RUI: Foot Drumming as Anti-Predator Behavior

9723033兰德尔在地面上击鼓以产生机械振动是在开放的沙漠环境中进行交流的重要手段，在沙漠啮齿动物中广泛存在。来自北美的独居袋鼠鼠（Dipodomys）和来自中亚的群居沙鼠（Rhombomys）在捕食者面前都表现出足鼓舞。因为这种行为需要花费时间和精力，而且很危险，所以它必须提供一些好处。本研究的目的是确定为什么沙漠啮齿动物在捕食者存在的情况下通过脚步声将自己置于危险之中。行为观察和实验与蛇和哺乳动物的捕食者在外地将测试预测，孤独的袋鼠大鼠footdrum直接沟通的捕食者，大鼠是警惕和捕食者的成功捕获的机会很低，而社会沙鼠footdrum警告亲属和后代的危险。研究结果将有助于我们了解footdrumming作为一种独特的哺乳动物通信形式，其功能作为反捕食者的行为在地面居住的沙漠啮齿动物。这项研究应该导致更好地理解捕食如何作为猎物行为的选择力，并有助于濒危物种袋鼠鼠的恢复计划。

9723033 Randall Drumming on the ground to create mechanical vibrations is an important means of communication in open, desert environments, and is widespread among desert rodents. Both solitary kangaroo rats, Dipodomys, from North America and social gerbils, Rhombomys, from Central Asia exhibit footdrummming in the presence of predators. Because this behavior costs time and energy and is dangerous, it must provide some benefit. The objective of this study is to determine why desert rodents place themselves at risk by footdrumming in the presence of predators. Behavioral observations and experiments with snake and mammalian predators in the field will test predictions that solitary kangaroo rats footdrum to communicate directly to the predator that the rat is alert and the predator's chances of successful capture are low, while social gerbils footdrum to warn relatives and offspring of danger. Results of the study will contribute to our understanding of footdrumming as a unique form of mammalian communication and its function as anti-predator behavior in ground-dwelling desert rodents. The study should lead to a greater understanding of how predation acts as a selective force on prey behavior and contribute to recovery programs of endangered species of kangaroo rat.