Publication
Title
Habitat effects on hoarding plasticity in the Eurasian red squirrel (**Sciurus vulgaris**)
Author
Abstract
Hoarding patterns can be classified into two general types: scatter-hoarding and larder-hoarding, but there are intermediate types. Various factors affect hoarding patterns. Animals hoarding identical seeds in different habitats may use different hoarding patterns to adapt to habitat variation. We used a sample-plot investigation method to study cache features and recovery rate of seeds of Arolla pine (Pinus cembra) by Eurasian red squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris) in 2009 and 2010 in two subalpine forests with different tree-species composition in the Italian Alps. Hoarding patterns of red squirrels varied among habitats: the typical scatter-hoarding pattern with most caches including 2-6 seeds is found in spruce (Picea abies) dominated forest, while a combination of few large caches (>= 10 seeds) and many small caches (less than 10 seeds) is found in Arolla pine dominated forest. Consequently, average number of seeds/cache was higher in the latter habitat. Among five microhabitats, shrubs, grass, moss, fallen leaves, and stone, Eurasian red squirrels preferred fallen leaves and moss as hoarding substrate. Cache recovery investigation indicated that recovery rate was 62% in spruce forest and only 21% in Arolla pine forest. A lower availability of suitable hoarding microhabitat resulted in changes in hoarding patterns of red squirrels in Pinus cembra dominated forest. We suggest that the main factor influencing differences in recovery rate was a higher cone production per tree in Pinus cembra forest.
Language
English
Source (journal)
Hystrix. - Place of publication unknown
Publication
Place of publication unknown : publisher unknown , 2014
ISSN
0394-1914
1825-5272
DOI
10.4404/HYSTRIX-25.1-10160
Volume/pages
25 :1 (2014) , p. 14-17
ISI
000339987600003
Full text (Publisher's DOI)
Full text (open access)
UAntwerpen
Faculty/Department
Project info
Publication type
Subject
Affiliation
Publications with a UAntwerp address
External links
Web of Science
Record
Identifier
Creation 08.09.2014
Last edited 04.03.2024
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