Cache placement, pilfering, and a recovery advantage in a seed-dispersing rodent: Could predation of scatter hoarders contribute to seedling establishment?

Steele, Michael; Bugdal, Melissa; Yuan, Amy; Bartlow, Andrew W.; Buzalewski, Jarrod; Lichti, Nathan; Swihart, Robert K.

doi:10.1016/j.actao.2011.05.002

Cited by 57 publications

(70 citation statements)

References 35 publications

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“…Although a few studies have demonstrated a recovery advantage for scatter-hoarding rodents (Vander Wall et al 2006Steele et al 2011;Hirsch et al 2013), little information is available on how they rely on various information to accomplish this (but see Hirsch et al 2013). Our results differ from those of Vander Wall et al (2008) showing that yellow pine chipmunks Tamias amoenus tend to recover their own caches more than paired artificial caches.…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 84%

“…Otherwise, conspecific pilferers and hoarders would rely on similar recovery techniques and the hoarders would be at a clear disadvantage. Although a few studies demonstrate a recovery advantage for the hoarder, and therefore suggest an ability to recall cache locations (Vander Wall et al 2006Steele et al 2011Steele et al , 2014, studies on pilferage and cache recovery, especially by rodents, are relatively few. The results from such studies, however, strongly implicate spatial memory in cache recovery (Jacobs and Liman 1991;Vander Wall 1991;MacDonald 1997;Hirsch et al 2013); yet the process by which rodents remember and manage caches is poorly understood.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 96%

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The use of spatial memory for cache management by a scatter-hoarding rodent

Steele

Stratford

et al. 2016

Behav Ecol Sociobiol

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Some scatter-hoarding species show a cache recovery advantage over naïve animals, suggesting that they rely on spatial memory of cached seeds. However, the extent to which spatial memory is used in recovery or management of caches or the pilferage of others' caches is not known. We used Siberian chipmunks, Tamias sibiricus, to investigate this question in large, semi-natural enclosures. We found that individual chipmunks (1) clearly distinguish caches they made from those made by naïve conspecifics (or observers); (2) that this species will consistently avoid its own caches while pilfering caches of others; and (3) that this species is likely to maintain a recovery advantage when scatter-hoarding. Our study also suggests that this process of cache management is facilitated by spatial memory of caches. In a final experiment, chipmunks remembered and distinguished between their own caches and other cached nuts for at least 3 days. Our study suggests that spatial memory for cached seeds is necessary for scatterhoarding animals to not only retrieve the food they buried but also for long-term management of caches. We argue that the behavior of avoiding one's own caches in favor of foraging for other food stores observed here could benefit cache survival and indirectly affect the processes of seedling establishment. Significance statementOur study shows that spatial memory of individual cache sites is necessary for scatter-hoarding animals to not only retrieve the food they buried but also for management of caches over time. We demonstrate that Siberian chipmunks will first bury caches and then avoid their own caches in subsequent foraging, pilfering, and caching activity, suggesting that they use spatial memory to conserve their own caches. The study provides further insight into the use of memory in the scatterhoarding process as well as the mechanisms of animalmediated seed dispersal by scatter-hoarding animals.

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Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 84%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 96%

The use of spatial memory for cache management by a scatter-hoarding rodent

Steele

Stratford

et al. 2016

Behav Ecol Sociobiol

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“…This observation indicated that spatial memory could explain why scatter-hoarding provided a better reward for cache owners. As was shown in previous studies, cache owners of some species, such as eastern grey squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis Gmelin, 1788) (Jacobs & Liman 1991;Steele et al 2011), fox squirrels (Lavenex et al 1998) Zhang et al 2016a), had advantages in retrieving their own caches over pilferers with the aid of spatial memory.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 80%

“…Unfortunately, to date, most previous studies on pilferage rates have been conducted in small enclosures or with artificial interventions to simulate "pilferage" (using artificial caches) . As a result, little information is known about the real pilferage rates under field conditions (but see Stapanian & Smith 1978;Steele et al 2011;Jansen et al 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Does scatter‐hoarding of seeds benefit cache owners or pilferers?

Zhao

Zhang

2017

Integrative Zoology

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The scatter-hoarding behavior of granivorous rodents plays an important role in seed dispersal and seedling regeneration of trees, as well as the evolution of several well-known mutualisms between trees and rodents in forest ecosystems. Because it is difficult to identify seed hoarders and pilferers under field conditions by traditional methods, the full costs incurred and benefits accrued by scatter-hoarding have not been fully evaluated in most systems. By using infrared radiation camera tracking and seed tagging, we investigated the benefits and losses of scatter-hoarded seeds (Camellia oleifera) for 3 sympatric rodent species (Apodemus draco, Niviventer confucianus and Leopoldamys edwardsi) in a subtropical forest of Southwest China during 2013 to 2015. We established the relationships between the rodents and the seeds at the individual level. For each rodent species, we calculated the cache recovery rate of cache owners, as well as conspecific and interspecific pilferage rates. We found that all 3 sympatric rodent species had a cache recovery advantage with rates that far exceeded average pilferage rates over a 30-day tracking period. The smallest species (A. draco) showed the highest rate of scatter-hoarding and the highest recovery advantage compared with the other 2 larger species (N. confucianus and L. edwardsi). Our results suggest that scatter-hoarding benefits cache owners in food competition, supporting the pilferage avoidance hypothesis. Therefore, scatter-hoarding behavior should be favored by natural selection, and plays a significant role in species coexistence of rodent community and in the formation of mutualism between seeds and rodents in forest ecosystems.

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“…Throughout this volume, authors emphasize the importance, as consumers of fruit and dispersers of seeds, of frugivores as well as seed-dispersing granivores, including animals as diverse as hornbills, toucans, elephant, squirrels and other rodents, fishes, primates, and earthworms (Campos-Arceiz and Blake, 2011;Chen and Chen, 2011;Forey et al, 2011;Gross-Camp and Kaplin, 2011;Horn et al, 2011;Kitamura, 2011;Steele et al, 2011). Other contributions discuss the evolution of life-history traits and adaptations ensuring both short-and long-term benefits of plant and animal partners in mutualisms (Borges et al, 2011;Chen and Chen, 2011;Fleming and Kress, 2011;García and Grivet, 2011;Hamrick and Trapnell, 2011;Schaefer, 2011;Tomás, 2011).…”

Section: Fsd2010mentioning

confidence: 99%

Frugivores and seed dispersal (1985–2010); the ‘seeds’ dispersed, established and matured

et al. 2011

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This article appeared in a journal published by Elsevier. The attached copy is furnished to the author for internal non-commercial research and education use, including for instruction at the authors institution and sharing with colleagues.Other uses, including reproduction and distribution, or selling or licensing copies, or posting to personal, institutional or third party websites are prohibited. Frugivores and seed dispersal ; the 'seeds' dispersed, established and matured

show abstract

Cache placement, pilfering, and a recovery advantage in a seed-dispersing rodent: Could predation of scatter hoarders contribute to seedling establishment?

Cited by 57 publications

References 35 publications

The use of spatial memory for cache management by a scatter-hoarding rodent

The use of spatial memory for cache management by a scatter-hoarding rodent

Does scatter‐hoarding of seeds benefit cache owners or pilferers?

Frugivores and seed dispersal (1985–2010); the ‘seeds’ dispersed, established and matured

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