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Foraging behaviour of two rodent species inhabiting a kopje (rocky outcrop) in Tsavo West National Park, Kenya

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journal contribution
posted on 2008-10-01, 00:00 authored by Benjamin Fanson, Kerry FansonKerry Fanson, J Brown
We employed patch use theory to evaluate how several environmental factors influence the foraging behaviour of two rodent species: Grammomys dolichurus and Acomys cahirinus. Foraging efficiency was determined by measuring the remaining food in artificial food patches (giving-up densities: GUDs) from two experiments. In the first experiment, we placed patches in different microhabitat types (cover vs open) and at varying distances from cover. This experiment was conducted during three moon stages (waxing, full, waning). We found that the rodents had higher GUDs (lower foraging efficiency) in the open microhabitat. The distance from nearest shelter had a marginally significant positive effect on GUDs. GUDs were higher in both microhabitat types during the waxing and full phases, but decreased sharply once the moon began to rise after sunset. These results are likely due to higher predation risk away from cover and in more illuminated environments. In the second experiment, we examined mouse responses to seeds impregnated with plant toxins. Seeds impregnated with oxalic acid were avoided by the rodents, while seeds soaked in tannic acid did not differ significantly from control seeds. Our results highlight important ecological factors affecting the foraging behaviour of these rodents.

History

Journal

African zoology

Volume

43

Pagination

184 - 191

Location

Stellenbosch, South Africa

Open access

  • Yes

ISSN

1562-7020

eISSN

2224-073X

Language

eng

Publication classification

C1.1 Refereed article in a scholarly journal

Copyright notice

2008, Universiteit Stellenbosch, Department of Botany and Zoology