The Utilization of Artificial Burrows by Plateau Pikas Under Rapid Vegetation Restoration

Vegetation changes often elicit adaptive responses in herbivores. However, how burrow-dwelling animals utilize the potential underground spatial resource in response to rapid aboveground vegetation changes remains poorly understood. In 2016, we conducted field experiments on a degraded alpine meadow on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau using plateau pikas (Ochotona curzoniae) as model species. The research area was 1.5 ha in total, of which half received fertilization to simulate vegetation restoration. We constructed 288 artificial burrows of four types (length: 10 cm/20 cm; inclination: 45°/90°) at the beginning of the growing season and monitored the utilization throughout the season. The results showed that artificial burrow utilization rate in the form of latrine pits (shallow pits used for defecation) was higher than that of shallow duck holes (shallow refuge holes used for emergency predator evasion) and active burrows. Artificial burrow use did not differ significantly between restored and control areas during the growing season. The results indicate that plateau pikas may not prefer to cope with rapid vegetation changes by adjusting the use of spatial resources. Instead, burrow accessibility and scent-marking potential-driven by morphological preferences-are the primary determinants shaping their spatial resource selection. Our findings enhance understanding of the spatial adaptation of burrow-dwelling animals to rapid vegetation changes and provide insights for their conservation.