Incorporating caching behavior Into seed dispersal: effect of pericarp removal by seed-caching animals on acorn germination

摘要

Although Siberian chipmunk ( Tamias sibiricus) has been found to ubiquitously remove the pericarps and prefer to scatter hoard sound acorns of white oaks over infested ones to maximize returns from caches (Yi et al 2012), we have no knowledge whetherpericarp-removal represents universal behavior of chipmunks and then benefits seedling establishment of Quercus acorns. In this study, we further tested this behavior with acorns of three oak species, Q. variabilis, Q. mongolica and Q. serrata var. brevipetiolata.