Hoarding behaviors of two wood mouse species: Different preference for acorns of two Fagaceae species

Abstract

Two species of wood mouse, Apodemus argenteus and A . speciosus , were observed consuming and hoarding acorns of Quercus serrata and Castanopsis cuspidata . When each species of acorn was supplied individually, both species of mice used each species of acorn for eating and hoarding. When both species of acorn were supplied, A. argenteus consumed or hoarded only C. cuspidata , whereas A. speciosus tended to eat C. cuspidata acorns at the feeding site, and disperse or hoard Q. serrata acorns. Apodemus speciosus is unlikely to disperse C. cuspidata acorns (their utilization was biased towards consumption) when Q. serrata acorns are also available. Apodemus argenteus will make almost no contribution to the dispersal of Q. serrata when the two acorn species coexist.