富含辣椒的土壤会减少北部囊鼠的接触时间。

Capsicum-laden soils decrease contact time by northern pocket gophers.

作者信息

Sterner R T, Hollenbeck K A, Shumake S A

机构信息

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, National Wildlife Research Center, Fort Collins, CO 80521-2154, USA.

出版信息

Physiol Behav. 1999 Sep;67(3):455-8. doi: 10.1016/s0031-9384(99)00092-x.

DOI:10.1016/s0031-9384(99)00092-x

PMID:10497966

Abstract

Fossorial rodents damage lawns/water impoundments/crops. We conducted a two-choice, parametric-type study to determine the effects of capsicum-oleoresin/soil mixtures (0.00, 0.75, 1.50, and 2.25%) upon soil-contact, soil-digging, and pelage-grooming behaviors in northern pocket gophers (Thomomys talpoides). In 3 alternate-day (1-h/day) exposures to > or = 1.50% capsicum-oleoresin soil mixtures, gophers decreased mean soil contact time by 46% relative to placebo-exposed animals. Grooming time yielded a concentration x trial interaction that showed intense grooming by capsicum-exposed animals during trial 1, with "convergence" of times to near those of the "placebos" (0.00% capsicum oleoresin) by trial 3. The significant decrease in grooming activity was attributed to the gophers' reduced contact with capsicum soil across repeated exposures, rather than to chemical habituation. Soil-digging behaviors were minimally affected. Results demonstrate the feasibility of deterring gopher habitation by mixing chemical irritants in soil.

摘要

穴居啮齿动物会破坏草坪、蓄水池和庄稼。我们进行了一项双选参数型研究，以确定辣椒油树脂与土壤的混合物（0.00%、0.75%、1.50%和2.25%）对北方囊鼠（Thomomys talpoides）的土壤接触、土壤挖掘和皮毛梳理行为的影响。在3次隔天（每天1小时）暴露于≥1.50%的辣椒油树脂土壤混合物的实验中，与暴露于安慰剂的动物相比，囊鼠的平均土壤接触时间减少了46%。梳理时间产生了浓度×试验交互作用，结果显示，在试验1中，暴露于辣椒素的动物梳理行为强烈，到试验3时，其梳理时间“趋近”于“安慰剂组”（0.00%辣椒油树脂）的时间。梳理活动的显著减少归因于囊鼠在反复暴露过程中与辣椒素土壤的接触减少，而非化学适应。土壤挖掘行为受到的影响最小。结果表明，通过在土壤中混合化学刺激物来阻止囊鼠栖息是可行的。