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Effects of predation risk on cultivated walnut (Juglans regia) seeds hoarding behavior by David's rock squirrel (Sciurotamias davidianus) in enclosure

WANG Wei,ZHANG Hongmao,ZHANG Zhibin   

  • Online:2007-12-11 Published:2008-07-07

围栏条件下捕食风险对岩松鼠贮藏核桃种子行为的影响

王威, 张洪茂, 张知彬   

  1. 西华师范大学珍稀动植物研究所,南充

Abstract: More studies are needed to be done on how seed-hoarded rodents adjust their hoarding behavior to trade off the predation risk and net benefit of hoarding. In September 2006,the study was conducted in semi-natural enclosures in the Donglingshan Mountain of northwest Beijing,to work on the fate status,distributions,micro-habitat selections and removal distances of buried seeds of cultivated walnut (Juglans regia) after hoarded by David's rock squirrel (Sciurotamias davidianus) with which were compared when predation risk,Siberian weasel (Mustela sibirica),was endued or not. The objective was to test the effects of predation risk on seed hoarding behavior of S. davidianus. The results showed that,under predation risk,the proportions of removed seeds and buried seeds significantly declined,while those abandoned seeds were not significantly different,and the spatial distribution,microhabitat location and removal distance of buried seeds in enclosure were not significantly different. These results suggested that S. davidianus significantly decreased proportions of removed seeds and buried seeds when predation risk existed,but had no significant effects on their spatial selection,micro-habitat selection and removal distances when they hoarded seeds. These insignificant cases were likely caused by the fence effect.

Key words: Fence effect, Microhabitat selection, Predation risk, Sciurotamias davidianus, Seed hoarding

摘要: 面对捕食风险,贮藏植物种子的啮齿动物如何通过调整其贮藏行为,权衡捕食风险和贮食效益,需要深入研究。2006 年9 月,在北京东灵山地区,以黄鼬作为捕食风险源,在半自然围栏内比较了有无捕食风险源时,岩松鼠贮藏的核桃种子的状态,以及埋藏种子在实验围栏内的分布、微生境和搬运距离,以探讨捕食风险对岩松鼠贮藏种子行为的影响。结果表明,捕食风险源存在时,搬运和埋藏种子的比例都显著减少,弃置地表种子的比例无显著差异;埋藏于高风险区的种子比例减少,中风险区和低风险区的埋藏种子比例增加,但差异都不显著;位于裸地和草下的埋藏种子比例减少,位于墙基的埋藏种子比例增加,但差异都不显著;此外,埋藏种子的搬运距离也没有显著差异。可见,捕食风险源存在时,岩松鼠显著减少了搬运和埋藏种子的比例,但对埋藏种子时的埋藏区域和微生境选择,以及搬运距离无显著影响。差异不显著可能与围栏效应有关。

关键词: 岩松鼠, 捕食风险, 种子贮藏, 微生境选择, 围栏效应