合歡山地區冷鐵杉混合林中台灣高山田鼠的覓食生態：探討植物特性的影響

Foraging Ecology of Taiwan Field Vole (Microtus kikuchii) in a Taiwan Fir-Taiwan Hemlock Forest at the Hehuan Area: Effects of Plant Attributes

周柏翰(Po-Han Chou)

指導教授 ： 林雨德

國立臺灣大學/生命科學院/生態學與演化生物學研究所/碩士(2014年)

https://doi.org/10.6342/NTU.2014.02631

摘要

草食動物的覓食生態學有一重要議題在探討植物特性(如：化學特性、物理特性以及相對豐度)如何影響草食動物的覓食選擇；同時這也協助我們預測草食動物對植物群聚造成的影響。室內的植物可食度實驗和野外的動物食性分析，兩者結合，提供了了解覓食生態的重要資訊。台灣高山田鼠(Microtus kikuchii)為台灣特有種。先前研究已研究了高山草原中高山田鼠的覓食生態。本研究旨在了解在合歡山冷鐵杉混合林中植物特性對台灣高山田鼠的覓食生態之影響。我分析三個季節中(三月、七月以及十一月)台灣高山田鼠的食性，並同時進行餵食實驗，後者包含了五種優勢植種：玉山箭竹(Yushania niitakayamensis)，玉山鬼督郵(Anisliaea reflexa)，裂葉樓梯草(Elatostema trilobulatum)，玉山擬鱗毛蕨(Dryopsis transmorrisonensis)以及日本曲尾苔(Dicranum japonicum)。我分別檢測五種植物的七種化學成分、硬度和相對豐度。結果顯示，高山田鼠的食性主要由玉山箭竹組成，並且不同植種對田鼠有不同的可食度。而在食性結果具有季節上的差異。化學成分對可食度具有顯著的影響：粗蛋白對可食度有正向的影響。另外，硬度對可食度有顯著的負向影響。基本上，食性分析和可食度的結果相吻合。總言之，在高山森林內對高山田鼠來說玉山箭竹仍是最重要的食物來源，植物特性也對可食度具有顯著的影響。

關鍵字

台灣冷杉林 ； 食性分析 ； 可食度 ； 台灣高山田鼠 ； 玉山箭竹

並列摘要

A key aspect of herbivore foraging ecology investigates how plant attributes, including chemical, physical characteristics, and relative abundance affect plant palatability and herbivore diets, which, in turn, help us predict the impact of herbivory on plant communities. The Taiwan field vole (Microtus kikuchii) is an endemic species in Taiwan. Previous studies have investigated its foraging ecology in alpine meadows. In this study, I aimed to understand the foraging ecology of Taiwan field voles in a Taiwan fir-Taiwan hemlock forest at the Hehuan area. I analyzed the diets of Taiwan field voles and conducted palatability feeding experiments in three seasons (March, July, and November). Five dominant plants were included in feeding experiments: Yushania niitakayamensis, Anisliaea reflexa, Elatostema trilobulatum, Dryopsis transmorrisonensis and Dicranum japonicum. I measured 7 chemical compounds, toughness, and relative abundance of the 5 species. The results showed that vole diets were mainly composed of Yushania niitakayamensis, which was also the most palatable plant. Different species had different palatability to voles. Vole diets showed significant seasonal effects. Chemical characteristic of plants affected palatability: crude protein had a positive effect. Furthermore, toughness had a negative effect on palatability. Besides, the results in diet analyses and palatability experiments were generally consistent with each other. In conclusion, Yushania niitakayamensis remains the most important food resource for Taiwan field voles in alpine forest. Plants attributes significantly influence palatability.

並列關鍵字

Taiwan fir forest (Abies kawakamii) ； diet analysis ； palatability ； Taiwan field vole (Microtus kikuchii) ； Yushan cane (Yushania niitakayamensis)

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