Does interspecific competition affect the vertical habitat segregation of Apodemus argenteus and Apodemus speciosus?: Experimental evaluation by removal and food supplementation

• Sekijima Tsuneo

  Department of Ecological Science, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Niigata University

Abstract

A proximate factor causing the vertical habitat segregation of two sympatric wood mice, Apodemus argenteus and Apodemus speciosus, was analyzed by removal, and food supplementation, experiments. A. argenteus became actively arboreal during summer and autumn, while A. speciosus' arboreal activity was negligible throughout the year, causing seasonal habitat segregation between the two species. Removal experiments showed that the arboreal habits of A. argenteus increased from summer to autumn on both removal and control grids, regardless of the removal of A. speciosus. Food supplementation, however, showed that the provision of additional food led to a rapid decrease in the arboreal habits of A. argenteus. These findings suggest that the arboreal habits of A. argenteus are not the result of interference competition between species, but are a behavioral response to temporal and spatial fluctuations in food availability.<br>

Journal

• Mammal Study

  Mammal Study 29 (2), 97-104, 2004

  THE MAMMAL SOCIETY OF JAPAN

Keywords

• <i>Apodemus</i>
• arboreal habits
• coexistence
• foot-print recording technique
• manipulation

Details

• CRID: 1390282679649400192
• NII Article ID: 10014272613
• NII Book ID: AA11185060
• DOI: 10.3106/mammalstudy.29.97
• ISSN: 13486160
• ISSN: 13434152
• NDL BIB ID: 7211717
• Web Site: https://ndlsearch.ndl.go.jp/books/R000000004-I7211717
• Web Site: https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/mammalstudy/29/2/29_2_97/_pdf/-char/en
• Text Lang: en
• Data Source:
  • JaLC
  • NDL
  • Crossref
  • CiNii Articles
  • KAKEN
• Abstract License Flag: Disallowed