Factors influencing the acquisition of rodent carrion by vertebrate scavengers and decomposers
Factors influencing the acquisition of rodent carrion by vertebrate scavengers and decomposers
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DOI：
10.1139/z04-022
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发表时间：
2004-03-01
影响因子：
1.4
通讯作者：
Rhodes, OE
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
DeVault, TL;Brisbin, IL;Rhodes, OE
在所有温带和热带生态系统中，脊椎动物的食腐动物和分解动物都在争夺动物尸体。我们研究了尸体大小，森林类型和空气温度对啮齿动物尸体的命运在萨凡纳河网站，南卡罗来纳州，美国的影响。300只啮齿动物尸体被随机放置在森林栖息地的不同地点，食腐动物则通过远程摄影进行识别。17种脊椎动物在一年内清除了300只啮齿动物中的104只（35%）。浣熊（Procyon lotor（Linnaeus，1758））和弗吉尼亚负鼠（Didelphis virginiana Kerr，1792）最频繁地拾荒。对于清除的尸体，平均时间为2.58天后，尸体去除放置。尸体收购的清道夫和分解者的影响适度的森林类型和尸体的大小，虽然环境空气温度影响很大的命运尸体。随着温度的升高，脊椎动物移走的尸体越来越少：当温度超过17摄氏度时，144具尸体中只有28具（19%）被清除。然而，脊椎动物的尸体移除的时间模式并不随温度而变化。全年脊椎动物的尸体清除率一致，天气温暖时昆虫活动增加，导致夏季分解水平升高。这项研究证实了清道夫和分解者之间的竞争关系的复杂性和动态性。
Vertebrate scavengers and decomposers compete for animal carcasses in all temperate and tropical ecosystems. We examined the influence of carcass size, forest type, and air temperature on the fate of rodent carcasses at the Savannah River Site, South Carolina, USA. Three hundred rodent carcasses were placed at random locations in forested habitats and scavengers were identified using remote photography. Seventeen species of vertebrates removed 104 of 300 (35%) rodent carcasses over a year. Raccoons (Procyon lotor (Linnaeus, 1758)) and Virginia opossums (Didelphis virginiana Kerr, 1792) scavenged most frequently. For scavenged carcasses, the mean time to carcass removal was 2.58 days after placement. Carcass acquisition by scavengers and decomposers was influenced moderately by forest type and carcass size, although ambient air temperature considerably influenced the fate of carcasses. Vertebrates removed fewer carcasses as temperatures increased: only 28 of 144 (19%) carcasses were scavenged when temperatures exceeded 17 degreesC. The temporal pattern of carcass removal by vertebrates, however, did not vary with temperature. Consistent rates of carcass removal by vertebrates across the year and increased activity by insects during warm weather led to elevated levels of decomposition during summer months. This study confirms the complexity and dynamic nature of competitive relationships among scavengers and decomposers.