MA Jie, LI Qing-fen, SUN Ru-yong, LIU Ding-zhen. 2004. Rodents as the Key Predators of Ground Seeds of Quercus liaotungensis in Xiaolongmen Forestry Centre,Beijing. Zoological Research, 25(4): 287-291.
Citation: MA Jie, LI Qing-fen, SUN Ru-yong, LIU Ding-zhen. 2004. Rodents as the Key Predators of Ground Seeds of Quercus liaotungensis in Xiaolongmen Forestry Centre,Beijing. Zoological Research, 25(4): 287-291.

Rodents as the Key Predators of Ground Seeds of Quercus liaotungensis in Xiaolongmen Forestry Centre,Beijing

  • The seed deposition pattern created by seed dispersers is important for plant,and ultimately may influence the regeneration of a plant species.In this study,a declining Chinese endemic plant,Quercus liaotungensis,was studied in Xiaolongmen Forestry Centre,a Nation Park of Beijing from Sept.to Oct.in 2000.Seeds post-dispersal experiments of Q.liaotungensis were conducted with four different treatments (four different kinds of predators:Invertebrates,Invertebrates+rodents,all predators,and all predators with litter covering) in two plots.Sound and invalid seeds were used in 40 treatments;and totally 800 (sound and invalid seeds were 400 respectively) seeds were set in two plots.All of treatments were investigated 9 times during the period of field work.In the two plots,no seeds were moved in all treatment 1.The difference of dispersal seeds was no significant between all treatment 2 (rodents+invertebrates) and all treatment 3 (all predators) (P>0.05);but the difference of seed dispersal was significant between in all treatment 2 and treatment 4,so did treatment 3 and treatment 4.The differences between sound seeds dispersal and invalid seeds dispersal were significant in all treatment 2 of two plots (Plot 1:t=2.407,P<0.05;Plot 2:t=2.65,P<0.05),so did all treatment 3 of two plots (t=3.209,P<0.05;t=3.029,P<0.05).Total gnawing of invalid seeds were much more than those of sound seeds in two plots (χ2=14.75,P<0.05;χ2=9.85,P<0.05).All of the results confirmed that the rodents in the area,particularly Apodemus peninsulae (74.4% of the community),were the principal post-dispersal predators;and indicated that the microenvironment could affect the speed of seed removal;and showed that the invertebrates and birds had not affection on the dispersal of ground seeds;and indicated that rodents were preferred to predate sound seeds and might judge the quality of the oaks.
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