Ecology of Eastern White Pine Seed Caches made by Small Forest Mammals
作者:
Herschel G. Abbott,
Thomas F. Quink,
期刊:
Ecology
(WILEY Available online 1970)
卷期:
Volume 51,
issue 2
页码: 271-278
ISSN:0012-9658
年代: 1970
DOI:10.2307/1933663
出版商: Ecological Society of America
数据来源: WILEY
摘要:
Typical seed caches made in the fall of the year by white—footed mice (Peromyscus leucopus) and red—backed voles (Clethrionomys gapperi) contained 20—30 pine seeds, buried beneath the litter of pine needles and in contact with mineral soil. Many caches were revisited by the mice and their contents destroyed before winter. Most caches not decimated in the fall were invaded the following spring. However, some of them escaped complete destruction and their unconsumed seeds germinated and produced seedlings. Although mice make their caches in micro—environments highly favorable to germination, their subsequent feedings on the stored seeds, both before snowfall and before and during the spring germination period, greatly deplete the number of potential germinants. Therefore, the contribution to forest regeneration of seeds stored by these small forest mammals is probably of minor significance except when bumper seed crops are produced and large numbers of caches are created. Under these circumstances, stored seeds may be of sufficient quantity to exceed food requirements of the mice. If pirating by other animals is low, then a surplus of seeds is left to help regenerate the forest.
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