large volume and small entrance as maternity roosts. They also showed preference and higher fidelity to roosts with better temperature buffering capacity. In addition, roost with large volume showed higher minimum temperature, average temperature in summer and daily temperature range in winter. It suggests that female P. philippensis prefer specific roost characteristics which are related to better temperature buffering capacity. The temperature buffering capacity of roost partly explained the roost characteristics preferred by female P. philippensis. However, there may be other non-temperature related factors affecting roost preference and fidelity of female P. philippensis.