Artificial shelters provide suitable thermal habitat for a cold-blooded animal

编号 030035502

推送时间 20220808

研究领域 森林经理 

年份 2022 

类型 期刊 

语种 英语

标题 Artificial shelters provide suitable thermal habitat for a cold-blooded animal

来源期刊 SCIENTIFIC REPORTS

期 第355期

发表时间 20220423

关键词 HOME-RANGE;  BEHAVIORAL THERMOREGULATION;  HUMAN DISTURBANCE;  SNAKES;  BIODIVERSITY;  ECOLOGY;  CONSERVATION;  TEMPERATURE;  MORTALITYDENSITY; 

摘要 Human activities such as urbanization often has negative affects wildlife. However, urbanization can also be beneficial to some animals by providing suitable microhabitats. To test the impact of urbanization on cold-blooded animals, we first conducted a snake survey at a national nature reserve (Xianghai natural reserve) and an adjacent tourist bird park (Red-crowned Crane Park). We show high presence of Elaphe dione in the tourist park even with high human activities and predator population (the endangered, red-crowned crane, Grus japonensis). We then radio-tracked 20 individuals of E. dione, set seven camera traps, and recorded the temperature of the snakes and artificial structures in Crane Park to document their space use, activity, and thermal preference, respectively. Our results show E. dione preferred to use artificial facilities to shelter from their predators and for thermoregulation. The high number of rats from the camera traps indicate abundant prey items. Overall, E. dione appears to be adapted to modified habitats and may expand population size at the current study site.

服务人员 付贺龙

服务院士 唐守正

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