2011 Fiscal Year Final Research Report
How forestry mammals distributed extensively adapted to isolated and specific forests in marginal regions of their distribution?: Mechanism and process of peripatric adaptation
| Project/Area Number |
21380086
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Section | 一般 |
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| Research Field |
Forest science
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| Research Institution | Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine |
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Principal Investigator |
OSHIDA Tatsuo 帯広畜産大学, 畜産学部, 准教授 (50374765)
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| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
HASHIMOTO Yasushi 帯広畜産大学, 畜産学部, 准教授 (40332481)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2009 – 2011
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| Keywords | 森林生物 |
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| Research Abstract |
The Siberian flying squirrel and the red squirrel, which are arboreal and inhabit in forests, are extensively distributed in northern part of the Eurasian Continent. Hokkaido population of both species are geographically isolated from Eurasian population, so that, in this project, I expected to find their specific adaptation to Hokkaido's forest. Also, I resolved the phylogeographical characteristics of the red squirrel population occurring in northeastern Eurasia. The findings are as follows.
(1) Siberian flying squirrels are mainly found in the Abies sachalinensis-dominated mixed forest, showing that the A. sachalinensis is important resource for their nesting.
(2) Red squirrels consume the corn of Picea jezoensis, however, it is not their main food resource. Red squirrels may depend on the other resources such as seeds of broad-leaved trees.
(3) From the molecular phylogeographical analyses, I did not find genetic diversity of red squirrel population occurring in northeastern Eurasia. Therefore, it is suggested that this population may have not experienced significant geographical isolation.
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