Abstract Animals living in desert environments have to be adaptable to significant temperature shifts in their surroundings. Ungulates have behavioral adaptations to adjust to thermoregulation problems and use the landscape features to lessen the effects of thermal fluctuations. In this paper, I investigated the usage of the local landscape by goitered gazelles (Gazella subgutturosa) in natural conditions to better understand behavioral adaptations of wild species to a northern arid environment. I found that during the hottest weather, goitered gazelle females and fawns used the shade of vegetation more often than males, while males preferred more elevated, windier places; while during winter, goitered gazelles of both sexes used deep, dry river beds in the foothills as a shelter against the strong winds in winter and early-spring. Body orientation with of pointing the hindquarters toward the wind was used infrequently than other protective behaviors. The sands of dry river beds were the most selected places for goitered gazelles to rest all year round, especially during the cold season. Using the microclimate features of the landscape is a very important part of the goitered gazelles’ adaptations, which help to reduce the costs associated with body thermoregulation and to endure the heavy heat load during summers and the severe harsh cold during winters.

中文翻译：

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利用干旱景观的小气候作为甲状腺瞪羚舒适行为的资源

摘要 生活在沙漠环境中的动物必须适应周围环境的显着温度变化。有蹄类动物具有适应体温调节问题的行为适应能力，并利用景观特征来减轻热波动的影响。在本文中，我调查了甲状腺瞪羚 (Gazella subgutturosa) 在自然条件下对当地景观的使用，以更好地了解野生物种对北方干旱环境的行为适应。我发现在最热的天气里，甲状腺瞪羚雌性和小鹿比雄性更频繁地利用植被的阴影，而雄性则更喜欢海拔更高、风更大的地方；而在冬季，两性的甲状腺瞪羚利用山麓深而干燥的河床作为冬季和早春强风的避难所。与其他保护行为相比，很少使用将后躯指向风的身体定向。干涸的河床沙子是甲状腺瞪羚一年四季休息的最佳场所，尤其是在寒冷的季节。利用景观的小气候特征是甲状腺瞪羚适应的一个非常重要的部分，这有助于降低与身体温度调节相关的成本，并能承受夏季的高热负荷和冬季的严寒。