Gutterman Yitzchak, Herr Nir
The Jacob Blaustein Institute for Desert Research, Sede Boqer Campus 84990, Israel.
the Department of Biology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel.
Oecologia. 1981 Jan;51(3):332-334. doi: 10.1007/BF00540902.
Preliminary results show that the number and survival of seedlings within the diggings of the Indian crested porcupine (Hystrix indica) is usually higher than in the surrounding area. Species like Erodium hirtum (Willd.) (hemicryptophyte), Helianthemum vesicarium Boiss. (perennial), and Diplotaxis harra (Forssk.) Boiss. are conspicuous by their appearance in the diggings of the porcupine more than between the diggings. In contrast there are plants like Helianthemum ledifolium (L.) Mill. (annual), that appear in high numbers outside the diggings. In the case of Erodium hirtum, it appears that the porcupines help in rejuvenating the population. The porcupines feed on the older underground plant bulbs and the pockets formed by their diggings are convenient habitats for germination and growth of the young seedlings.
初步结果表明，印度豪猪（Hystrix indica）挖掘区域内的幼苗数量和存活率通常高于周边地区。像硬毛牻牛儿苗（Erodium hirtum (Willd.)）（地面芽植物）、膀胱叶半日花（Helianthemum vesicarium Boiss.）（多年生植物）和哈拉岩荠（Diplotaxis harra (Forssk.) Boiss.）等物种，在豪猪挖掘区域内的出现频率比在挖掘区域之间更高，十分显眼。相比之下，像细叶半日花（Helianthemum ledifolium (L.) Mill.）（一年生植物）等植物，则大量出现在挖掘区域之外。就硬毛牻牛儿苗而言，豪猪似乎有助于该种群的更新。豪猪以较老的地下植物鳞茎为食，它们挖掘形成的坑洼为幼苗的萌发和生长提供了便利的栖息地。
