社群学习对植食性鸟类和哺乳动物觅食行为的作用

Effects of social learning on foraging behavior in herbivorous birds and mammals

社群学习是动物的一种可塑性行为表现型式。综述了社群学习对植食性鸟类和哺乳动物觅食行为的作用,并述评了其学习机制。社群同伴对动物个体觅食地点、时间和取食方式均有影响,母体摄食的食物信息可通过胎盘和乳汁显著影响幼体的食物选择。动物通过观察学习、嗅闻学习以及味觉厌恶学习,不仅能更快找到食物资源,提高觅食效率,而且能有效降低中毒与被捕食的风险,从而提高其适合度。

Social learning is a phenotype of plastic behavior,which enables individuals to acquire adaptive behavior in local habitats. This paper reviews the effects of social learning on foraging behavior in herbivorous birds and mammals and the underlying mechanisms. Foraging sites,time,and patterns of individuals are influenced by their partner foragers. Furthermore,food selection by dams may be transferred to their offspring through the placenta and milk. By observation and olfaction,individuals can learn searching for food resources more quickly,increase foraging efficiency,avoid toxicants and decrease predation risk,thus improving their fitness.