Open AccessThe burrow behavior and influenced factors of a prairie subterranean zokor ( Myospalax psilurus )
Author(s) -
Fu HePing,
Yuan Shuai,
Man DuHu,
Chai XiangXian,
Yang SuWen,
Bao DarHan,
Wu XiaoDong
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
ecology and evolution
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.17
H-Index - 63
ISSN - 2045-7758
DOI - 10.1002/ece3.4705
Subject(s) - burrow , inner mongolia , steppe , rodent , ecology , environmental science , geography , biology , china , archaeology
The Transbaikal zokor ( Myospalax psilurus ) is a dominant rodent distributed in the meadow steppe of Inner Mongolia in northern China. Due to long history of evolution in subterranean environment, the zokor has an adaptive behavior: sealing burrow entrances. When a burrow is damaged, exposed entrances appear, and within a relatively short time, the zokor would be active in sealing the entrances to reduce risks to its survival. In general, it is thought that zokors avoid light and wind, which is consistent with their behavior of sealing burrow entrances. However, direct evidence from field experimental research has been lacking. This study set up 68 field sampling points in a meadow steppe in Inner Mongolia from August to September, 2014 and used a wind–light isolator to study the effects of wind and light factors on zokor burrow entrance sealing behavior. The results showed that there were no significant correlations between wind or light factors and the frequency of zokor burrow entrance sealing. Therefore, wind and light factors are not direct factors associated with zokors actively sealing burrow entrances.