Landscape-Level Perceptual Abilities in White-Footed Mice: Perceptual Range and the Detection of Forested Habitat

摘要: We define perceptual range as the distance from which an animal can perceive key landscape elements, such distant patches of forested habitat. argue that should be a determinant not only dispersal success in unfamiliar or hostile landscapes, but also several landscape-level ecological processes influencing population dynamics. To redress absence empirical information on ranges, we simulated forest-dwelling white-footed mice (Peromyscus leucopus) across agricultural by releasing into unfamiliar, habitat at various distances fragments found these forest have remarkably low with regard to detecting their (core) Mice released bare fields failed even orient towards little 30 m distant, while crop appeared unable locate 10 distant. These seemed vision, despite availability non-visual cues. Future work will undoubtedly demonstrate vast differences abilities among animals, and show clearly effects given configuration influenced behavioral attributes species question.