Tibetan Gazelle Research Articles

Two new members of the genus Sphingobacterium: Sphingobacterium zhuxiongii sp. nov. and Sphingobacterium luzhongxinii sp. nov.

Four strains, designated dk4302T, dk4209, xlx-73T, and xlx-183, were isolated from Tibetan gazelle and red swamp crawfish collected from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and Jiangxi Province, PR China. The strains were Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, rod-shaped, non-motile, mucoid, and yellow-pigmented. Strains dk4302T and dk4209 grew at 10-40 °C and pH 6.0-9.0, while strains xlx-73T/xlx-183 grew at 15-40 °C and pH 6.0-10.0. Both strains exhibited growth in the presence of up to 3.5 % (w/v) NaCl. Phylogenetic and phylogenomic analyses based on the 16S rRNA gene sequences and 652 core genes, respectively, revealed that the four strains formed two distinct clusters in the genus Sphingobacterium. Strains dk4302T and dk4209 formed a distinct clade with Sphingobacterium hotanense XH4T and Sphingobacterium humi D1T. The most closely related strains to xlx-73T and xlx-183 were Sphingobacterium nematocida M-SX103T. The DNA G+C contents were 38.9 and 39.8 mol%. The digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH) values between dk4302T and S. humi D1T and S. hotanense XH4T were 19.2 and 21.8 % (19.0 and 21.6 % for strain dk4209), respectively. The corresponding average nucleotide identity (ANI) values were 74.3 and 78.1 % (74.4 and 78.3 % for strain dk4209), respectively. The dDDH values between xlx-73T (xlx-183) and S. nematocida M-SX103T was 24.6 % (25.7 %). The corresponding ANI value was 85.7 % (85.5 % for strain xlx-183). The major fatty acid and respiratory quinone of dk4302T and xlx-73T were iso-C15:0 and MK7. The polar lipids identified in all of the novel strains were phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphoglycolipids, aminophospholipids, and phospholipids. A total of 61/190 (32.1 %) and 82/190 (43.2 %) carbon substrates were metabolized by strains dk4302T and xlx-73T in the Biolog MicroPlates, respectively. Based on the results from this polyphasic taxonomic study, two novel species in the genus Sphingobacteruim are proposed, namely Sphingobacteruim zhuxiongii sp. nov. (type strain dk4302T=CGMCC 1.16795T=JCM 33600T) and Sphingobacteruimluzhongxinii sp. nov. (type strain xlx-73T=GDMCC 1.1712T=JCM 33886T).

Identification of Potential Habitats and Adjustment of Protected Area Boundaries for Large Wild Herbivores in the Yellow-River-Source National Park, China

The wild large herbivores inhabiting the Yellow-River-Source National Park (YRSNP) are confronted with a significant threat from climate change and human activities. In response to these detrimental influences, measures have been proposed by the government, such as the Ecological Conservation and Restoration Project in the Sanjiangyuan Region (ECRPSR) and the establishment of the Sanjiangyuan National Park (SNP). To advance species diversity, it is crucial to investigate the spatial distribution of large herbivores, identify factors influencing their distribution, and address conflicts arising from divergent plans within the YRSNP. In this study, unmanned aerial vehicles were employed for surveying the distribution of the Tibetan wild ass (Equus kiang) and Tibetan gazelle (Procapra picticaudata). The findings indicate that the optimal habitat area for Tibetan wild ass is 437.16 km2, while for Tibetan gazelle, it is 776.46 km2. Precipitation and the human footprint index emerge as the primary factors influencing the habitat distribution of large herbivores within the YRSNP. Under the influence of the ECRPSR, there was a noteworthy expansion of the habitat area for Tibetan wild ass by 791.25 km2, and for Tibetan gazelle, it expanded by 1612.94 km2. From a wildlife conservation standpoint, this study proposes the establishment of a wildlife refuge in the YRSNP, effective coordination of conflicts between various functional zones and plans, preservation of suitable habitats for large herbivores, and the provision of a scientific foundation to reconcile development and conservation conflicts in the region, while concurrently fostering biodiversity conservation.

Climate change impacts on high altitude wildlife distribution: Predicting range shifts for four ungulates in Changthang, eastern Ladakh

Climate change has a significant impact on species habitat and its distribution. Understanding and predicting range shifts and changing habitat use patterns in the context of climate change is important for management and conservation. Changthang region in eastern Ladakh is the western extension of the Tibetan plateau and is home to many ungulates. In this study, we used ensemble modelling using an ensemble modelling approach to estimate the current and future distribution of four ungulates namely Bluesheep, Tibetan gazelle, Tibetan argali and Kiang in Changthang region. We used the global circulation model (GCM) from WorldClim produced by Community Climatic System Model Version 4 to predict possible future changes with 24 environmental and topographic variables for two time periods (2050 and 2070). The results suggest that these ungulates may lose 57% to 61% of their current range, depending on the algorithm used and dispersal scenarios with a northward shift in their ranges. The maximum predicted range loss is for the Tibetan gazelle with an average of 90% loss, which might make it locally endangered with a prediction that only 9.5% of their present habitat might be suitable for them in 2070 in the context of climate change. An estimated 100 individuals of Tibetan gazelles are known to be in Ladakh with a patchy distribution in the southern part of the study area. The Tibetan gazelle in Ladakh requires urgent conservation efforts to enable it to adapt to future climate change scenarios in the region. We recommend restoration and conservation of grassland ecosystems that were historically and currently occupied by ungulates with additional attention given to potential suitable habitats outside protected areas by regulation of human activities.

Co‐designing conservation interventions through participatory action research in the Indian Trans‐Himalaya

Abstract Community‐based conservation, despite being more inclusive than fortress conservation, has been criticized for being a top‐down implementation of external ideas brought to local communities for conservation's benefit. This is particularly true for Changpas, the pastoral people of Changthang in trans‐Himalayan India who live alongside unique wildlife. Our main aim was to co‐design conservation interventions through participatory action research. We worked with two Changpa communities, to understand the issues faced by them. Subsequently, we co‐designed context‐sensitive interventions to facilitate positive human–nature interactions. We did so by integrating the PARTNERS (Presence, Aptness, Respect, Transparency, Empathy, Responsiveness, Strategic Support) principles with the Trinity of Voice (Access, Standing and Influence). In Rupsho, we facilitated focus group discussions (FGDs) led by the community. We found livestock depredation by wildlife was primarily facilitated by the weather. This led to co‐designing of a new corral design, which was piloted with seven households, safeguarding 2385 pashmina goats and sheep. Approximating the value of each sheep/goat to be USD125, this intervention amounts to a significant economic protection of USD c. 42,500 for each household. This is along with intangible gains of trust, ownership and improved self‐esteem. In Tegazong, a restricted area adjoining the Indo‐China border with no previous research records, we worked with 43 Changpa people to co‐create research questions of mutual interest. Wildlife presence and reasons for livestock loss were identified as areas of mutual interest. The herders suggested they would record data in a form of their choice, for 6 months, while they live in their winter pastures. This participatory community monitoring revealed nutrition and hypothermia to be a key cause of livestock death. Subsequently, we delimited two previously untested interventions: lamb cribs and provisioning of locally sourced barley as a feed supplement. The wildlife monitoring recorded the first record of Tibetan Gazelle Procapra picticuadata, outside of their known distribution, in Tegazong. We aim to highlight the benefits of co‐designing projects with local communities that link research and conservation, while also discussing the challenges faced. Ultimately, such projects are needed to ensure ethical knowledge generation and conservation, which aims to be decolonial and inclusive.

Distributions of two native ungulates at the third pole are highly sensitive to global warming

The conservation of native species through the establishment and management of nature reserves needs to take into account the effects of anticipated climate change. Species Distribution Models (SDMs) can be used to obtain key information on the spatiotemporal dynamics of species distributions, which is crucial for management strategies. For two ungulates native to Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, Tibetan gazelle (Procapra picticaudata) and Kiang (Equus kiang), we developed a novel two-step SDM framework with an intermediate step that quantifies the suitability of grassland habitats as essential food availability in the Three River Sources Region (TRSR). We then applied the multi-model inference and bootstrapping techniques to improve accuracy and to estimate uncertainty. We found the best models of grassland suitability included growth degree days, aridity, and topographical roughness as predictors; while common predictors of ungulate distributions included grassland suitability, coldest month temperature, and topographical roughness. The potential ranges of both ungulates will gradually move westward, northward, and upward in the TRSR under two climate change scenarios (SSR245 and SSR585). Within current local reserve boundaries in the TRSR, two focal ungulates would nearly go local extinction in the end of this century in SSR585. However, the northwest corner of the TRSR would become a new distribution center in SSR245 and deserves a higher priority for conservation. In addition to a greenhouse gas reduction agenda to curb the warming trend, our findings advocate adaptive management practices regarding spatiotemporal dynamics of wildlife distributions to prevent the extinction of native species and to increase resilience to climate change.

Grazing pressure index considering both wildlife and livestock in Three-River Headwaters, Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

Grassland is not only the natural habitats for the survival of wild animals, but also the material guarantees for livestock husbandry. However, the previous studies on grassland carrying capacity are mostly only considering livestock but wild herbivores were ignored. In this study, the population of large wild herbivores, Tibetan wild ass, Tibetan gazelle and Tibetan antelope, and livestock were surveyed, and the grassland forage yield was estimated by a remote sensing-process coupled model in Qumahe Township in Three-River Headwaters, Qinghai-Tibetan in 2020. The actual carrying capacity (AC) was calculated from the both wildlife and livestock and the theoretical carrying capacity (TC) in the term on edible herbage and crude protein was estimated. Grazing pressure index was measured by the ratio of AC to TC in this region. The results showed the AC was contributed by about 20,700 standard sheep units (SHU) from wild large herbivores, and 256,500 SHU from the livestock. The theoretical carrying capacity of edible herbage, which is 274,800 SHU, was lower than the theoretical carrying capacity of crude protein in the region. If only considering livestock, the grazing capacity pressure index is 0.93, but the index will be 1.01 if the both wildlife and livestock were considered, and wildlife contributes 7.5% to the grazing pressure. This study suggested the wildlife population should be calculated in grassland ecological carrying capacity estimation though domestic livestock contributed much more to grazing pressure than wild herbivores. The new indicator would be useful in grassland management to maintain ecosystem and biodiversity balance, and society-economy sustainability.

Characterization of fungal microbial diversity in Tibetan sheep, Tibetan gazelle and Tibetan antelope in the Qiangtang region of Tibet.

Due to the high crude fiber content, straw of various crops is difficult to become a high quality forage resource. The degradation of cellulose in nature mainly depends on the cellulase secreted by microbes, which degrade cellulose into small molecular substances through chemical action, and the microbes that secrete cellulase mainly include some bacteria, fungi and actinomycetes, etc. The large and diverse microbial population contained in the mammalian gastrointestinal tract plays an important role in nutrient digestion. At present, many cellulose-degrading strains have been screened and obtained from animal digestive system and feces, such as Bacillus subtilis from the feces of Panda, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens from the cecum of goose. In this study, the fungal diversity was analysed in the fresh faeces of Tibetan sheep, Tibetan gazelle and Tibetan antelope in Qiangtang, Tibet. Results showed that the structure and species of gut fungi are different in three animals, which may be related to the different physiological functions among different animals, e.g., Tibetan antelope and Tibetan gazelle have stronger tolerance to rough feeding than Tibetan sheep. This study will lay a foundation for cellulose-degrading fungal development and provides technical support for improving rough feeding tolerance of Tibetan sheep.

Using a behavior random permutation model to identify displacement grooming in ungulates.

Behavior affects an individual's life in all aspects, e.g., enhancing fitness, leveraging predation risk, and reducing competition with conspecifics. However, the sequential distribution of behaviors received less attention and is unclear what the function of displacement behavior is. Displacement activities can be found in vertebrate species but there is no formal method to determine whether a behavior is expressed as a displaced or normal activity. Analyzing the sequential distributions of behaviors in a natural setting may allow researchers to identify unexpected distributions as a possible signature of displacement activities. In this study, we used a behavior random permutation model to detect the presence of a displacement activity in the Tibetan antelope Pantholops hodgsonii and the Tibetan gazelle Procapra picticaudata. The results showed that grooming in both ungulates tended to be accompanied with vigilance, and the frequency of grooming after vigilance was significantly higher than before vigilance. A significant positive correlation between the scan rate and grooming rate in the 2 ungulates was obtained. We suggest that grooming could sometimes be expressed as a displacement activity in ungulates. In addition to providing a general method for further research on displacement activities in a variety of animal species, this study sheds light on the importance of a spectral analysis of sequential distribution of animal behaviors. Behavior random permutation models can be used to explore the relevance between any 2 behaviors in a specific sequence, especially to identify a myriad of unexpected behaviors relative to their normal context of occurrence.

Fecal Bacterial Community of Allopatric Przewalski's Gazelles and Their Sympatric Relatives.

Mammal gastrointestinal tracts harbor diverse bacterial communities that play important roles in digestion, development, behavior, and immune function. Although, there is an increasing understanding of the factors that affect microbial community composition in laboratory populations, the impact of environment and host community composition on microbiomes in wild populations is less understood. Given that the composition of bacterial communities can be shaped by ecological factors, particularly exposure to the microbiome of other individuals, inter-specific interactions should impact on microbiome community composition. Here, we evaluated inter-population and inter-specific similarity in the fecal microbiota of Przewalski’s gazelle (Procapra przewalskii), an endangered endemic ruminant around Qinghai Lake in China. We compared the fecal bacterial communities of three Przewalski’s gazelle populations, with those of two sympatric ruminants, Tibetan gazelle (Procapra picticaudata) and Tibetan sheep (Ovis aries). The fecal bacterial community richness (Chao1, ACE) did not vary across the three Przewalski’s gazelle populations, nor did the composition vary between species. In contrast, the managed Przewalski’s gazelle population had higher bacterial diversity (Shannon and Simpson) and was more similar to its sympatric Tibetan sheep in beta diversity than the wild Przewalski’s gazelle populations. These results suggest that ecological factors like host community composition or diet affect Przewalski’s gazelle’s gastrointestinal bacterial community. The role of bacterial community composition in maintaining gastrointestinal health should be assessed to improve conservation management of endangered Przewalski’s gazelle. More broadly, captive breeding and reintroduction efforts may be impeded, where captive management results in dysbiosis and introduction of pathogenic bacteria. In free ranging populations, where wildlife and livestock co-occur, infection by domestic pathogens and diseases may be an underappreciated threat to wild animals.

Ungulate Mortality due to Fencing and Perceptions of Pasture Fences in Part of the Future Qilianshan National Park

Fencing is an important part of husbandry for pastoral communities; however, these same fences can have unintended consequences for wildlife populations by restricting movement, reducing connectivity, and causing direct mortality. This paper assesses the current status and effects of fencing present in Yanchiwan National Nature Reserve, soon to be part of the recently proposed Qilianshan National Park. A questionnaire survey was conducted among 70 households to gauge local herders' perceptions of fences, threats of fencing to native ungulates, and the number of wildlife found entangled in fencing. We found that local communities rely on fencing for livestock management and individuals who had encountered wildlife entangled in fences were more likely to perceive fences as having negative effects. Furthermore, those who perceived fencing as harmful to wildlife were more likely to support the dismantling of fences. On the other hand, families who needed to hire others to tend to their livestock were less likely to support dismantling efforts. However, the best model was only able to account for some of the data variability, suggesting that while perceptions of fences are important, other factors could be influencing support for fence dismantling. Hence, increasing awareness of threats alone may not be enough to generate community support of a fence dismantling program. Therefore, outreach and community collaboration to reduce the impacts of fence alterations upon livestock management will be necessary for a successful fence dismantling program within the new national park. Finally, those surveyed reported finding kiang, argali, and Tibetan gazelle dead in fences, with kiang found more often than the other two. This suggests that these three species may be more vulnerable to fence entanglement and that they are good targets for future studies and dismantling efforts.

The four antelope species on the Qinghai-Tibet plateau face habitat loss and redistribution to higher latitudes under climate change

Climate change is predicted to directly or indirectly affect species distribution and abundance, especially the species that live on the Qinghai-Tibet plateau that is highly sensitive to climate change. The Przewalski’s gazelle (Procapra przewalskii), the Goitered gazelle (Gazella subgutturosa), the Tibetan gazelle (Procapra picticaudata) and the Tibetan antelope (Pantholops hodgsonii) are the only four existing antelopes living on the plateau. They play indispensable roles in regulating the structure and function of the plateau ecosystem. To understand how climate change affects the spatial distribution and migration direction of these ungulates, we applied the maximum entropy (MaxEnt) model and used 82, 57, 397 and 324 GPS points of Przewalski’s gazelle, Goitered gazelle, Tibetan gazelle and Tibetan antelope, respectively. These points were mainly obtained through the survey of the line transect method and a small part from the database, and then we combined with the related environmental variables, and afterwards evaluated to predict the habitat change and shift of species geographic range under three climate scenarios in the 2050s and 2070s. Additionally, the potential migration paths in the future were simulated by the Minimal Cumulative Resistance (MCR) model. The results showed that climate change would cause habitat loss for all four species. The Tibetan antelope was predicted to lose over 50% of its current inhabited area under the most severe climate scenario. Also, the suitable habitat of all species would shift to higher latitudes. In particular, the Przewalski’s gazelle as an endangered species that occupies narrow habitat area would face more severe challenges in the future. Therefore, all suitable habitats should be considered as important protection areas, and our results also provide a reference for designing the optimal migration corridors for the investigated species.

Traditional Usage of Wild Fauna among the Local Inhabitants of Ladakh, Trans-Himalayan Region.

Simple SummaryLike plants, animal-based remedies are being utilized traditionally in different cultures around the globe. We explored the traditional usage of wild animals by the local inhabitants in Ladakh area of Trans-Himalayan region, India, using questionnaires and interviews. Furthermore, associations between ethnozoological usage and animal species were also evaluated through multivariate ecological community analysis. The highest priority of local inhabitants was for food followed by medicinal usage. We documented therapeutic uses of 48% of the reported species. Among these Alectoris chukar (chukar), Cuon alpinus (Asiatic wild dog), Lepus oiostolus (hares), Marmota himalayana (marmots), Ovis aries vignei (Ladakh urial), Pantholops hodgsonii (Tibetan antelope), Procapra picticaudata (Tibetan gazelle), Pseudois nayaur (blue sheep), Tetraogallus himalayensis (Himalayan snow), Tetraogallus tibetanus (Tibetan snow cock), and Lutra lutra (common otter) were reported for the first time from this region and are being used for medicinal purpose. Our findings could be valuable as reference data for policymakers, researchers, land managers, common public, and the other stakeholders to develop logical and scientific approaches for sustainable use of faunal diversity in biodiversity hotspot regions.Zootherapy is accepted all around the globe not only in ancient cultures but different animal derived medicines are also part of the practice in the modern health care systems. The present study assessed the traditional ethnozoological usage of wild animals by local inhabitants in Ladakh region, India, and the reference data for scientific approaches for protection of faunal diversity in trans-Himalayas. The ethnozoological documentation of the animals in Ladakh was carried out through semistructured and close-ended questionnaire surveys and interviews. Multivariate ecological community analysis was used to elucidate the relationship between ethnozoological usage and animal species. Our results showed three animal usage clusters with 32% similarity. Moreover, the similarity in animal usage between digging tools, trophy, handle of tools, decoration, and matting, showed less than 32% of similarity. The highest priority of local people was for food followed by decoration and medicinal usage. The most frequently used animal parts were meat followed by fur and horn. Medicinal uses of 48% of the reported species, i.e., Alectoris chukar (chukar), Cuon alpinus (Asiatic wild dog), Lepus oiostolus (hares), Marmota himalayana (marmots), Ovis aries vignei (Ladakh urial), Pantholops hodgsonii (Tibetan antelope), Procapra picticaudata (Tibetan gazelle), Pseudois nayaur (blue sheep), Tetraogallus himalayensis (Himalayan snow), Tetraogallus tibetanus (Tibetan snow cock), and Lutra lutra (common otter) were reported for the first time from this region. Our study provides innovative information regarding the ethnozoological knowledge in the Ladakh region and reference data for policymakers, researchers, land managers, common public, and the other stakeholders to develop logical and scientific approaches for sustainable use of faunal diversity in hotspot regions like trans-Himalayas and other similar biodiversity-rich sites.

Rewilding the wildlife in Sangjiangyuan National Park, Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

ABSTRACT The targets of China’s national park construction are to protect the authenticity and integrity of the ecosystems, and to achieve the harmonious development between humans and nature. Because of the high intensity of human activities, the authenticity of ecosystems has deviated over the past few decades. It is time to rewild the wildlife and restore the authenticity of these ecosystems. The status of rewilding wildlife in Sanjiangyuan National Park, indicating that the wildlife population, diversity and wildness have increased within the National Park. The wildlife population in the national park has been restored, with about 60,000 Tibetan antelope, 60,000 Tibetan gazelle, 36,000 Tibetan wild ass, 10,000 wild yak, and 10,000 white-lipped deer up to 2017. However, overgrazing existed on the alpine grassland with population increasing both of ungulates and livestock.

The carrying pressure of livestock is higher than that of large wild herbivores in Yellow River source area, China

Grassland carrying capacity and the number of livestock and wildlife play important roles in maintaining the balance of the grassland ecosystem. In this study, we assessed the grassland-livestock balance between large wild herbivores and livestock. We used the sample line transect method to conduct a survey on population and habitat area of wildlife in Sanjiangyuan National Park, China, from 2016 to 2017 and got detailed information about the population density and distribution of wildlife. The maximum entropy model (MaxEnt) was used to calculate the suitable habitat area of large wild herbivores. In addition, we used a suitable area to calculate the number of wildlife. The results showed that the suitable habitat area of Tibetan wild ass (Equus kiang) and Tibetan gazelle (Procapra picticaudata) were 14,463.7 and 15,306.3 km2, respectively, in Maduo County. The number of Tibetan wild ass and Tibetan gazelle was 12,176 and 4,231, respectively. The results indicated that the number of livestock was higher than that of wild herbivores, and overgrazing was the main cause of grassland desertification. However, the wildlife population had little effect on grasslands. The pressure index of livestock on pastures had gradually decreased in recent years. Therefore, we advise to protect the grasslands and control the number of livestock for maintaining local ecological balance and animal husbandry development.

Effects of Nano-Selenium on Antioxidant Capacity in Se-Deprived Tibetan Gazelle (Procapra picticaudata) in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

Tibetan gazelle (Procapra picticaudata) is an endangered ungulate in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, China. This study aimed to determine the influence of nano-Se on antioxidant system in Se-deprived P. picticaudata. We analyzed contents of mineral elements in soil, forage, and animal tissue. Blood parameters and antioxidant indexes were also determined. The results showed that Se concentrations in the soil and forage from affected pasture were significantly lower than those in healthy area (P < 0.01). Se concentrations in blood and hair from affected P. picticaudata were also significantly lower than those in healthy animals (P < 0.01). Meanwhile, the levels of Hb, RBC, and PCV in affected gazelle were significantly lower than those in healthy animal (P < 0.01). The activities of AST, ALT, LDH, CK, and UA content in affected animal were significantly lower than those in healthy gazelles (P < 0.01). The levels of SOD, GSH-Px, CAT, and T-AOC in serum were significantly lower and the MDA content was significantly higher in affected compared with healthy gazelle (P < 0.01). Affected P. picticaudata were treated orally with nano-Se, Se concentration in blood significantly increased and serum antioxidant indexes greatly returned to within the healthy range. Consequently, nano-Se could not only markedly increase the Se content in blood in Se-deprived P. picticaudata but also much improves the antioxidant capacity.

Unpredictability of vigilance in two sympatric Tibetan ungulates

AbstractVigilance is important for anti‐predation, and different animals adopt different vigilance strategies. Instantaneous and sequential randomness in vigilance behavior are two main principles for the classic Pulliam model (1973). Given this context, we studied the vigilance behaviors in two wild cloven‐hoofed animals, the Tibetan antelope (Pantholops hodgsonii) and the Tibetan gazelle (Procapra picticaudata) on Qinghai–Tibet Plateau, to explore if the two randomness principles work across species. The results showed that the distribution of inter‐scan intervals of both Tibetan antelope and Tibetan gazelle followed the negative exponential distribution; inter‐scans of both Tibetan antelope and Tibetan gazelle were unrelated with their previous scan, and most sequences of inter‐scan intervals could be considered as random organized or unpredictable. In conclusion, the vigilance patterns of Tibetan antelope and Tibetan gazelle followed instantaneous randomness and sequential randomness of Pulliam model. A random vigilance strategy might be the best choice for Tibetan ungulates, and how to distinguish the social vigilance from anti‐predator vigilance is an important issue for future research.

Nocardioides jishulii sp. nov.,isolated from faeces of Tibetan gazelle (Procapra picticaudata)

Two novel Gram-stain-positive, irregular rod-shaped bacterial strains, dk3136T and dk3543, were isolated from the faeces of Tibetan gazelle (Procapra picticaudata) in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau of PR China. The cells were aerobic, oxidase-negative and catalase-positive. Colonies were yellowish, circular without any observable aerial mycelium after culturing at 28 ℃ for 3 days on brain-heart infusion (BHI) agar with 5 % sheep blood. The cells grew optimally at 28 °C, pH 7.5 and with 1 % (w/v) NaCl on BHI agar supplemented with 5 % sheep blood. Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that their nearest phylogenetic relative was Nocardioides solisilvae Ka25T (97.9 % similarity). The results of 16S rRNA gene sequence and phylogenetic/phylogenomic analyses illustrated that N. solisilvae Ka25T, Nocardioides gilvus XZ17T, Nocardioides houyundeii 78T and Nocardioides daphniae D287T were their nearest phylogenetic neighbours. The DNA G+C contents of strains dk3136T and dk3543 were 70.3 mol% and 70.4 mol%, respectively. Their genomes exhibit lower than threshold (95-96 %) average nucleotide identity to known species of the genus Nocardioides. ll-2,6-diaminopimelic acid was the diagnostic diamino acid and MK-8(H4) was the predominant respiratory quinone. The major polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylglycerol. The two strains had C18 : 1 ω9c, iso-C16 : 0 and C17 : 1 ω8c as the major fatty acids, and rhamnose and galactose as the main whole-cell sugars. On the basis of the results of our genotypic, phenotypic and biochemical analyses, we conclude that strains dk3136T and dk3543 represent a novel species in genus Nocardioides, for which the name Nocardioides jishulii sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is dk3136T (=CGMCC 4.7570T=JCM 33496T=KCTC 49314T).

Study of Rickets and Osteomalacia in Tibetan Gazelle

Study of Rickets and Osteomalacia in Tibetan Gazelle

Microbacterium wangchenii sp. nov., isolated from faeces of Tibetan gazelles (Procapra picticaudata) on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

Two strains of Gram-stain-positive, aerobic, non-spore-forming, non-motile, rod-shaped bacteria (designated dk512T and dk508) were isolated from the faeces of Tibetan gazelle (Procapra picticaudata) collected from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, PR China. The 16S rRNA gene sequences of the strains showed the highest identity to Microbacterium saccharophilum K-1T (98.0 and 97.9 % similarity, respectively). The phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that dk512T and dk508 were members of the genus Microbacterium, and most closely related to strains Microbacterium mitrae M4-8T and Microbacterium hatanonis FCC-01T. The strains grew optimally on brain-heart infusion (BHI) agar with 5.0 % (v/v) sheep blood at 30 °C, pH 7.0 and with 1.0 % (w/v) NaCl. The genome of type strain dk512T was 3.8 Mb with a G+C content of 70.6 mol%. The average nucleotide identity and digital DNA-DNA hybridization values between strain dk512T and previously characterized Microbacterium species were <95 and <70 %, respectively. In strain dk512T, the detected primary cellular fatty acids were anteiso-C15 : 0 and anteiso-C17 : 0, the main respiratory quinones were MK-9 (37.9 %) and MK-10 (35.7 %), and the polar lipids included diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol and three unidentified glycolipids. The major cell-wall sugars were rhamnose, ribose and galactose. Alanine, glutamic acid, glycine and ornithine were in the cell-wall peptidoglycan. Based on phenotypic data and phylogenetic inference, these two strains represent a novel species of the genus Microbacterium, named here as Microbacterium wangchenii sp. nov, where dk512T is designated the type strain (=CGMCC 1.16590T=JCM 33494T=KCTC 49313T).

Inter- and intraspecific vigilance patterns of two sympatric Tibetan ungulates

Abstract Vigilance is an important antipredation technique that can be affected by many factors, such as body size and group size. Small animals are more vulnerable than large ones, so the former are expected to behave more vigilantly than the latter. This effect of body size on vigilance may occur inter- or intraspecifically. We studied the vigilance behavior of two sympatric wild ungulates, Tibetan antelopes (Pantholops hodgsonii) and Tibetan gazelles (Procapra picticaudata). Tibetan antelopes, with a body size of 33 kg are much larger than Tibetan gazelles, with a body size of approximately 14 kg. Tibetan antelopes are sexually and body-size dimorphic; that is, males are much heavier than females. Alternately, Tibetan gazelles are sexually dimorphic but the sexes do not differ in weight. Tibetan gazelles scanned their environment more frequently than Tibetan antelopes did. Small female Tibetan antelopes scanned their environment more frequently than males did, whereas male Tibetan gazelles scanned their environment more frequently than females did. Group size did not affect the vigilance of Tibetan gazelle, but its negative effect on the vigilance of male Tibetan antelopes was marginally significant. In female Tibetan antelopes, vigilance in large groups was high probably because of scramble competition and social monitoring. Our results suggested that body mass and group size play an important role in shaping the vigilance of these two rare Tibetan ungulates.