Study of Activity Pattern of Niviventer coxingi in Wu-tou Mt. Nature Reserve

• Main Authors: Lin, Chung-Ying, 林宗潁
• Other Authors: Chang, Hsueh-Wen; Pei, Curtis
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 1996
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/62865505466605665832

碩士 === 國立中山大學 === 生命科學研究所 === 84 === The activity pattern of spinous country rats(Niviventer coxingi) and the affecting factors were studied by auto- triggered cameras from April 1995 to March 1996 in Wu-tou Mt. Nature Reserve, Ping-Tung. Trapping and marking also proceeded in order to estimate population size and study the difference of activity pattern between males and females.Results showed that the cicradian rhythm of N. coxingi was influenced sequentially by the solar illumination, lunar cycle and the feeding requirement. N coxingi is strictly nocturnal animal. Their initiation of daily activity is according to the time of sunset. The amount and the pattern of activity during the night time, however, were coincided with lunar cycle. Their activity occurred mostly during moonset, but in the period when moonrise before midnight, they will still active because of feeding requirement. In each stage of lunar cycle, the activity pattern was different: they were least active at full moon period, mostly before and after new moon, and moderately at new moon period. Thus it appeared that both the maximal and minimal lunar illumination depressed their activity level. There was also a monthly fluctuation in their activity level during the year. The home range establish- ment, reproductive status and predator avoidance were regarded to be the major factors caused the monthly fluctuation observed in the present study.