fsm-times - the striped mouse

Nr. 24, July to September 2010
FSM-TIMES
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EDITORIAL
FourStripedMouse
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EDITORS
Dr. Carsten Schradin, Brigitte Schradin.
ADDRESS
Goegap Nature Reserve, Succulent Karoo
Research Station, Private Bag X1, Springbok
8240, South Africa.
[email protected]
Titel / Title:
FUSSBALL WM
SOCCER WORLD CUP
IN GOEGAP
Reports by students from the USA, U.K. and
Germany
Visit Goegap for 2 weeks: Striped Mouse
Expeditions!
Important publication in Frontiers in Zoology
1
HOMEPAGE
TUhttp://www.stripedmouse.comUT.
PUBLICATION DATES
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CONTENTS OF THIS ISSUE
WILLKOMMEN BEI DER 24. AUSGABE DER FSM-TIMES !
WELCOME: THE TWENTY-FOURTH ISSUE OF THE FSM-TIMES!
NAMAQUALAND-WEATHER
STRIPED MOUSE RESEARCH EXPEDITIONS
THE PEOPLE IN GOEGAP
Life`s a catwalk
Racing stripes
Namaqualand natives
Golden Mouse 2010
HOMEPAGE
TITEL: SOCCER WORLD CUP
TITLE: FUSSBALL WELTMEISTERSCHAFT
NEWS AND INFORMATION ABOUT PLANTS AND ANIMALS
Pflanzen und ihre Überlebensstrategien
Jackal buzzard
CONFERENCES, PRESENTATIONS AND PUBLICATIONS
FUNDING OF RESEARCH
THE MOUSE’S TAIL
2
WILLKOMMEN BEI DER
VIERUNDZWANZIGSTEN AUSGABE DER
FSM-TIMES!
Liebe Leser,
Seit Anfang Juni
sind wir zurück
in Goegap. Wir
hatten ziemlich
Angst
vor
dem
kalten
südafrikanischen Winter, aber bisher
ist es überraschend warm und
trocken: Tatsächlich bräuchte die
Natur dringend Regen! Und ein paar
Nächte hatten wir schon Frost, und
wir warten auf die nächste Kaltfront
mit Regen. Aber so lange geniessen
wir das Wetter und die Fussball WM:
Eine Satellitenschüssel und ein
gebrauchter Fernseher machen es
möglich. Die Titelstory in dieser
Ausgabe ist daher eine Foto-Serie
der WM Spiele. Trotzdem gibt es
natürlich
auch
sehr
viele
Informationen über die Mäuse in
diesem Spiegel.
Wichtig ist ein Artikel über die MausExpeditionen, die wir seit diesem Jahr
anbieten. Hier kann jeder, der will, für
2-4 Wochen nach Goegap kommen,
die Mäuse beobachten und das
Leben an der Forschungsstation
kennen
lernen.
Sicher
ein
aussergewöhnliches Erlebnis für
jedermann. Wir haben Platz für 4
Gruppen im Jahr, mit 1-5 Personen
pro Gruppe. Platz ist also beschränkt
und wenn man Interesse hat, sollte
man sich so schnell wie möglich
melden. Nun wünsche ich viel Spass
beim Lesen!
Carsten Schradin
this. But Goegap is also a place to
avoid the World Cup, and you will find
a lot of information about the mice
and nature in this issue.
One important article is about the
opportunity we offer since this year
for people to come to Goegap that
are not biology students and who
cannot come for months. Within our
mouse expeditions you can visit
Goegap for 2- 4 weeks, observe the
mice and experience the life at the
We are backing
the
South
African winter,
but so far the winter did not come,
apart from 3 days with rain and frost.
3
Carsten Schradin
NAMAQUALAND-WEATHER
By Carsten Schradin
THE LAST THREE MONTHS
Minimum temperatures
Night
Day
Maximum temperatures
Night
Day
Nights with frost
Rainfall in mm
Days with rain
April
May
June
3.5
23.3
6.1
13.7
-1.0
9.2
19.9
40.4
0
1.2
1
17.3
33.1
0
12.7
8
16.0
29.3
4
16.25
3
WELCOME TO THE TWENTY-FOURTH
ISSUE OF THE FSM-TIMES!
Dear Reader,
research station. We have space for
4 groups a year with 1-5 people per
group. So space is quite limited and if
you are interested you should contact
us as soon as possible. But for now I
hope you enjoy the current FSMTimes!
It is surprisingly warm and dry and we
enjoy the weather until the next cold
front comes and brings the rain that is
so important for the field. Otherwise
we spend quite some time watching
the World Cup and our title story
consists of pictures from how we do
4
Striped Mouse Research Expedition
A volunteer project in South Africa for everyone interested in small
mammals, social behavior and ecology!
Come and visit us for 1-3 weeks in South Africa!
Observe striped mice and other small mammals (bush Karoo and whistling
rats; elephant shrews) in their natural habitat.
Contribute to data collection for a scientific project.
including Cape and spotted eagle owl. Mammals include springbok,
gemsbok, mountain zebra, baboons, aardvark, aardwolf, jackal, wildcat,
mongooses etc and maybe even a leopard.
The Succulent Karoo Research Station is situated in the Goegap Nature
Reserve, Namaqualand (Northern Cape) South Africa, 20kms away from
Springbok. The research station consists of an old farm house and can
accommodate up to 11 researchers and students. The research station works in
cooperation with the University of Zurich (Switzerland) and the University of the
Witwatersrand in Johannesburg (South Africa). Researchers from all over the
world use this facility
What to expect on your research expedition and mouse safari
The striped mouse is active during the day. As the habitat in Goegap is very open,
we can observe them directly in the field. Mice are well habituated to the presence
of observers. One of the first things a young mouse sees when leaving the nest for
the first time, is a student observing the nest. During your stay in Goegap you will
learn:
• How to observe groups of striped mice and collect data on group
composition. After a few days, you will do this independently. You will
observe one group for an entire week. You will know all the individual
groups members and their social relationship.
• How to trap and mark striped mice. You will do this together with a student.
You will write down the data and if you want you can also learn how to
handle the mice (which often includes experiencing how they bite).
• How to radio-track striped mice and record their position using a GPS. After
a few days, you will do this independently.
• For one day you will join the research station manager for the monthly plant
survey, if you are at the research station around the 15th of the month.
• You will take part at the weekly meeting at the research station where
students discuss their research projects.
• You will also go on one night drive with the chance to see aardvark ,
aardwolf and other nocturnal animals.
• We have a weekly braai (=BBQ) at the research station, either Saturday or
Sunday.
• Your presence will also be of benefit for the students working here for. They
will see that other people appreciate the research we are doing and are
interested in our results. They always appreciate the presence and
experience of other (often older) people.
• Other activities in the reserve include hiking and mountain biking. It is also a
great place for star gazing. The Succulent Karoo is one of 25 biodiversity
hotspots with more than 4000 plant species. It is especially famous for
numerous species of succulents and large fields of wildflowers in spring.
The fauna includes many reptiles (black spitting cobra, cape cobra, the
smallest tortoise of the world and many more), around 100 bird species
5
The research station: View from a hill. The braai area at the back. Verandah at the front. The
Wendy House accommodation. Accommodation in the station: corridor with kitchen and sleeping
room.
6
Your daily schedule will look somewhat like this (depending on the month,
time of sunrise / sundown might differ):
6:00 AM: Sunrise. Get up and have a coffee
6:30 AM: Go into the field. Set traps.
7:00 AM: Nest observation
7:30 AM: Check the traps
9:00 AM: Back at the research station: breakfast.
10:00 AM: Radiotracking
11:30-17:00: Free time. You can help with data entry, take a nap, read, watch a
movie (we have a big DVD collection), or explore the reserve.
17:00: Set traps
17:30: Nest observations
18:00: Check traps.
19:00: Sundown. Radio-tracking nesting sites of striped mice.
20:00: Prepare dinner!
Facts
Who can come? Easy going, uncomplicated people who love nature and are
interested in learning more about animals and especially striped mice. There is no
real age limit, but bear in mind that your work may be physically demanding! If you
have back problems, your activities would be greatly reduced (no trapping /
marking of mice). As it’s a research project, we also take blood and tissue samples
and sometimes even specimens. Thus, it’s a not a place to be recommended for
extreme animal rights people.
Language: English is the most common language spoken at the research station.
Costs: A contribution of CHF 1000 (single; 675 Euro), CHF 1400 (two persons;
950 Euro) or CHF 2000 (three persons; 1350 Euro) for a period of 2 weeks is
expected to stay in the research station. Accommodation in the Wendy House, if
available, is somewhat cheaper (CHF 550 / 800 for single / double). Additional
donations are of course welcome! All contributions are used to fund the research
station and our research.
How to get there: You have to arrange transport to the research station yourself.
You can either fly to Cape Town (550kms away) or to Upington (400kms away).
From there, the best way to get to Springbok is to get a rental car. Europcar has a
branch in Springbok where you can return the car if you don’t want to keep it
during your stay. The other option is to take the Intercape bus from Cape Town to
Springbok, which arrive late at night. You would have to arrange accommodation
in Springbok from where you will be picked up the next day. For details see below.
For how long? We offer stays of 2, 3 or 4 weeks.
When? Space at the research station is rather limited. The best time to come is
spring (October-November) and autumn (March – April), when it’s neither too hot
nor too cold. We have no air-conditioning and the gas heaters are not too helpful
either. In any case, you have to expect that it might get quite hot during the day
(October-March) or quite cold at night (rest of the year).
7
Accommodation is basic: We have two forms of accommodation for you. Please
bear in mind that both kind of accommodation are very basic: You will be really
living in the bush!
1. The area used normally by Dr. Schradin and his family. That’s relatively
comfortable, but gets very hot in summer. It can be used when Dr. Schradin is
away, which is normally from October until May. It has a double bed and a
sleeper couch.
2. Wendy-House, which is like a garden / summer house. Because of bad
insulation we offer this kind of accommodation only for early summer (October
– November) and autumn (March-April). It has two single beds.
This is the only study worldwide where a mouse species is directly observed
in its natural habitat! The striped mouse works as a model system to
understand complex social behaviour in animals
What some people might dislike:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
The lack of lodge-style luxury, lack of TV and newspapers
The very old farmhouse with paint coming from the sand walls, ugly floors, and
many improvisations
The cold nights and hot days
Long break during the day
The permanent company of young students.
The creepy-crawlies, snakes, scorpions and insects
There is no room or maid service!
How are we different from other volunteer organizations, for example
Earthwatch?
1. You will be directly involved with the research going on and the scientists and
students collecting data. You will be part of the research team!
2. You are expected to be more independent. For example you will have to
arrange transport to the research station yourself and you will have to cook
(and shop) for yourself.
3. Cheaper, because it’s less luxurious. Also, you don’t book via an agency like
Earthwatch but you will deal directly with us. This means all your contributions
go directly into the project and will be used to improve the research station and
to cover research expenses.
For more information visit our website: www.stripedmouse.com
To book write an email to [email protected]
8
LIFE´S A CATWALK…(ESPECIALLY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SEMI-DESERT)
THE PEOPLE IN GOEGAP
By Ed Yuen
The last three months had been a
quiet one in terms of the changing of
personnel at the Succulent Karoo
Reserve Station. After the departure
of Sylvia in the end of April, Sam
Lewis and Rachel Hughes had also
finished their nine months placement
in Goegap and returned to England in
the beginning of June. Coincidentally,
the Schradin family (Zora, Apollo,
Brigit and Carsten) and Ivana
Schoepf returned to South Africa the
very same day Sam and Rachel were
leaving Goegap. There is some quiet
time ahead of us, but not before long
this will change as many field
assistants, a Phd student and a postdoc will soon arrive in Goegap for the
upcoming breeding season of the
striped mice.
By Rachel Hughes
Before I came to Goegap I had a
highly glamorised view of what I
would look like in the field...striding
through the sunshine in a t-shirt,
shorts and walking boots, probably
also sporting a very stylish pair of
over-sized sunglasses.
Then you
realise that there are a number of
problems with this view....practicality
for one, snakes, sunburn, thorns, and
various other real or potential
dangers for some more and so my
plans had to change. Following this,
at first I thought that the actual field
wear of long trousers, long sleeves
and hick socks and jumpers was a
little plain. But in these past 8 months
I have found that this is just not true,
as
these
following
photos
demonstrate.
So as you can see, although at first it
does seem like field clothes could get
a little boring day after day, this article
gives you at least a year’s worth of
ways to change this. In fact, so many
ways that eventually, in terms of style
at least, you will probably come to
prefer your field clothes to your
casual ones.
When this does inevitably happen, it
is probably time for a trip to
Springbok to refresh your casual
wardrobe...and if the clothes you buy
still don’t quite cut it compared to your
rocking field look, more customization
might be in order...
But finally just a word of warning; as
with every fashion trend it is entirely
possible to over-do it! Just like no-one
enjoys seeing someone dressed
entirely in animal print, or dressed like
an 80s throw-back fashion disaster,
over-worked field looks suggest you
are trying far too hard....after all
fashion is meant to be fun.
However if you still need more
persuasion to take it easy and aim for
classy instead of trashy, check out
these two....soon to be gracing a
fashion “what were they thinking?”
page near you!
The Basic Summer and Winter Outfits!
The group in June: John, Ed with Zora, Ivana, Carsten with Apollo. Brigi is not on the picture.
9
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Home Brew...
Local Flavour...
Classic Casual Couture...
The best way to bring a little bit of your
own country to Goegap is to
incorporate handmade items, made in
the country you’re from, into your field
wear. Some of the easiest items to get
hold of are knitwear – preferably
knitted by one of your family or friends.
Hats and jumpers in a cosy chunky knit
and a vibrant colour can really add zest
to your work wear.
If you are looking for an easy way to liven up
your field style there are a number of clothes
stores in Springbok which can help you out with
this. Our models are showcasing a few of the
best pieces available:
The must-haves of a casual Goegap
wardrobe are the same as most other
locations.....the perfect pair of jeans,
comfy shorts for all occasions, lots
of layers, and a few big jumpers for
those nippy braai evenings.
Bags of Class...
The obvious addition to your outfit is your
field bag; a practical item which carries all
of your field essentials and adds a touch of
shabby chic to both summer and winter
outfits.
Nights out in Springbok require a
couple of more upmarket items,
which as most people, myself
included, did not bring with them,
can be bought in Springbok. Mr
Price would be my recommendation
for casual clothes as it is an excellent
place for both males and females to
supplement their informal wardrobes
and get some great and unique
bargains as well.
Other novelty items from home can also
improve your field look and provide
entertainment for your fellow workers.
Comfy does not have to mean dull...
Walking boots are sensible - a word not usually associated with
fashion - but thankfully there are some ways to add a little bit of
couture culture to your boots. So you can wear them with style and
still revel in the fact that, for once, having pain-free feet. Bright
socks, coloured or multiple pairs of laces, or even some well-placed
graffiti can all inject some fashion into your footwear.
11
12
RACING STRIPES
By Sam Lewis
A research station is only as strong
as the vehicles which serve it, as the
famous saying goes, and in this
respect
the
Succulent
Karoo
Research
Station
boasts
an
impressive
collection
for
all
occasions.
The following is a
summary of those cars, their main
roles and my own experiences with
them.
mirrors the Mahindra, our everyday
workhorse vehicle, which provides for
our every transport need. Its 2.5 litre
turbocharged engine packs the
powerful punch needed for research
tasks and evening jaunts to town
Mahindra Bolero DC Turbo
Walking through Springbok on our
last town visit, I was struck by how
this humble settlement provides for
your every need: whether it be the
high speed internet connection, a
bustling and efficient post office, or
the varied and always high quality
eating establishments. This perfectly
Land Rover Defender
There have been many dynamic duos
throughout history: Batman and
Robin, Starsky and Hutch, Sonny and
Cher. The station boasts its own pair
of superheroes in two Defenders,
arguably the most rugged and iconic
vehicle in Land Rover’s illustrious
history. The personal vehicles of the
“…some say Audi Quattro-inspired
geometric aesthetics…”
“…light work of Mother Nature’s obstacle”
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“There have been many dynamic duos
throughout history ”
impressive 210 Nm of torque
produced from only 2000rpm, and
becoming briefly unsettled by only a
few particularly stubborn areas. And
in this case, the thoughtful addition by
the manufacturer of a jack made light
work of Mother Nature’s obstacle,
and gave us an opportunity to fully
appreciate the beautiful chassis
craftsmanship.
alike, and with its impressive 1, 702
m3 load capacity there is no number
of traps this white stallion can’t haul.
Add that to its unique, some say Audi
Quattro-inspired
geometric
aesthetics, and you will struggle to
find another vehicle more suited to
the demands of an isolated research
establishment.
For me, one incident in particular
showcases the abilities of the
Mahindra in any research station
scenario. While driving to the farm
after heavy rainfall, it became clear
that a large amount of sand had been
deposited into the riverbed, creating a
loose, shifting surface ideal perhaps
for a new WRC stage but not so
conducive to field work. However,
the Bolero powered through most
sections with ease, showcasing the
“…arguably the most rugged and
iconic vehicle in Land Rover’s
project leader and station manager
respectively, both the 110 and 90
possess the three characteristics that
cemented the Defender’s legendary
status: high ground clearance, a four
wheel drive system coupled to a
three-speed low range gearbox, and
a near-unbreakable iron chassis.
14
Their main use around the station is
personal transportation of their
owners; however, the rarity of my
exposure to them has only made the
experience more special. The 110
was instrumental in our New Years
trip to Port Nolloth, with its torquey
powerplant making overtaking a
breeze, and its refined drive making
the miles fly by. And it goes without
saying, the superior load capacity
swallowed the luggage of five
passengers with ease – a true all
round performer.
One of my fondest memories in the
110 will be the night drives that
opened up a new, ethereal world to
me. Only the Defender could have
dealt with the rigours of the 4x4 route,
a combination of finesse and power
allowing us to see myriad nocturnal
animals, with a porcupine and a
barking gecko the highlights.
The 90 may be smaller in size than
the 110, but it more than makes up
for this lack of power with a
turbocharged diesel engine that loves
to be revved. And complementing
this is a four wheel drive system that
has yet to be wrong-footed by any
conditions here in Goegap – even the
shifting sands of the dry riverbed
couldn’t defeat it, with the plucky
Defender finding the right path time
and time again, to the immense relief
of the assistants whose trapping had
been in jeopardy. The versatility of
the 90 is illustrated by a dynamic
interior arrangement that allows seats
to be fitted in the rear at a moments
notice, or removed just as easily,
letting the owner choose between
impressive luggage capacity, or
bringing a couple of friends along for
the ride in style.
NAMAQUALAND NATIVES
changing of seasons in order to find
the best grazing for their livestock.
sudden increase in population near
the Orange River catalyzed the
appropriation of traditional Nama
lands, depriving the Nama of
livelihood. Finally, under apartheid
rule, the Nama were pressured to
abandon their nomadic lifestyle for
the confines of immobile villages. The
Nama’s
tradition,
culture,
and
heritage began to recede into the
annals of history in favor of modern
industry and conveniences.
By John Pokallus
During my time at the Goegap Nature
Reserve, I have experienced the
extremes
of
the
temperature
spectrum from summer to winter. I
have endured the winds, rain,
drought, and myriad other sporadic
environmental
tendencies
that
characterize Namaqualand. All in the
name of furthering research on
striped mice. However, when the
environment stretches me to the
limits of my discomfort tolerances, I
often find myself wondering what kind
of people could actually survive in
such an unwelcoming land. So I set
off to find an answer. After a stop at
the tourist information center in
Springbok and a quick search on the
internet, I found it. The Nama.
Nama dance
Nama girl and Nama Granny.
The Nama have lived in this
landscape for maybe thousands of
years. They represent the majority of
the few remaining groups of Khoikhoi
people who once occupied this region
of Africa. The harsh environment that
they inhabit is their livelihood, and
they manage to thrive in it against all
odds. Their relationship to the land of
southern Namibia and northern South
Africa
is
apparent
in
the
nomenclature of Namaqualand; in
fact, many old sources of literature
refer to the Nama as Namaqua. Their
traditional lifestyle was largely
15
pastoralist
and
nomadic.
The
stewardship of the land that the
Nama exhibited was one of
communal ownership as a result of
their nomadic lifestyle. Because they
lived in a harsh environment that was
not conducive to raising livestock,
they required huge tracts of land in
order to nourish their animals. The
aspect of communal land ownership
between tribes played an integral role
in allowing the Nama people to
traverse, and utilize such large areas.
Until the early 20th century their
movements were infused with the
Throughout the 17th and 18th
centuries the Nama had been forced
back and forth across the Orange
River, which happens to be the
border between Namibia and South
Africa, numerous times as a result of
hostility between them and other
African ethnic groups. Then, in 1904,
the Nama began to come into conflict
with the German colonists of
Namibia. As is most often the case
between European settlements and
native populations, a war between the
Nama, in conjunction with their allies
the Herero, and German settlers
ensued. When the fighting stopped in
1907, the Nama population had been
reduced by half, to a total of
approximately 10,000 individuals. The
remaining Nama fled south across
the Orange River back into South
Africa. However, they were not able
to pursue their freedom and
traditional lifestyle as they had hoped.
In the 1920s, diamonds had been
discovered at the mouth of the
Orange River. This discovery brought
about an onslaught of prospectors
and the establishment of the towns of
Alexander bay and Port Nolloth. The
16
Nama hut
The disappearance of traditional
Nama values would be an enormous
loss to African culture as a whole.
The iconic rush-mat covered dome
hut of Southern African cultures
would cease to dot the hills and
roadsides of the Northern Cape, only
to become a mere relic of a previous
people. The purpose and meaning of
the unique clicks that characterize the
Nama language, cousins of the San
(Bushmen) people, would fall in to the
category
of
lost
languages
maintained
only
by
scholars.
Carefully handcrafted leatherwork
would soon transition from its
intended use in towards hastily made
souvenirs for tourists. The greatest
loss of all, however, would be the loss
of the spirit of the people who have
contributed to the history of the
Nama. Their saga lives on among the
many stories that are passed on from
generation to generation through
word of mouth.
Among this dwindling culture, there is
still hope for renewal in the
Richtersveld Transfrontier Park which
bridges across the Orange River in
both South Africa and Namibia. It is
here that the last nomadic tribe of
Nama resides. They still maintain the
traditional
Nama
lifestyle
and
communal land ownership that was
once common in this region of Africa
allowing for a parallel existence to
that of their ancestors who have
thrived in the same desperately harsh
landscape for generations.
Without their help this project
wont be possible and the
research station would not
flourish.
The Golden Mouse was sent to
more than 40 previous field
assistants by email. Four of
them got it from me at the BBQ
party I held the 11th of May in
Zurich after my public lecture
as
“Privatdozent”
at
the
University of Zurich.
HOW TO BECOME A FIELD
ASSISTANT?
ONLY PEOPLE WITH A BIOLOGICAL
Moritz, Nino, Missanga and Alessandra get the Golden
Mouse for all the volunteers that helped over the
years.
Nama women at the annual Namaqua festival in Springbok
GOLDEN MOUSE 2010 AWARDED TO VOLUNTEER FIELD ASSISTANTS
Von Carsten Schradin
The Golden Mouse 2010 was
awarded to the volunteer field
assistants that supported the project
in the last 9 years. These are highly
motivated undergraduate students
17
that spent several months in Goegap,
working hard to collect data and
monitor the population. As volunteers,
they paid for all costs themselves and
supported the research station.
Stella is one of more than 40 volunteers that
got the Golden Mouse sent by email.
18
BACKGROUND CAN BECOME FIELD
ASSISTANTS. THESE ARE STUDENTS
OF BIOLOGY, VETERINARY MEDICINE
OR RELATED AREAS. THE WORK OF
FIELD ASSISTANTS INCLUDES: RADIOTRACKING, TRAPPING AND MARKING
OF SMALL MAMMALS, BEHAVIOURAL
OBSERVATIONS, WORK AT THE
RESEARCH STATION, INCLUDING
MAINTENANCE, AND MUCH MORE.
PEOPLE INTERESTED IN WORKING AS
A FIELD ASSISTANT FOR 2-3 MONTHS
WRITE AN EMAIL TO
[email protected]. PLEASE
WRITE A SHORT MOTIVATION AND
ATTACH A CV. YOU WILL THEN
OBTAIN MORE INFORMATION.
five nationalities, three Vuvuzelas,
two national flags and even a face
painting station; there are enough
cheering, screaming and Vuvuzela
blowing that is almost comparable to
one of the World Cup venue.
Goegap Nature Reserve
Accommodation: Guesthouse, bush hut, camp site.
4x4 routes, tourist route for all cars, two hiking trails.
Well, good luck to the 16 teams that
advanced to the next stage! I hope
the celebrations will continue in every
corners of the country.
TITEL: FUSSBALL WELTMEISTERSCHAFT
Tel: +27 27 718 99 06
Fax: +27 277181286
Von Carsten Schradin
HOMEPAGE: STRIPEDMOUSE.COM
By Carsten Schradin
Visits of
stripedmouse.com
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TITLE: SOCCER WORLD CUP
By Ed Yuen
The 2010 FIFA World Cup is finally
happening here in South Africa,
everyone in the country is very
excited about such prestigious event
to be held in South Africa, and the
first ever World Cup held in the
continent of Africa. Even though the
South Africa football team (Bafana
Bafana) had been eliminated from the
group stage, there is still so much for
the South African to celebrate about.
They have made themselves proud
by hosting this World Cup ever so
successfully and everyone from all
19
over the world can enjoy this beautiful
game in such a magnificent country.
While back at the research station,
even though most of us are not
exactly big football fan, but we would
not miss out such an event,
especially when it is happening in our
own back yard. For this reason and to
show supports for the host country
and the Bafana Bafana, we had set
up a small viewing station for the
World Cup. This has certainly added
some excitement to our everyday life
here in Goegap. With seven people,
Seit 10 Jahren bin ich an der
Forschungsstation und ich habe
immer die Ruhe dort genossen: Kein
Telefon, kein Internet und auch kein
Fernseher, der mich ablenkt! So soll
es im Prinzip auch bleiben, aber, aber
…. es ist WM, und das im „eigenen
Land“. Erst wollte ich nur begrenzt für
diese Zeit einen Fernseher für die
Station anschaffen, gebraucht für 500
Rand (50 Euro). Da der Empfangaber
so schlecht war, musste noch eine
Schüssel für 650 Rand dazu
kommen, allerdings nur mit den
nationalen Programmen. Immerhin
können wir nun auch Nachrichten
sehen, was doch auch für die
Feldassistenten von grossem Vorteil
ist: Man weiss, was in der Welt los ist,
und lernt durch die nationalen
Nachrichten auch viel über Südafrika!
Dazu kamen noch ein paar Utensilien
der WM 2006, die ich damals von
Berlin mitgebracht hatte, und ein paar
hier gekaufte: Eine südafrikanische
Flagge, ein Bafana Bafana T-Shirt
(das
ist
die
südafrikanische
Nationalmannschaft:
Jungs
übersetzt), und natürlich drei „Uwe
Seelers“, die lauten Vuvulezas,
20
welche nun in der ganzen Welt
bekannt sind, und wegen ihres Lärms
teilweise auch gehasst. Dazu viel WM
Spirit, Grillfleisch und viel Aufregung.
Auf den Fotos sehen Sie, wie wir hier
die WM geniessen. Zwar sind schon
vier
„unserer“
Mannschaften
draussen (Südafrika: wir alle!; Italien:
Ivana; USA: John; Frankreich:
Julien), aber am Samstag gibt es
noch das für uns spannende Spiel
zwischen
Deutschland
und
Argentinien. Einige Zeit wird also
noch der Fussballzauber um die
Station wehen!
Die Schüssel an der Forschungsstation.
Mexiko hatte engagierte Fans in Ivana und John, der seine südlichen Nachbarn unterstützte.
Eröffnungsspiel: Durch eine Schüssel und einen alten Fernseher können wir alle Spiele anschauen.
Rechts: Die Fans werden vorbereitet.
Tippen auf die Ergebnisse der Gruppenspiele:
Brigi gewann mit 37 Punkten das Preisgeld von
300 Rand (30 Euro).
Ein schöner Tag: Deutschland gewinnt 4:0 gegen Australien!
21
22
In Südafrika unterstützten alle ihr Heimteam. Links: Im lokalen Spar gab es Fussballkuchen zu
kaufen. Rechts: Selbst der Nachrichtensprecher hat ein Trikot von Bafana Bafana an!
Deutschland gewinnt gegen Ghana 1:0 und wird Gruppensieger!
Wunderschönes Grillfest mit tollem Ergebnis: Deutschland schlägt England 4:2 (offiziell 4:1).
Flagge am Spiegel zeigen: Eds Land Rover
unterstützt Südafrika, Carstens Deutschland.
23
„Uwe Seelers“ (Vuvuzelas) sind bei allen Kindern der Forschungsstation sehr beliebt!
24
NEWS AND INFORMATION ABOUT PLANTS
AND ANIMALS
NAMAQUALAND HALBWÜSTE: PFLANZEN UND IHRE
ÜBERLEBENSSTRATEGIEN
Von Sylvia Schulz van Endert
Im Großen und Ganzen nehmen
Pflanzen Wasser über die Wurzeln
auf und der Transpirationssog, der
durch die Evaporation von Wasser
über die Stomata der Blätter entsteht,
sorgt dafür, dass die Flüssigkeit
aufwärts in die übrigen Blattorgane
gelangt. Wasser ist essentiell für die
biochemische Aktivität der Pflanze,
für ihre Kühlung und strukturelle
Stabilität sowie für die Aufnahme von
Nährstoffen aus dem Boden.
Eine Zwergsukkulente in Goegap
Frühling und Sommer in Goegap
Je nach Jahreszeit bieten die Hügel
und Ebenen Namaqualands einen
Anblick, der unterschiedlicher kaum
sein könnte: Während in den heißen,
trockenen
Sommermonaten
verdorrte, niedere Sträucher in ihrem
Braun die Landschaft dominieren, ruft
der kühle, niederschlagsreiche Winter
eine Explosion an bunten Blüten
hervor, die den Boden nahezu
lückenlos bedecken. Wie ist es dieser
drastische Umschlag von scheinbar
lebloser
Erde
zu
strahlender
Blütenwiese zu erklären? Es ist ein
weiteres
Beispiel
für
die
Anpassungsfähigkeit der lebendigen
Natur
Charakteristisch
für
die
Wüstenregionen des Northern Cape
und damit problematisch für die Flora
25
und Fauna dieser Gegend sind
geringer
Niederschlag,
extreme
Sonneneinstrahlung,
hohe
Temperaturen und trockene Winde im
Sommer.
Im
Winter,
der
Wachstumszeit, herrschen niedrigere
Temperaturen
verbunden
mit
üppigem Niederschlag in Form von
Regen, Tau, aber auch Nebel, was
u.a. die Stärke und Verfügbarkeit der
Sonnenenergie stark minimiert. Da
Pflanzen im Gegensatz zu Tieren
sedentär sind und nicht in der Lage
sind, an bessere Standorte zu
migrieren, haben sie adaptierte
Wachstumsformen
und
physiologische
Besonderheiten
entwickelt, die sie dazu befähigen,
ihren Wasser-, Energie- und CO2Haushalt zu stabilisieren.
Wie
bereits
erwähnt,
stellt
Wassermangel
in
den
Sommermonaten eine der größten
Herausforderungen dar. Vertreter der
Familie
der
Vygien
(Mesembryanthemaceae)
weisen
eine Reihe von Kombinationen aus
verschiedenen
strukturellen
und
physiologischen Anpassungen auf,
die den Verlust von Wasser
minimieren und die Aufnahme
optimieren. Eine häufig auftretende
Wuchsform sind niedrige, dicht
verästelte Sträucher mit kleinen
sukkulenten Blättern, deren Wurzeln
statt in die Tiefe weit seitwärts
ausschlagen und in feinen Fasern
auslaufen, welche die Effizienz der
Wasseraufnahme steigern. Zusätzlich
besitzen
viele
Pflanzen
hohe
Salzkonzentrationen im Gewebe; das
26
somit
erhöhte
Wasserpotenzial
unterstützt die Extraktion.
Wasser, was nicht unmittelbar für
Stoffwechselabläufe
verwendet
werden kann, wird in den fleischigen
Blättern gespeichert. Einige Vertreter
sind dank einer vergleichsweise
dünnen Epidermis in der Lage,
Wasserdampf
aus
der
Luft
aufzunehmen und in spezialisierten
Blasenzellen zu speichern. Diese
expandieren bei hoher Feuchtigkeit
und exponieren dabei die Stomata,
während sie bei Trockenstress
schrumpfen, sodass die Blattporen
verdeckt werden. Generell besitzen
Wüstenpflanzen aber eher eine dicke,
mit Wachs beschichtete Cuticula, um
Transpiration zu vermeiden. Ebenso
ermöglicht eine Veränderung des
Krebs-Zyklus zur Verstoffwechslung
von CO2 die Schließung der Stomata
während des Tages. Stattdessen wird
Kohlenstoffdioxid in der Nacht
aufgenommen und durch ein hoch
affines
Enzym
in
Malatsäure
umgewandelt, welches gespeichert
wird und dann im Verlaufe des Tages
mit Hilfe der Photosyntheseprodukte
zu Glucose reduziert wird. Dieser
sogenannte
CAM-Zyklus
(crassulacean acid metabolsim) ist
zwar wassersparsam aber weniger
produktiv, weshalb Pflanzen mit
diesem modifizierten Stoffwechsel
langsam wachsen und in feuchteren
Gebieten nicht konkurrenzfähig sind.
Viele Vygien sind allerdings in der
Lage, zwischen dem CAM- und dem
regulären C3-Zyklus zu wechseln.
Eine einfachere Anpassung an
extrem heiße und trockene Sommer
ist „Sommerschlaf“ zu halten, was
bedeutet,
dass
die
Stomata
geschlossen werden und nur die
essentiellen
Funktionen
aufrechterhalten werden, gespeist
durch
CO2-Recyling
aus
der
Respiration. Ebenso wird Wasser
intern recycelt, indem am Ende der
Wachstumssaison Flüssigkeit aus
den „alten“ Blättern in neue Sprosse
transferiert wird, die zusätzlich durch
die abgestorbenen Blätter vor Wind
und Sonne geschützt werden.
Die Dominanz von dieser Art
Sträuchern
mit
relativ
kleinen
Speicherorganen in Namaqualand ist
begünstigt durch die regelmäßigen,
zuverlässigen
Niederschläge
im
Winter. Als solches sind Vygienähnliche Pflanzen aber sehr anfällig
gegenüber längeren Dürren.
Der Köcherbaum ist typisch für Goegap.
Besser angepasst sind Büsche und
Bäume,
die
zwar
weniger
wassersparsam sind, dafür aber tiefe
Wurzelsysteme ausgebildet haben,
die an unterirdische Wasserreservoirs
heranreichen. Unter ihnen gibt es
auch sogenannte „stem splitter“, die
ihren Stamm aufteilen in viele
Tochterstämme, die alle mit dem
Wurzelsystem verbunden sind. Die
große
Zahl
erhöht
die
Wahrscheinlichkeit, dass zumindest
einige genug Wasser zur Verfügung
haben und überleben, während der
Rest abstirbt. Eine weitere, simple
Strategie für das Überleben im
27
Sommer stellt das Abwerfen von
Blättern dar.
Einige
häufig
vorkommende
Geophyten (Zwiebelpflanzen) werfen
ebenfalls ihre Blätter in der trockenen
Jahreszeit ab und überwintern unter
der Erde als Speicherorgane, die
besonders geeignet sind, um spontan
auftretendes
Regenwasser
aufzunehmen. Viele sind hysteranth,
d.h., dass Blüten und Blätter zu
unterschiedlichen Zeiten ausgebildet
werden können, was den Pflanzen
eine gewisse Kontrolle über die
Blütenbildung gibt, je nachdem wie
gut es um die Wasserversorgung
bestellt ist. Pflanzen, deren Blüten
und Blättern gleichzeitig sprossen
(Synanthie), sind in der Lage bei
Wassermangel
ihre
Blüten
abzuwerfen.
Die wohl einfachste Vermeidung von
Wasserstress im Sommer zeigen die
Einjährigen, die komplett absterben
und stattdessen Samen produzieren,
die besonders resistent gegenüber
Austrocknung sind.
Einige Gräser besitzen eine weitere
Abwandlung
bei
der
Verstoffwechslung
von
Kohlenstoffdioxid (C4-Zyklus), eine
besondere Anpassung an hohe
Temperaturen,
die
v.a.
unter
Tropenpflanzen verbreitet ist.
Ein weiteres Hauptproblem für die
Flora in Namaqualand ist die hohe
Sonneneinstrahlung und die quasi
nicht vorhandene Wolkenbildung
während des Sommers und die
geringe Lichtmenge- und intensität im
Winter, die durch Nebel und Wolken
weiter reduziert wird. Einige generelle
Mechanismen zur Vermeidung durch
Sonnenschäden sind Kühlung durch
Transpiration (besonders geeignet für
Pflanzen
mit
tiefen
Wurzeln),
Konvektion und die Veränderung der
Blattform- und struktur. Einige
Sukkulenten besitzen eine erhöhte
Anzahl von roten Pigmenten in den
Blattorganen, welche die Absorption
von Lichtenergie verringert. Diese
Pigmente werden im Winter durch die
photosynthetisch
aktiven
grünen
Pigmente ausgetauscht. Weiterhin
wird Lichtabsorption durch eine
reflektierende
Wachsoberfläche
reduziert oder Strukturen wie Haare
ausgebildet, die als eine Art
Sonnenschirm dienen.
Sonnencreme: Rote Pigmente schützen die
Pflanzen im Sommer vor der Sonne.
Um die spärliche Wintersonne so
effektiv wie möglich zu ernten, sind
die Pflanzen Richtung Norden
orientiert, sodass die Bestrahlung von
Wachstumsspitzen maximiert wird.
Viele Sukkulenten weisen auch
perforierte
Blätter
auf.
Diese
sogenannten Fenster bestehen aus
pigmentfreien Zellen, die es erlauben,
dass Licht bis in die tieferen
Zellschichten durchdringt. Ebenso
erhöhen kegelförmige Pflanzenkörper
die
der
Sonne
ausgesetzten
Oberfläche.
Auch wenn es noch andere Faktoren,
auf die hier nicht weiter eingegangen
wird, das Überleben der Pflanzen
Namaqualands beeinflussen, kann
zusammenfassend
kann
gesagt
werden, dass sie eine Reihe von
Anpassungen entwickelt haben, die
einen Kompromiss zwischen den
verschiedenen Anforderungen an
Wasserversorgung,
Gasaustausch
und Energiebedürfnissen darstellen,
der einer besonderen Flexibilität
bedarf in Anbetracht der extrem
unterschiedlichen
Wachstumsbedingungen in den Sommer- und
Wintermonaten.
JACKAL BUZZARD (BUTEO RUFOFUSCUS)
By Erwan Cherel
40cm tall, 125cm wingspans.
It is one of our worst nightmares with
wildcat and snakes, why? Because
they eat a lot of mice and we’ve found
around their nests. However, this is a
nice bird, completely black except the
chest and the tail, which are chestnut.
It is really easy to recognize them
when they are flying because under
wing is black with a wide white strip.
28
Even though they are normally shy
we once could approach one very
close with the car. Ones a buzzard
with an offspring flew around me
when I was working at the field, and I
realized this is really a big bird. This
buzzard is aggressive towards other
birds, and if they feel that their nest is
endangered, they attack. Several
times we observed them fighting
against verreau’s eagle, which are
twice bigger, even if the eagle doesn’t
seem aggressive at all.
Jackal buzzards nest on cliffs and
sometimes trees. Usually, a clutch is
made up of two eggs but only one
juvenile survives. The laying period is
from July to September and both
parents incubate. The nest can be
used by the same pair for several
years. The Jackal buzzard is endemic
to southern Africa.
CONFERENCES, PRESENTATIONS AND
PUBLICATIONS
CONFERENCES
Ivana went in April to the ASAB
Easter meeting in Exeter and
presented her results from the
removal experiments, demonstrating
the important influences of population
density and reproductive competition
on social organisation in striped mice.
IN April, Ed came for one week to the
University of Zurich. He gave a talk
about his work on striped mouse
personalities at the Department of
Animal Behaviour. Due to the volcano
in Iceland he had to stay two weeks
longer than expected and came back
to Goegap only in May.
PUBLICATIONS
We got two papers published in the
last three months. For the first article,
the publisher (BioMed Central) chose
to publish a press release. One
newspaper that wrote about it was
29
the Süddeutsche Zeitung, one of
Germanys most important daily
newspapers. A short report about the
second article was published in the
Sonntagszeitung in Switzerland.
Schradin C, Lindholm AK (2010) The nasty neighbour in the striped mouse
(Rhabdomys pumilio) steals paternity and elicits aggression. Frontiers in
Zoology
This article is available for free download under: http://www.frontiersinzoology.com.
Press release from BioMed Central
Striped mice – the neighbours
from hell
Fighting, paternity tests and infidelity.
No, not a daytime talk show, but the
results of new research examining
why the fur will fly if a four-striped
grass mouse (Rhabdomys pumilio)
wanders into his neighbour’s territory.
Researchers writing in BioMed
Central’s
open
access
journal
Frontiers in Zoology investigated
aggression in the mammal species,
finding that breeding males are much
more concerned with repelling their
neighbours than with defending their
partners from complete strangers.
Carsten Schradin from the University
of Zurich, Switzerland, worked with a
team of researchers to stage
encounters between wild mice in a
specially created ‘neutral’ arena. He
said, “We found that breeding males
tested during the breeding season
showed significantly more aggression
towards their neighbours than
towards strange breeding males not
neighbouring them. Breeding males
were significantly more aggressive
than non-breeders”.
This ‘Nasty Neighbour’ phenomenon
has been seen in other animals and
contrasts with the ‘Dear Enemy’
behavior in which the breeding male
will preferably attack strangers. Both
are ways of limiting the cost of
territorial behavior. In this field study,
the researchers were able to test the
paternity of offspring conceived
during the study period and found
that neighbouring males were more
likely than the wandering strangers to
sire pups with another mouse’s
‘harem’. According to Schradin, this
may explain the animal’s preference
for neighbourly aggression, “We’ve
found that the neighbours of breeding
males pose a recognisable threat to
the breeding male’s confidence of
paternity, and suggest that this
explains the occurrence of the nasty
neighbour phenomenon in striped
mice”.
Abstract
Background: Territoriality functions to monopolize access to resources including
mates, but is costly in terms of energy and time investment. Some species reduce
these costs by being less aggressive towards their neighbours than towards
unfamiliar strangers, the so called dear enemy phenomenon. However, in other
species individuals are more, not less aggressive towards their neighbours. It has
been hypothesised that this is due to the fact that neighbours can impose a
greater threat than strangers, but this has not been tested previously.
30
Results: We tested aggression in wild group-living male striped mice in a neutral
test arena and demonstrate that breeders are more aggressive than non-breeding
philopatrics, and that more aggression occurs during the breeding than during the
non-breeding season. Male breeders were significantly more aggressive towards
their neighbours than towards strangers, leading to the prediction that neighbours
are the most important competitors for paternity. Using a molecular parentage
analysis we show that 28% of offspring are sired by neighbouring males and only
7% by strangers.
Conclusions: We conclude that in male striped mice the main function of male
aggression is defending paternity against their territorial neighbours.
Scantlebury M, Krackow S, Pillay N, Bennett N, Schradin C (2010) Basking is
affected by season and influences oxygen consumption in desert-living
striped mice. Journal of Zoology 281:132-139
Abstract
Small mammals that inhabit arid and temporally unproductive environments use
several methods to conserve energy. Here we investigate the energetic role of sun
basking in striped mice (Rhabdomys pumilio) from the Succulent Karoo desert in
South Africa. We observed mice in front of their nests for 140 h and recorded the
time they spent basking during the dry (non-breeding) and wet (breeding) season.
We measured temperature changes in model mice to provide an indication of the
heat that can be absorbed from the sun. Lastly, we measured oxygen
consumption () of mice at their basking sites in the field both in the sun and in the
shade. This was accomplished using a portable respirometry system with a
metabolism chamber that could be placed into and out of the sun. Observations
showed that mice basked more often during the non-breeding than the breeding
season. During this time, mice spent an average of 11.9 ±1.1
min (SE) in the morning and 5.5 ±0.5 min in the afternoon per day basking
(maximum 96 min). Within the metabolism chamber decreased when the animal
was in sunshine compared to the shade. This effect occurred independently of
ambient temperature (Ta) indicating that a significant amount of radiant energy
was absorbed from the sun. Basking may be an alternative to other energyacquisition behaviours (such as foraging), which might be particularly useful at
times when food is scarce.
31
FUNDING OF RESEARCH:
CALL FOR DONATIONS
Subscribers donation
ACCOUNT DETAILS
WE APPEAL TO ALL SUBSCRIBERS OF THE
FSM-TIMES TO DONATE 80 RAND (10
EURO, 15 DOLLARS) A YEAR FOR
RESEARCH ON THE SOCIO-ECOLOGY OF
SMALL MAMMALS IN GOEGAP. DONATIONS
OF MORE THAN 80 RAND ARE WELCOME
AND DONORS OF 400 RAND (50 EURO, 75
DOLLARS) WILL BE MENTIONED IN THE
NEXT FSM-TIMES.
DONATIONS WILL BE USED FOR THE
FOLLOWING PURPOSES:
1. SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH ON SMALL
MAMMALS IN GOEGAP, ESPECIALLY
SOUTH AFRICA
Standard Bank
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name:
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Account No.: 002900076
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PLEASE STATE L.2112 AS REFERENCE.
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BLZ 611 500 20, KONTO NR. 7434686
SMALLER RESEARCH PROJECTS SUCH AS
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ELSEWHERE.
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32
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR EVERY DONATION MADE TO SUPPORT OUR RESEARCH !
WIR BEDANKEN UNS HERZLICH BEI HERRN UND FRAU ORTMANN FÜR EINE SPENDE ÜBER
100 EURO !
WE ARE ESPECIALLY GRATEFUL TO THE HELENE-BIEBER FONDS (ZURICH.
SWITZERLAND) FOR SUPPORTING THE RESEARCH STATION WITH CHF 7000. THE MONEY
WAS USED TO INSTALL A NEW BATTERY BANK OF 1600 AMP AT 24V FOR OUR SOLAR
SYSTEM. NOW WE HAVE ENOUGH STORAGE CAPCITY TO SURVIVE COLD FRONTS IN WINTER
WHEN IT CAN BE RAINING FOR DAYS SUCHT THAT NO OR VERY LITTLE SOLAR POWER IS
PRODUCED. WE ARE VERY GRATFDUL TO THE HELENE-BIEBER FONDS FOR THIS
GENEROUS SUPPORT.
THE MOUSE’S TAIL
WIND OF CHANGE
This year in Goegap has been
particularly windy. Well, maybe not
more then the previous years, but it
certainly feels as if the wind is
blowing with a lot more strength this
time around. One night it was so
windy that we had the feeling that our
Wendy house would fly away… much
like in the Wizard of Oz when Dorothy
wakes up and suddenly she is not in
Kansas anymore. Well, if the wind
persists blowing with the strength of
the last few days, maybe one day we
will also wake up and find that we are
not in Goegap anymore…
SNAKES
Perhaps it is because of Global
Warming, but nonetheless it has been
rather warm for this time of the year.
So much so that we still see plenty of
snakes around. And not just in the
field. One day we also came home
and found one of the friendly house
snakes hiding among our spices in
the kitchen!
PET CAT
The food in the field must be getting
rather scarce for the wild cat as of
late we see him almost on a daily (or
should I say night?) base around the
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house hunting for mice. We see him
so often now that it is almost like
having a pet cat!
GOLDEN MOUSE PRIZE-WINNERS
2010: VOLUNTEER FIELD ASSISTANTS
2009: DR. URS THALMANN
2008: KLEIN GOEGAP
2007: GOEGAP NATURE RESERVE
2006: DR. GUSTL ANZENBERGER
2005: JENS SCHRADIN
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