動物常以冬眠方式渡過嚴寒以節省能源。冬眠時有些外溫動物會主動選擇較低溫的棲息環境，且當溫度一樣時其新陳代謝速率也會較非冬眠的動物低。冬天時台灣北部的赤尾青竹絲(Trimeresurus s.stejnegeri)較不易發現。因此我懷疑北部的族群在長期冬天低溫的環境壓力下，可能演化出如溫帶蛇類冬眠的行為，而南部的族群則因缺少寒冬壓力會像一般熱帶的爬行動物沒有冬眠的現象。藉著探討南北兩地的赤尾青竹絲在冬天時對於溫度選擇及耗氧量是否不同，我將可以澄清上述的問題。
溫度選擇的實驗由1998年12月做至1999年3月初結束，光週期都是12h光照12h黑暗，但馴化溫度則不同，北部族群一組馴化於10℃一組馴化於20℃，南部族群也分2組，分別馴化於10℃和20℃的恆溫箱2週以上。實驗時將溫度電偶線插入蛇的泄殖腔內，測量其於溫度梯度槽內所選擇的溫度。結果發現四組的蛇其溫度選擇並無差異。於1999年1月-1999年2月期間使用耗氧分析儀分別於10℃及20℃的控溫箱內測量，在北部及南部各採得的20隻赤尾青竹絲。結果發現冬天時不同地理區的蛇當馴養條件相同時，其所測得的耗氧量也沒有差異。但於不同控溫箱所測得的耗氧量則有顯著的差異，於10℃下馴養的蛇所測得的耗氧量會顯著低於於20℃下馴養的蛇。
環境的溫度及食物都有可能影響到動物冬眠的行為。生活於高緯度或高海拔的爬行動物冬眠的時間會較低緯度或低海拔的爬行動物長，當外界環境溫度介於1-15℃時、及處在食物較少的環境下時，許多種類的爬行動物才比較可能降低新陳代謝效率、選擇低溫休眠。1999年冬天台灣北部的平均溫度為18℃，偶爾的寒流雖可讓氣溫降至10℃之下，但為期不長。此外赤尾青竹絲的食物在冬天可能也不缺乏，因此台灣的赤尾青竹絲於冬天時可能並無符合嚴謹冬眠行為定義的現象。

Abstract
Hibernation is usually adopted by animals to save energy in the cold winter. Some reptiles may select lower body temperature or depress metabolic rates when they are in hibernation condition. In northern Taiwan, it is much harder to find a Trimeresurus s. stejnegeri than in southern Taiwan during winter. Consequently, I predict the northern population of T. s. stejnegeri may reveal hibernation behaviors as many temperate snakes. Whereas, without a long-term cold pressure, the southern snake population may lack hibernation behaviors as most tropical reptiles. By comparing the thermopreferrenda and oxygen consumption of both snake population in the winter, I may clarify above prediction.
Thermopreferrenda and oxygen consumption of 4 groups snakes, that were 1.northern population, 10℃ acclimation 2.northern population, 20℃ acclimation 3.southern population, 10℃ acclimation and 4.southern population, 20℃ acclimation were compared from December, 1998 to the beginning of March, 1999. Thermopreferrenda behaviors were tested in a thermogradient. No significant difference of thermopreferrenda was found among the four groups.
Oxygen consumption was conducted in a walking chamber, of which the temperature was controlled the same as each group's acclimation temperature. Oxygen consumption was different only when acclimation or testing temperature is different. Therefore, the results contradicted my prediction. It seems the phenomenon, that the northern T. s. stejnegeri becomes more secretive than southern population in winter is simply due to a passive reaction to cold weather rather than hibernation behavior.

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