Habitat Selection By Marmota Himalayana

Marmota himalayana(as follows be called for short Marmot)belong to,Rodentia, Sciuridae,a genus of Marmot,which is a kind of huge Rodent of Hibernation,and inhabited in wide areas of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau Alpine Meadows rangeland.They widely distribute in Mountain Grassland and Meadow Steppe,dig caves for living.Because they can compete forage with domestic animals by breakout force.Not only influence quality of forage productivity,reduce carrying capacity,but destroy ecological environment of grassland.At same time because they have the more economic value,which are emphases on development and utilization of wildlife.At present,few study about Marmot habitat selection.If human can learn their habitat characteristic,it is very important to conserve biodiversity or control harmful biology.This research according to Marmot distributing areas,where lied in the Zhuaxixiu long valley,Tianzhu county of Gansu province.Through investing density of Marmot den as a main judging basis.In 48 sites,which were carried out investigation of Marmot active regularity,habitat,all kinds of ecological factors.Through synthesis analysis valuation was made learning and cognizing to Marmot habitat regularity and characteristic.The studying results as follows:(1) Research of Marmot active regularity indicated:the course of dealing with natural enemies,Marmot had taken on adaptive characteristic for survival.In Marmot active places have all kinds of dens as habitat,repose,activity and evading natural enemies,these dens tightly attached with Marmot'life.Leaving den of Marmot was different from other animals for guarding enemies.When leaving den,Marmot would watch situation on the top of Marmot hill.If they insure no danger,they would leave den to movement.Annual active cycle of Marmot have 5 periods:the period of out-hibernate,the period of sexual,the period of vegetative reproduction,the period prosperity of activity,the period of in-hibernate.June was the active busy season to Marmot.So active regularity of day showed obvious double peaks,which means have two obvious peaks of activity in a day.Other were single peak.(2) Research of Marmot habitat indicated:through the plots investigation of Marmot distribution,integrated habitat character of rodent.The result showed Marmot had lived in grassland and subalpine meadow(the main elevation:2900m～3300m).In 48 sites,Having 33 sites were Marmot concentrated distributing places.The main food was the dominant species of plant on the grassland.All kinds of environmental conditions of habitat have different influence to Marmot'life.With changing of environmental conditions, den density of Marmot would happen change too.The highest density of Marmot distribution was the areas of piedmont sunny slope and mild-slope grass,the low density was on steep slopeland in hill region.The snow and ice area of the alpine uncovered rock where was not the suitable survival environment for Marmot.(3) Research of ecological factors indicated:through the principle component analysis of Marmot den and ecological factors.The first principle component explained 38.991% among all habitat variables,the second principle component explained 18.300% among all habitat variables,the third principle component explained 11.500% among all habitat variables.3 the principle components explained 68.800% of the total variance among all habitat variables,which can well reflect Marmot habitat selection character.According to the absolute value of the coefficient in 3 the principal components,Marmot habitat selection'main factors were elevation,slope gradient,longitude(the absolute value of the coefficient respective were:0.860,0.740,0.712)and so on geography factor.Vegetation height and aboveground biomass have synergistic effect with geography factor.Distance from human disturbance and distance from road(the absolute value of the coefficient respective were:0.814 and 0.820) human activity factor were secondary factor.Vegetation coverage would named vegetation factor (the absolute value of the coefficient was:0.816) have very important influence to Marmota habitat selection.