Using endocarp-remains of seeds of wild apricot Prunus armeniaca to identify rodent seed predators

Some rodent-dispersed seeds have a hard seed-coat(e.g.woody endocarp).Specific scrapes or dental marks on the hard seed-coat left by rodents when they eat these seeds can be used to identify seed predators.In this study we measured the morphological traits of endocarp-remains of seeds of wild apricot Prunus armeniaca used by Chinese white-bellied rats Niviventor confucianus and Korean field mice Apodemus peninsulae.We established their Fisher's linear discriminant functions to separate endocarp-remains between the two predators.A total of 90.0% of the endocarp-remains left by Korean field mice and 88.0% of those left by Chinese white-bellied rats were correctly classified.The overall percentage of correct classification was 89.0%.One hundred and sixty endocarp-remains of unknown what species predated them were classified using the functions.The method may allow more reliable quantitative studies of the effects of Chinese white-bellied rats and Korean field mice on seed consumption and dispersal of wild apricot and this study might be used for reference in other studies of seed predators identification on hard seeds.

“萤火虫”升级“小太阳”

清明节一过,林州市石板岩镇漏子头村最大的一家农家乐'花荫凉儿'就开始忙活起来,老板白金林一边熟练地为前来赏花、采风的客人准备午饭,一边还不忘说着:'与山下农家乐的半年旺季、半年淡季不同,咱漏子头村春有桃李、夏有云海、秋赏红叶、冬看雾凇,一年四季都是景,全年都旺。以前咱这儿的服务跟不上,空调、电脑、抽风机不敢同时打开,这次俺趁着电网改造,把厨房全部换成了电气化设备.

迟到的内疚

转眼就过了阳光明媚的三月了,李林生老师离开我们已经三年了。当然,这条信息也是同学转发给我的。对于李老师,何时调离沈阳师范大学,何时从省青年干部学院离休,又是何时返回故土营口,及至最后病逝、享年多少,我几乎一无所知。只是在每年一两度的同学聚会上,偶尔能听到关于李老师的只言片语。对于中文系七七、七八两届学生来说,边杖子的风沙,兴隆台的泥泞,三十三中的拥挤,已成为其求学生涯的物质背景和精神财富,或者说是那一代人生命中挥之不去的意象。