Reproduction of plateau pika (Ochotona curzoniae) on the Qinghai–Tibetan plateau

Abstract

The reproduction of the plateau pika (Ochotona curzoniae) was investigated in Guoluo District at an elevation of 4,000 m on the Qinghai–Tibetan plateau, China, from April 2007 to August 2008. Reproduction was seasonal, and the breeding season lasted from April to late June/early July. Adults produced two litters in each year, and the mean litter size, estimated by counting the number of embryos in utero, was 3.3 ± 0.1 (n = 52) in 2007 and 3.2 ± 0.1 (n = 66) in 2008. The timing of reproduction showed high inter-annual variation; lower precipitation and the concomitant delay in spring vegetation phenology may have retarded the onset of the breeding season in 2007 compared with 2008. The most frequent litter sizes were 3 and 4, which together comprised 71.2% and 83.3% of litters in May and June of 2007 and 2008, respectively. Compared with previous studies, reproduction was highly variable between geographic areas. Pikas produced between one and five litters per year in different regions of the plateau over different breeding seasons. This geographic and inter-annual variation appeared to be associated with the duration of plant growth at each site, suggesting that plateau pikas adjust the length of their breeding season to match the period when sufficient energy is available to support the high energy demands of reproduction.