Abstract: This paper introduced progresses in the studies on the nutritional ecology of microtine rodents in north America，and mainly reviewed the dietary pattern, food selection，nutrient requirement，forage quality and the role of nutrition in population dynamics for the microtines．
Several characteristics of the molars and the gastro-intestinal tracts of microtine rodents appear to be adaptations for use of high-fiber，low-protein, and low mineral diets．which ara consistent with the observation that most microtine species eat primarily the vegetative parts of plants．The exact compositions of diets are a function of the availability of food items and the nutritional adaptations of the speciesl the most accurate estimates of diet composition for microtine rodents seem to be volumetric estimates based upon microscopic exmination of stomach contents．
The same species in different habitats and different species in the same habitat eat different food items．Food item preference seems to depend upon a combination of the positive and negative characteristics of the item ，and different species have different tolerance for different plant secondary compounds．Performances of the microtine rodents on particular food items parallel their food preferences as measured by food intake and body growth ．
The nutrient requirements of the microtine rodents seem to require lower concentrations of digestible energy and protein in their diets．Mineral requirements are similar to laboratory rodents．Increased intake can compensate for the food of low digestibility and nutrient content so that requirements for energy and nutrients are met．Some evidences indicate that the quality of available forage can explain differences in the densities of microtine populations on time and space．

Key words: Microtine rodents Nutritional ecology, Nutritional adaptation Nutrient requirement, Dietary pattern, Plant secondary compounds

摘要： 本文报道了北美田鼠亚科啮齿动物营养生态学的研究进展。主要展望田鼠类的食物模式、食物选择、营养需要、饲料质量及其对种群特征的作用。田鼠类的臼齿和胃肠系统具有独特的形态．使其能适应于对高纤维、低蛋白质和低矿质食物的处理和消化，其大部分种类基本上是植食性的。食物的精确组成是食物项目可利用量及其种的营养适应的函数。食物模式在种间、时间和空间存在广泛的差异。田鼠类对食物项目的选择与食物的正营养因子和负营养因子的共同作用特征有关，而对特定次级化合物的忍耐性则因种而异，其主要反应为摄入和体重的降低。
田鼠类需要较低的可消化能和蛋白质，对矿质营养的需要和实验鼠类的相似，对低质量食物则通过增加摄入补偿对能量和营养的需耍。可利用饲料质量的效应能阐明田鼠种群密度在时间和空间上的异质性。

关键词: 田鼠亚科啮齿动物, 营养生态学, 营养适应, 营养需要, 食物模式, 植物次级化合