关键词: 黄胸鼠, 食物贮藏, 假海桐, 截头石栎, 西双版纳

Abstract: The Xishuangbanna area in SW China is regarded as a region of interest by biologists and also as a hotspot for
biodiversity conservation. This area is mainly tropical rain forest and is located in a biogeographical transitional zone between tropical SE Asia and temperate East Asia,The Buff-breasted rat (Rattus flavipectus) is widely distributed in the tropical rain forest in the Xishuangbanna area. We investigated seed hoarding and consumption by Rattus flavipectus by providing them with seeds of Pittosporopsis kerrii and Lithocarpus truncates in four semi-natural enclosures (L × W ×H =10 m ×10 m × 1. 5 m) in the Menglun area of Xishuangbanna (101°15′ E,21°55′N), Yunnan Province. SPSS for Windows (version 16. 0) was employed in data analysis. The results showed that:1)Rattus flavipectus hoarded food only in larder form; 2) on the second day, 20. 8% seeds of Pittosporopsis kerrii and 39. 2% seeds of Lithocarpus truncates were larder hoarded and this difference was significant (Wilcoxon test,second day:Z = - 1.990, P = 0.047); 4. 2% seeds of Pittosporopsis kerrii and 0. 8% seeds of Lithocarpus truncates were consumed in situ,and again the difference was significant (Wilcoxon test,second day: Z = - 1. 604,P = 0. 109); 3) simulated pilfering of stored food enhanced food hoarding behavior by the rats,increasing hoarding of the more preferred seeds of Lithocarpus truncates (Wilcoxon test,Z = - 2.654,P = 0. 008 ). Our results indicated that seed size and coat thickness could affect decision making in food hoarding and consumption by rodents.

Key words: Food hoarding, Lithocarpus truncates, Pittosporopsis kerrii, Rattus flavipectus, Xishuangbanna