Ecology and social behavior of the tamarisk gerbil Meriones tamariscinus: insights from long-term research in the wild and semi-natural environments  

作　　者：Vladimir S.Gromov 

机构地区：[1]A.N.Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution,Leninsky Ave.,33,Moscow 119071,Russia

出　　处：《Current Zoology》2024年第5期685-695,共11页动物学报（英文版）

摘　　要：The present review provides a compilation of the published data on the ecology and social behavior of tamarisk gerbils. Both field studies anddirect observations under semi-natural conditions provide evidence that the tamarisk gerbil is a nocturnal herbivorous rodent that lives in highlyseasonal habitats and displays seasonal fluctuations in reproduction and spatial organization. A typical feature of the tamarisk gerbils’ spatialorganization is higher mobility of males during the breeding season (as compared with the nonbreeding period) and formation of temporaryaggregations of males competing for access to receptive females;the composition of these aggregations was variable and depended on thereproductive condition of the females. Females tend to occupy exclusive home ranges irrespective of their reproductive condition. The matingsystem of the species can be defined as scramble competition polygyny with some features of polygynandry and promiscuity. The tamariskgerbil has distinct features of a solitary species and its social structure is primarily based on aggressive interactions or mutual avoidance ofconspecifics resulting in a dominance hierarchy among males and site-dependent dominance among females during the breeding season. Bythe end of the breeding season, males become less mobile and occupy nearly exclusive home ranges, consistent with solitary living. The mainfeatures of the spatial and social organization of this species, which distinguish it from other solitary rodents, are the higher mobility of malesand the formation of temporary multimale–multifemale aggregations during the breeding season. Overall, the data presented expand our understanding of socioecology of gerbils.

关 键 词：ECOLOGY REPRODUCTION social behavior spatial organization tamarisk gerbil 

分 类 号：Q95[生物学—动物学]