驯养马麝的行为综合征及与繁殖成效、麝香分泌和行为内分泌应激响应的关系

Behavioral syndromes (BS) is the new major area of excitement in animal behavior with important implications for ecology, conservation and management of captive animals. BS emphasize consistent individual differences in behavioral type (BT) that have major effects on individual performanc. A cutting edge area of general interest involves quantifying BS and examining how the mix of BTs in a social group influences social interaction patterns that, in turn, determine individual and group outcomes. We propose to use this framework to study endangered Alpine musk deer. Farming has been an important measure for ex-situ protection of musk deer and for sustainable production of musk. To attain successful farming, it is important to understand the behavioral-endocrine effects of social stress on socially enclosed musk deer that are solitary in nature. BS will be quantified using standardized assay conditions and experiments manipulating the mix of behavioral types in social groups. The project will be, to our knowledge, the first on any system to quantify individual differences in BTs of hundreds of animals, to experimentally manipulate the mix of BTs in dozens of replicate social groups, to track how early experiences affect the development of BTs, to quantify behavioral problems (redundancy, stereotypic behavior), to monitor key hormonal correlates of behavior and muscone level, and to relate all this to individual and group performance (survival and musk production etc.). Integrating these data will allow us to examine numerous important issues including: 1) endocrine correlates of BTs and how these relate to social stress; 2) how individual BTs and the mix of BTs in a social group interact to determine social structure; 3) how individual BTs, hormone profiles, the mix of BTs in a social group relate to behavioral problems, and individual fitness and musk production; 4) how parental BTs and the mix of BTs in the social group determine the early social experiences that shape the development of BTs. Taken together the results should prove invaluable for improving successful musk deer farming. In conclusion, this project should substantially deepen our understanding of both frontline basic issues in behavioral science, and important applied issues about wildlife domestication, in general, and musk deer, in particular. Therefore, the proposed project is of high theoretical and practical importance.

行为综合征指动物行为的跨情景耦联，强调行为表达在功能性情景间的转移及一致性，是分析动物行为发育、行为结构及行为对策的新兴理论体系。麝是濒危资源动物，独居性和领域性极强，深入理解独居性麝在社群性驯养环境的行为综合征、行为对策及与繁殖、麝香分泌和行为内分泌应激响应的关系是对其进行迁地保护和麝香资源保育的关键。本项目拟采用标准化行为测试、行为型配组实验及繁殖成效和麝香分泌监测，对驯养马麝开展大样本的控制性对照实验，结合行为冗余和刻板强度分析、非损伤性类固醇激素放射免疫检测(RIA)和麝香酮气相色谱分析(GC)，确定马麝行为综合征的类型、特征、稳定性和发育机制，及与社群胁迫和行为内分泌应激响应的关系，并揭示马麝行为综合征与其繁殖成效、麝香分泌、驯化度和品系选育的关系。本研究有助于加深对动物的社会性进化、非最适行为对策发育及野生动物驯化过程的理解，并有助于麝类动物的迁地保育、麝香生产和驯养品系选育。

本项目延续团队对麝类动物的长期工作基础，研究了圈养麝的行为综合征及与繁殖和麝香分泌的关系。基于对17项类目的行为测量，将圈养麝的行为综合征划分为侵略性、社会性、刻板性、温顺性及活跃性等5个个性维度。具有较高笨拙性、支配性、保护性和同类关注性的雌麝的繁殖成效较低；雌麝产仔数与其个性无显著相关，但雌麝的保护性与仔麝死亡数显著正相关。植被丰富圈舍的麝胆量趋于更高，胆量性无显著的性间差异，年龄及交配季节均与胆量相关显著；雄麝泌香与非其胆量相关显著，雌麝繁殖成效也与胆量相关显著。老龄麝的活跃性和领域性均相对较低（P<0.05），雌麝活跃性高于雄性（P<0.05）；麝在交配季节活跃性与领域性均高于非交配季节；雄麝泌香量与活跃性及领域性正相关（P<0.05），社群性同年龄显著相关，成麝社群性（16.39%±2.65%）显著高于亚成体（2.78%±1.42%）；高密度群马麝社群性（18.85%±2.95%）显著高于低密度麝（1.41%±0.66%）（P<0.01）；非交配季节（19.63%±11.30%）和交配季节（17.79%±7.64%）间的社群性无显著差异（P>0.05），雌麝社群性（15.88%±3.52%9）略高于雄麝（13.94%±3.20%）（P>0.05）。展现刻板行为雄麝皮质醇（111.099±16.231）和睾酮水平（135.900±21.582 ng/g）略高于无刻板表达的麝（95.640±9.738，135.900±21.582）略高于无刻板麝（P>0.05）；展现刻板的雌麝雌二醇（0.445±0.116 ng/g）显著低于无刻板麝（10.843±1.142 ng/g）（P<0.05）。雄麝年龄与麝香酮水平相关不显著（r=-0.13），成体麝麝香酮（1.17±0.09%）显著高于老龄麝（0.85±0.06%）（P<0.05）；雄麝健康度与麝香酮相关显著（P<0.01）；是否参与交配及圈养密度同麝香酮间的相关均不显著（P>0.05）；雌雄混合群养雄麝的麝香酮水平（1.18±0.12%）略高于单雄圈养雄麝（1.06±0.10%）（P>0.05），饲养圈区对麝香酮含量无显著效应（P>0.05）。本项目结果表明，圈养麝类动物个体的个性发育、表达可能与其所在社群的结构存在紧密关联，未来可运用社会网络分析对圈养马麝个性结构与社群结构及动态的关系开展进一步的研究。