臺北植物園內赤腹松鼠取食植物之研究

Feeding on Plants by the Red-bellied Tree Squirrel Callosciurus erythraeus in Taipei Botanical Garden

趙榮台(Jung-Tai Chao) ； 方國運(Kuo-Yun Fang) ； 葛兆年(Chao-Nien Koh) ； 陳一銘(Yie-Ming Chen) ； 葉文琪(Wen-Chi Yeh)

《林業試驗所研究報告季刊》 8卷1期 (1993/03) Pp. 39-50

https://doi.org/10.7075/BTFRI.199303.0039

摘要

過去二十年，有關臺灣赤腹松鼠(Callosciurus erythraeus)為害本省針葉人工林的觀察與試驗屢見報導，但由於研究方法及地點的諸多限制，我們對於赤腹松鼠的食性了解仍不夠廣泛。臺北植物園內既有野生的赤腹松鼠，又有多樣的樹種，在赤腹松鼠取食植物的研究方面，提供了良好的機會與環境。為進一步了解赤腹松鼠之取食習性，1991年1月至12月在臺北植物園內以密集追蹤（每單月份連續5日，每日晝間每10分鐘觀察一次）和非密集追蹤（在其餘日子裡每日晝間每小時觀察一次）記錄14隻赤腹松鼠的取食與否、取食對象，共計10,064次。全年觀察到赤腹松鼠取食植物l,242次。赤腹松鼠利用的植物計149種，其中沙朴(Celtis sinensis)、蒲葵(Livistona chinensis)、樟(Cinnamomum camphora)、構樹(Broussonetia papyrifera)、雀榕(Ficus superba var. japonica)、蒲桃(Syzygium jambos)、麵包樹(Artocarpus altilis)、小葉桑(Morus australis)等8種闊葉樹被取食的次數佔了取食植物總次數的50.3% (625/1,242)，而被取食的次數不及10次的樹種高達127種(85.2%)。密集追蹤的結果顯示，赤腹松鼠的取食具有律動現象：兩個明顯的取食高峰分別在0600~0800 hours以及1600~1800 hours，取食次數最低的時段是1100~1200 hours。密集追蹤下松鼠的平均取食率為14.5%(700/4,818)，在700次取食記錄中，94.3%為取食植物，取食的植物部位包括果實(60%)、樹皮(12.9%)、樹葉(7%)、花(3.9%)、枝(3.6%)、纖維(3.2%)、芽(1.8%)、樹汁(0.6%)。赤腹松鼠在不同月份利用植物各個部位的比例有很大的變化，個體之間也有相當的取食差異。本文亦討論了赤腹松鼠取食植物在造林上的意義。

關鍵字

臺灣赤腹松鼠 ； 取食 ； 食物 ； 植物 ； 律動

並列摘要

In the past two decades, many observations and experiments on damage to coniferous plantation in Taiwan resulting from debarking by Formosan redbellied tree squirrels, Callosciurus erythraeus, have been reported. However, the feeding habits and the composition of diet of this squirrel were poorly documented. In order to have a better understanding of the feeding habits and plant diet of this squirrel, in total 10,064 records of feeding and food items of 14 red-bellied tree squirrels were collected from observations of squirrels once every ten minutes in the daytime for five consecutive days every other month (intensive study) or otherwise once every hour each day (extensive study) during the period January-December, 1991 in Taipei Botanical Garden. Based on 1,242 observed cases of feeding on plants, red-bellied tree squirrels were found to utilize 149 species of plant. Among the 149 species, those utilized by squirrels no more than ten times numbered 127(85.2%). Observed feeding on eight hardwood trees, i.e., Celtis sinensis, Livistona chinensis, Cinnamomum camphora, Broussonetia papyrifera, Ficus superba var. japonica, Syzygium jambos, Artocarpus altilis and Morus australis, occupied 50.3 per cent (625/1,242) of the total cases of feeding on plants. The results of the intensive study showed an obvious feeding rhythm: feeding activity peaked during 0600~0800 hours and 1600~1800 hours while the trough of the feeding rhythm occurred during 1100~1200 hours. The average percentage of observed feeding in intensive study was 14.5 (700/4,818). Among the 700 observations of feeding, 94.3% was feeding on plants. The parts of plant consumed by red-bellied squirrels included fruit (60%), bark (12.9%), leaf (7%), flower (3.9%), twig (3.6%) fibre (3.2%), bud (1.8%) and sap (0.6%). The proportion of parts of plant utilized by these squirrels varied by month. The silvicultural implication of feeding on plants by red-bellied tree squirrels in Taipei Botanical Garden is discussed.

並列關鍵字

Formosan red-bellied tree squirrel ； Callosciurus erythraeus ； feeding ； diet ； plant ； rhythm