Differentiation in seed hoarding among three sympatric rodent species in a warm temperate forest

Abstract

Although seed hoarding by rodents has been extensively studied, differentiation in seed-hoarding behaviors among sympatric rodent species has not been well investigated. Using semi-natural enclosures, we demonstrated that three sympatric rodent species showed clear differentiation in food selection, scatter versus larder hoarding behaviors and eating behaviors when offered seeds of four plant species from a warm temperate forest in northern China. The large field mouse Apodemus peninsulae preferred seeds of wild apricot (Prunus armeniaca) and Liaodong oak (Quercus liaotungensis), whereas the Chinese white-bellied rat Niviventor confucianus preferred seeds of cultivated walnut and Liaodong oak, and the David's rock squirrel Sciurotamias davidianus preferred seeds of cultivated walnut, wild apricot and Liaodong oak. All three rodents showed larder hoarding of seeds from all four plant species, but the large field mouse showed scatter hoarding of wild apricot, and the David's rock squirrel showed scatter hoarding of Liaodong oak and wild walnut. Acorns of Liaodong oak, which have a soft seed hull, were more often eaten in situ, whereas wild walnuts, which have a hard seed hull and more tannin, were less hoarded by all rodent species. Differentiation in the scatter versus larder hoarding behaviors of sympatric rodent species suggests that sympatric rodents play different roles in the regeneration of different sympatric plant species.