RT info:eu-repo/semantics/article
T1 The role of partially consumed acorn remains in scatter hoards and their implications in oak colonization
A1 Del Arco, Jose María
K1 Acorns · Partial consumption · Preserved embryo · Rodents · Leftovers
AB Past studies have revealed the benefits of rodent participation in the colonization process of oak species. Certain rodentspecies (Apodemus sylvaticus and Mus spretus) partially consume acorns, beginning at the basal part and preserving theembryo. Perea et al. (2011) and Yang and Yi (2012) found that during periods of abundance, the remains left after partialconsumption continue to be present on the surface and are not transported to caches, given that they are perceived as leftovers.These remains, produced after several visits by the cache owner or by thieving conspecifics, also appear in the caches. Ifthey are perceived as offal, they will not be attacked and may remain in these stores for longer periods, serving as resourcesfor the cache builder. Our objective is to determine whether these remnants are perceived as offal by the rodent generatingthem or if the remains left by other rodents are considered offal. This is relevant in cases of theft, a common behavior of thisspecies, if the thieving animals reject the remains. The results suggest that foreign remains and the rodents’ own remains arenot rejected, but rather, they are consumed in preference to intact acorns. The intact acorns remain in the cache for longerperiods and have a greater opportunity to germinate and emerge. Rodents prefer to consume foreign remains first. This maybe due to the fact that, in case of shortage, it is considered advantageous to finish the reserves of a potential competitorbefore depleting one’s own reserves.
PB Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology
YR 2023
FD 2023
LK https://uvadoc.uva.es/handle/10324/78501
UL https://uvadoc.uva.es/handle/10324/78501
LA eng
NO Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology septiembre 2023  77 132 p. 1-10
DS UVaDOC
RD 09-oct-2025