Hoarding without reward: Rodent responses to repeated episodes of complete cache loss

摘要: For food-hoarding strategies to be maintained in a population, the benefits of hoarding must outweigh costs. If rewards are too low offset costs hoarding, hoarders might expected abandon and/or shift an alternative storing strategy (e.g., increase food consumption). However ability adjust such circumstances requires that animals anticipate long-term and modify future outcomes. To test this, we subjected three sympatric species (the Korean field mouse, Apodemus peninsulae, both scatter larder hoarder; Chinese white-bellied rat, Niviventer confucianus, only Pere David's rock squirrel, Sciurotamias davidianus, predominantly hoarder) repeated episodes complete cache loss over nine sequential trials semi-natural enclosures. Although these increased harvest consumption rates throughout experiment, none ceased under conditions. The variation responses observed across gender suggest some degree behavioural plasticity compensate for extreme losses, but general inability or strategy. Future studies should consider how correspond natural patterns intensive pilferage field.