Complex spatial patterns delay the discovery and location of food by rodents  

作　　者：Shiqiang ZHANG Meilin ZHU Huixia ZHANG Nannan YAO Yingying WANG Yifeng ZHANG Zhenlong WANG 

机构地区：[1]School of Life Sciences,Zhengzhou University,Gaoxin District,Zhengzhou,Henan Province,China [2]College of Basic Medical Sciences,Zhengzhou University,Gaoxin District,Zhengzhou,Henan Province,China [3]State-owned Yugong Forest Farm,Jiyuan,Henan Province,China

出　　处：《Integrative Zoology》2020年第4期307-313,共7页整合动物学（英文版）

基　　金：the National Natural Science Foundation of China(31900336);the National Basic Research Program of China(2007CB109106);the Key Research Programs in Colleges and Universities of Henan Province(16A180039 and 19A180032);the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(2016M592304).

摘　　要：Spatial patterns in heterogeneity are generally deemed a central causal factor influencing the physiology and behavior of animals in ecological systems.However,knowledge remains limited about how such patterns influence food discovery by animals.We inferred that spatial heterogeneity plays a key role in animal food discovery and location.To prove this inference,we tested food locating parameters by 2 rodent species,Apodemus agrarius and Lasiopodomys brandtii,in different heterogeneous environments.Our results showed that spatial heterogeneity significantly influenced the food locating time of rodents,with food locating time increasing with increasing spatial heterogeneity.Furthermore,spatial heterogeneity significantly influenced invalid excavations(digging in the wrong place).Finally,spatial heterogeneity significantly influenced the frequency that heterogeneous objects were explored.Supporting our inference,our results indicate that spatial heterogeneity significantly influences the foraging behavior of animals.Consequently,increased spatial heterogeneity will impair the food locating success of rodents.We believe that this work will broaden our understanding of plant–animal interactions.

关 键 词：food locating invalid excavation RODENTS spatial heterogeneity 

分 类 号：Q95[生物学—动物学]