Cache Pilfering Risks Vary With Seed Species and Pilferers

Cache pilfering is a pervasive phenomenon among seed-hoarding rodent species; nonetheless, the influence of seed species and pilferer identity on cache pilfering risk at the community level remains underexplored. This study examined the cache pilfering risk of the scatter-hoarding rodent Leopoldamys edwardsi and investigated the subsequent fate of the pilfered seeds of two dominant tree species, Camellia oleifera and Castanopsis henryi. The experiments were conducted in semi-natural enclosures, which simulate natural habitat conditions while allowing for controlled observation of rodent behavior. Sympatric pilfering rodent species involved in the study also comprised Apodemus chevrieri, A. draco, Niviventer confucianus, and N. fulvescens, all commonly found in the study area. Our findings revealed that L. edwardsi showed no significant preference between the seeds of C. henryi and C. oleifera, but the pilferage rate of C. oleifera seeds was significantly higher. The cache pilfering risk posed by sympatric rodent species varied significantly, with scatter-hoarding pilferers being primarily responsible for most cache losses. Moreover, seed species exerted a substantial impact on the cache pilfering risk imposed by these pilferers. Notably, we discovered that scatter-hoarding pilferers selectively re-cached pilfered seeds on the basis of seed species, a process that is anticipated to play a pivotal role in secondary seed dispersal and, consequently, plant regeneration.