2005 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary
Analysis of relationships between food conditions and reproductive parameters in the Japanese serow (Capricornis crispus) for its conservation
| Project/Area Number |
14580605
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Section | 一般 |
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| Research Field |
環境保全
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| Research Institution | Natural History Museum and Institute, Chiba |
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Principal Investigator |
OCHIAI Keiji Natural History Museum and Institute, Chiba, Department of environmental science, senior researcher, 環境化学研究科, 上席研究員 (40250154)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2002 – 2005
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| Keywords | Japanese serow / population dynamics / food conditions / reproductive success / territoriality / territory size / population density / habitat quality |
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| Research Abstract |
I conducted a survey to examine relationships among population density, territory size, winter food quantity and quality, and reproductive success for adult females in the Japanese serow, Capricornis crispus, in three study areas : Shimokita (0-240 m above sea level) in Aomori Prefecture, Asahi (500-1100 m) in Yamagata Prefecture, and Kamikochi (1500-2000 m) in Nagano Prefecture. Mean population densities were 14.2 individuals/km^2 at Shimokita, 7.4 /km^2 at Asahi, and 1.6 /km^2 at Kamikochi. Mean annual territory sizes for adult females were 10.5 ha at Shimokita, 29.8 ha at Asahi, and 49.8 ha at Kamikochi. I determined reproductive success by noting which adult females gave birth, and whose overwintering kids survived until May. Mean reproductive success was 38.1% at Shimokita, 29.6% at Asahi, and 15.8% at Kamikochi. To assess winter food quantity, I defined the total basal area (mm^2) at snow surface of trunks of edible trees along new serow traces per 10 m (× 1 m width) on the snow as the food availability index (FAI). The FAI was 1871.4 at Shimokita, 1236.2 at Asahi, and 869.8 at Kamikochi. I defined the number of fresh feeding signs by serow bites on trees found along new serow traces per 10 m (× 1 m width) on the snow as feeding efficiency (FE). The FE value was 59.1 at Shimokita, 38.2 at Asahi, and 10.4 at Kamikochi. I found correlations between territory size and population density, between FAI and FE, between FAI and territory size, and between FAI and reproductive success. These results suggest that a small range size and high reproductive success, which are supported by better food supply, result in a high population density at Shimokita, where the elevation is low and the climatic conditions milder, whereas Kamikochi is a subalpine area with severe winter climatic conditions.
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Research Products
(2 results)
