Arkley Kendra, Tiktak Guuske P, Breakell Vicki, Prescott Tony J, Grant Robyn A
Active Touch Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.
Conservation Evolution and Behaviour Research Group, Division of Biology and Conservation Ecology, Manchester Metropolitan University, Chester Street, Manchester, M1 5GD, UK.
J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol. 2017 Feb;203(2):133-142. doi: 10.1007/s00359-017-1146-z. Epub 2017 Jan 20.
Dormouse numbers are declining in the UK due to habitat loss and fragmentation. We know that dormice are nocturnal, arboreal, and avoid crossing open spaces between habitats, yet how they navigate around their canopy is unknown. As other rodents use whisker touch sensing to navigate and explore their environment, this study investigates whether Hazel dormice (Muscardinus avellanarius) employ their whiskers to cross between habitats. We analysed high-speed video footage of dormice exploring freely in flat and climbing arenas in near darkness and using infrared light illumination. We confirm that, like rats and mice, dormice move their whiskers back and forth continuously (~10 Hz) in a motion called whisking and recruit them to explore small gaps (<10 cm) by increasing the amplitude and frequency of whisking and also the asymmetry of movement between the left and right whisker fields. When gaps between platforms are larger than 10-15 cm, dormice spend more time travelling on the floor. These findings suggest that dormice can actively and purposively move their whiskers to gather relevant information from their canopy at night. As this species is vulnerable to threats on the ground, we also provide evidence that joining habitat patches between dormouse populations is important for promoting natural behaviours and movement between patches.
在英国，榛睡鼠的数量因栖息地丧失和碎片化而不断减少。我们知道榛睡鼠是夜行性、树栖性动物，会避开在栖息地之间穿越开阔空间，但它们如何在树冠层中导航尚不清楚。由于其他啮齿动物利用触须触觉来导航和探索环境，本研究调查了榛睡鼠（Muscardinus avellanarius）是否利用它们的触须在栖息地之间穿行。我们分析了榛睡鼠在近乎黑暗且使用红外光照明的平坦场地和攀爬场地中自由探索时的高速视频片段。我们证实，与大鼠和小鼠一样，榛睡鼠以一种称为“拂动”的动作持续地前后移动它们的触须（约10赫兹），并通过增加拂动的幅度和频率以及左右触须区域之间的运动不对称性来利用触须探索小缝隙（<10厘米）。当平台之间的缝隙大于10 - 15厘米时，榛睡鼠会花更多时间在地面上移动。这些发现表明，榛睡鼠能够主动且有目的地移动它们的触须，以便在夜间从树冠层收集相关信息。由于该物种在地面上易受威胁，我们还提供了证据，表明连接榛睡鼠种群之间的栖息地斑块对于促进斑块之间的自然行为和移动很重要。
