小泡巨鼠对森林种子选择和贮藏的观察

Observations on Tree Seed Selection and Caching by Edward's Long-Tailed Rat (Leopoldamys edwardsi)

小泡巨鼠是四川省都江堰林区一种占优势的鼠种 ,取食多种林木种子和果实 ,可能影响这些树种的更新。于 2 0 0 1年秋季 ,调查了小泡巨鼠对栓皮栎、树、栲树、石栎、青冈和油茶等 6种重要林木种子的选择和贮藏 ,并初步探讨了其对森林更新的影响。结果表明 ,小泡巨鼠对上述 6种林木种子有很强的选择性 ,种子的营养价值和单宁含量是影响其选择和贮藏的主要因素。小泡巨鼠喜好取食和贮藏单宁含量较低的栲树、油茶和石栎种子 ,而不喜好取食和贮藏单宁含量较高的树、青冈和栓皮栎种子。小泡巨鼠在围栏内分散贮藏了部分种子 (特别是石栎和油茶种子 ) ,且绝大部分贮藏点仅有 1粒种子。小泡巨鼠对种子的选择和贮藏可能对有关林木的更新产生积极影响。

Edward's long tailed rat ( Leopoldamys edwardsi ), a dominant rodent spe cies in the forest of Dujiangyan Region, Sichuan Province, China, consumes seeds and fruits of many tree species, which may influence the regeneration of these tree species During the autumn of 2001, we investigated seed selection and cac h ing of six important tree species ( Quercus varialilis, Q serrata, Castanopsi s f argesii, Lithocarpus harlandii, Cyclobalanopsis glauca, and Camellia oleifer a) b y EdwardDK's long tailed rats, and discussed its effect on forest regener ation Th e results showed that EdwardDK's long tailed rats had a strong selection on seeds of these six tree species, and seed selection and caching seemed to be largely a ffected by the nutrient and tannin content of the tree seeds EdwardDK's long tail ed rats preferred to consume and cache the low tannin seeds of Castanopsis fa rge sii , Camellia oleifera and Lithocarpus harlandii , over the high tanni n seeds of Q serrata, Cyclobalanopsis glauca and Q varialilis EdwardDK' s long tailed rats scatter hoarded many seeds (especially seeds of Camellia oleifera and Lit hocarpu s harlandii ) in the exclosures, and most caches contained only one seed See d se lection and scatter hoarding by EdwardDK's long tailed rats may have a p ositive effect on the regeneration of these six tree species