Table 1. Selection of 25 different fruit types by three rodents Srilankamys
ohiensis, Rattus rattus kelaarti and R. r. kandianus during
cafeteria trials. The responses of the rodents were scored as
fully eaten (Ful.), partially eaten (Par.) or not eaten (Not).
Probability values are from chi-square tests of
independence.
|
S.
ohiensis |
R.
r. kelaarti |
R. r.
kandianus |
|
|||||||
|
Plant species |
Ful. |
Par. |
Not |
Ful. |
Par. |
Not |
Ful. |
Par. |
Not |
P |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
# Doona congestiflora |
4 |
10 |
1 |
12 |
2 |
1 |
10 |
3 |
2 |
0.017* |
|
# D. affinis |
8 |
7 |
0 |
12 |
3 |
0 |
11 |
4 |
0 |
0.26 |
|
# D. trapezifolia |
15 |
5 |
0 |
12 |
8 |
0 |
18 |
2 |
0 |
0.091 |
|
Timonius jambosella |
13 |
7 |
0 |
15 |
5 |
0 |
15 |
5 |
0 |
0.72 |
|
Elaeocarpus serratus |
7 |
8 |
0 |
4 |
11 |
0 |
10 |
5 |
0 |
0.09 |
|
E. subvillosus |
0 |
7 |
8 |
0 |
11 |
4 |
0 |
9 |
6 |
0.329 |
|
E. glandulifer |
14 |
1 |
0 |
14 |
1 |
0 |
13 |
2 |
0 |
0.76 |
|
# Aporusa cardiosperma |
0 |
15 |
0 |
3 |
12 |
0 |
4 |
11 |
0 |
0.111 |
|
# A. lanceolata |
0 |
13 |
2 |
3 |
10 |
2 |
0 |
13 |
2 |
0.165 |
|
Coscinium fenestratum |
9 |
6 |
0 |
8 |
5 |
2 |
7 |
6 |
2 |
0.668 |
|
Chaetocarpus castanocarpus |
0 |
0 |
20 |
0 |
20 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
20 |
SR |
|
Syzygium rubicundum |
15 |
0 |
0 |
15 |
0 |
0 |
15 |
0 |
0 |
SR |
|
# S. neesianum |
0 |
0 |
15 |
1 |
13 |
1 |
3 |
7 |
5 |
0.001** |
|
# Calamus ovoideus |
0 |
0 |
20 |
0 |
0 |
20 |
0 |
0 |
20 |
SR |
|
Gomphia serrata |
0 |
0 |
15 |
0 |
0 |
15 |
3 |
4 |
8 |
0.002** |
|
Mussaenda frondosa |
0 |
0 |
15 |
0 |
0 |
15 |
0 |
0 |
15 |
SR |
|
# Cullenia ceylanica $ |
0 |
15 |
0 |
0 |
13 |
2 |
0 |
12 |
3 |
0.207 |
|
Eurya accuminata |
0 |
8 |
7 |
1 |
8 |
6 |
3 |
8 |
4 |
0.364 |
|
# Dipterocarpus zeylanicus |
6 |
9 |
0 |
9 |
6 |
0 |
10 |
5 |
0 |
0.31 |
|
Myristica dactyloides |
0 |
0 |
15 |
0 |
5 |
10 |
0 |
4 |
11 |
0.054 |
|
Clidemia hirta |
15 |
0 |
0 |
15 |
0 |
0 |
15 |
0 |
0 |
SR |
|
Melastoma malabathricum |
0 |
6 |
9 |
0 |
12 |
3 |
3 |
11 |
1 |
0.003** |
|
Fagrea ceilanica |
0 |
0 |
15 |
0 |
0 |
15 |
0 |
0 |
15 |
SR |
|
Camellia sinensis |
0 |
8 |
7 |
4 |
8 |
3 |
2 |
10 |
3 |
0.149 |
|
# Semecarpus moonii |
0 |
0 |
20 |
0 |
0 |
20 |
0 |
0 |
20 |
SR |
*
- P<0.05; ** - P<0.01; # - Endemic fruit species; SR - fruit
types to which the three rat taxa responded identically.
Table 2. The mean lengths and weights (n=50) and the mean
handling times (± standard deviations) of 25 fruit types collected from
areas within and adjacent to the Sinharaja forest. Handling time
is the average time (n=5) an animal spent handling and consuming
(totally or partially) one fruit within the first two hours of
supplying it. The handling times were recorded for the three taxa
Srilankamys ohiensis (S. o.), Rattus
rattus kelaarti (R. r. kl.) and R. r. kandianus (R. r. kd.)
separately. Table show handling times of fruit
types that were fully consumed, not fully consumed within two
hours (round parentheses), not consumed but nevertheless handled
(square parentheses) and neither consumed nor handled (-) are
also shown. No standard deviations have been given in instances
where only one individual was seen to handle a food item.
|
Fruit species |
Lenth |
Weight |
Handling time (mins) |
||
|
|
(mm) |
(g) |
S. o. |
R. r. kl |
R. r. kd |
|
Seeds fully eaten in 2hrs by all rodents |
|||||
|
Doona congestiflora |
8.76±1.17 |
0.26±0.10 |
2.45±0.40 |
2.61± 0.41 |
2.70±0.65 |
|
* D. affinis |
5.89±11.48 |
0.19±0.35 |
3.63±1.78 |
4.43±0.63 |
4.18±0.91 |
|
* D. trapezifolia |
12.04±0.88 |
1.58±0.21 |
12.84±1.57 |
12.40±1.89 |
10.42±1.29 |
|
E. glandulifer |
18.12±17.39 |
1.23±0.38 |
5.10±2.10 |
6.64±2.01 |
6.12±1.82 |
|
Coscinium fenestratum |
20.96±1.67 |
3.81±0.86 |
11.45±2.27 |
11.74±2.35 |
10.77±2.20 |
|
Syzygium rubicundum |
7.84±1.06 |
0.46±0.09 |
1.81±0.53 |
1.81±1.34 |
2.68±1.48 |
|
Eurya accuminata |
5.12±0.69 |
0.24±0.02 |
3.03±1.14 |
3.07±1.19 |
3.70±1.53 |
|
Clidemia hirta |
9.70±0.82 |
0.29±0.12 |
2.60±0.70 |
2.35±0.60 |
2.73±1.16 |
|
Melastoma malabathricum |
19.77±3.95 |
2.97±1.31 |
13.36±2.24 |
11.07±2.56 |
11.50±1.44 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Seeds partially eaten within 2hrs by any one
or more rodents |
|||||
|
Timonius jambosella |
16.84±2.13 |
1.01±0.30 |
(8.32)±1.43 |
(10.03)±1.69 |
(8.13) ±1.51 |
|
Elaeocarpus serratus |
27.45±1.81 |
9.45±0.86 |
[18.12]±6.70 |
(20.11)±5.09 |
(20.70)±3.00 |
|
E. subvillosus |
31.70±2.88 |
9.42±1.57 |
[18.71]±2.70 |
(18.29)±2.98 |
(17.53)±2.12 |
|
* Aporusa cardiosperma |
15.22 ±1.75 |
1.00±0.30 |
(10.87)±3.31 |
(9.80)±2.21 |
(10.30)±2.41 |
|
* A. lanceolata |
9.24±1.31 |
0.29±0.10 |
(4.56)±1.59 |
(4.27)±1.09 |
(4.03)±0.96 |
|
* S. neesianum |
22.03±2.27 |
2.80±0.94 |
[14.80]±1.57 |
(15.33)±3.07 |
(15.82)±2.45 |
|
Gomphia serrata |
9.39±0.86 |
0.25±0.03 |
8.84±1.78 |
(10.06)±2.62 |
(9.51)±1.56 |
|
Cullenia ceylanica |
105.06±12.06 |
102.42±28.34 |
(31.08)±11.11 |
(39.79)±10.31 |
(37.81)±11.79 |
|
* Dipterocarpus zeylanicus |
23.03±3.60 |
9.83±2.13 |
(19.77)±2.39 |
(18.91)±4.67 |
(18.74)±2.42 |
|
Myristica dactyloides |
38.70±2.82 |
23.71±1.49
|
[20.52]±14.61 |
(18.27)±7.76 |
[17.84]±6.95 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Seeds not consumed (but handled) all rodents |
|||||
|
Fagrea ceilanica |
51.10±4.29 |
25.16±3.81 |
[11.15]±6.33 |
[11.75]±7.74 |
[13.24]±6.37 |
|
Camellia sinensis |
17.04±3.39 |
7.07±2.31 |
[12.44]±2.44 |
[14.55]±2.95 |
[14.80]±1.87 |
|
* Semecarpus moonii |
21.34±6.41 |
1.63±0.27 |
[4.25]±3.44 |
[4.81]±3.35 |
[4.82]±4.09 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Seeds not consumed or handled by all rodents |
|||||
|
Chaetocarpus castanocarpus |
11.56±1.75 |
0.18±0.02 |
- |
- |
- |
*
Endemic fruit species.
Table 3. The mean
differences in body weights of animals (g) over 24 hours and the mean weights
of each fruit type
consumed (g) per day per
animal (n = 5) ± standard deviations, over a four-day feeding trial involving
three selected rat taxa.
|
|
S. ohiensis |
R. r. kelaarti |
R.
r. kandianus |
|||
|
Fruit species |
Difference in body weight |
Weight of fruit consumed |
Difference in body weight |
Weight of fruits consumed |
Difference in body weight |
Weight of fruits consumed |
|
|
||||||
|
* D. trapezifolia |
0.60±0.63 |
21.57±3.60 |
0.27±0.90 |
17.70±3.22 |
0.30±0.70 |
17.00±3.77 |
|
Timonius jambosella |
(0.30)±0.86 |
14.63±4.36 |
0.17±0.49 |
14.72±5.21 |
0.27±0.53 |
11.98±5.61 |
|
Elaeocarpus serratus |
0.07±1.03 |
15.06±4.82 |
0.23±1.32 |
16.53+4.40 |
0.27±0.63 |
18.69±2.90 |
|
E. subvillosus |
(1.10)§±0.54 |
7.87±4.73 |
(0.07) §±1.05 |
9.76±3.43 |
(0.23)±0.82 |
10.05±3.85 |
|
E. glandulifer |
0.53±0.79 |
20.59±5.57 |
0.30±0.90 |
17.05±5.34 |
0.27±0.68 |
18.70±4.93 |
|
* Aporusa cardiosperma |
0.33±0.85 |
18.70±2.48 |
0.20±0.53 |
15.38±3.28 |
0.04±0.45 |
20.22±4.47 |
|
* A. lanceolata |
(0.17)±0.67 |
17.58±2.67 |
(0.10)±0.60 |
12.95±3.90 |
0.13±0.97 |
15.67±3.32 |
|
Coscinium fenestratum |
(0.10)±0.89 |
16.99±4.45 |
0.03±0.64 |
19.17±4.19 |
0.03±0.61 |
17.44±4.61 |
|
Chaetocarpus castanocarpus |
(1.80)§±0.57 |
- |
(1.00) §±0.55 |
- |
(1.80) §±0.57 |
- |
|
Syzygium rubicundum |
0.43±0.70 |
19.59±7.11 |
0.70±1.00 |
18.08±5.86 |
0.20±0.56 |
16.04 ±3.93 |
|
* S. neesianum |
(0.35)±0.95 |
14.67±2.49 |
0.20±0.94 |
17.45±5.59 |
0.43±0.86 |
16.89±3.15 |
|
* Calamus ovoideus |
(2.00)§±0.61 |
- |
(1.70) §±0.67 |
- |
(1.80) § ±0.57 |
- |
|
Gomphia serrata |
(1.80)§±0.57 |
4.141±0.29 |
(0.90) §±0.42 |
3.99±0.45 |
(1.00) §±0.61 |
4.72±1.97 |
|
Mussaenda frondosa |
(1.58)§+0.92 |
4.53±1.30 |
(0.56) §±0.98 |
7.08±3.80 |
(1.21) §±(0.81) |
6.14±3.23 |
|
* Cullenia ceylanica |
0.03±0.92 |
13.93±3.00 |
(0.13)±0.74 |
14.98±3.86 |
0.07±0.86 |
16.62±1.91 |
|
Eurya accuminata |
(0.92)§±0.49 |
4.89±2.95 |
(0.18) §±0.67 |
8.04±3.51 |
0.11±0.56 |
10.20±3.41 |
|
* Dipterocarpus zeylanicus |
0.23±0.53 |
21.38±3.88 |
0.03±0.40 |
19.95±3.14 |
0.20±0.46 |
19.90±2.69 |
|
Myristica dactyloides |
(1.50)§±0.61 |
3.14 ±1.10 |
(1.70) §±0.67 |
3.67±0.93 |
(1.60) §±0.42 |
3.53 ±1.14 |
|
Clidemia hirta |
(0.23)±0.82 |
15.83±2.94 |
0.23±1.08 |
17.50±2.94 |
0.67±0.70 |
17.55±4.75 |
|
Melastoma malabathricum |
(0.80)§±0.48 |
7.62±3.02 |
(0.29) §±0.60 |
7.94±2.54 |
(0.60) §±0.39 |
9.58±4.31 |
|
Fagrea ceilanica |
(1.80)§±0.57 |
1.3 |
(1.80) §±0.27 |
0.31 |
(1.60) §±0.82 |
2.8 |
|
Camellia sinensis |
(0.94)§±1.26 |
16.61±5.62 |
(0.61) §±0.63 |
15.48±5.30 |
(0.07)±0.47 |
12.38±4.59 |
|
* Semecarpus moonii |
(1.90)§±0.42 |
- |
(1.90) §±0.22 |
- |
(1.60) §±0.82 |
- |
* Endemic fruit species; § Instances
where total or partial starvation or death of an animal was evident. Weight
losses are shown in parentheses.
Table 4. Density of seeds/fruits found on the floor of each of
the six plots in the Kanneliya rainforest.
|
Study Plot |
Tree species |
Seed/fruit density (ha-1) |
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
Coscinium fenestratum |
5.56 |
|
|
Elaeocarpus subvillosus |
27.78 |
|
|
Timonius jambosella |
16.67 |
|
|
Semecarpus moonii |
5.56 |
|
|
Aporusa lanceolata |
19.44 |
|
|
Cullenia ceylanica |
22.22 |
|
|
Palaquium thwaitesii |
8.33 |
|
|
Myristica dactyloides |
11.11 |
|
|
Myristica fragrans |
5.56 |
|
|
Palaquium grande |
44.44 |
|
|
|
|
|
2 |
Palaquium thwaitesii |
2.78 |
|
|
Bhesa ceylanica |
44.44 |
|
|
Stemonoporus kanneliyensis |
13.89 |
|
|
Dillenia retusa |
8.33 |
|
|
|
|
|
3 |
Palaquium grande |
2.78 |
|
|
Dillenia suffruticosa |
22.22 |
|
|
Cullenia ceylanica |
13.88 |
|
|
Bhesa ceylanica |
27.78 |
|
|
|
|
|
4 |
Chaetocarpus castanocarpus |
136.11 |
|
|
Dillenia retusa |
5.56 |
|
|
Cullenia ceylanica |
8.33 |
|
|
|
|
|
5 |
Cullenia ceylanica |
16.67 |
|
|
|
|
|
6 |
Cullenia ceylanica |
2.78 |
Image 1. Specially designed food tray used for confirmation of
seed predation by the rodents
Figure 1. Relationship between seed/fruit density on the forest
floor and densities of M. mayori (solid squares),
R. r. kandianus (solid triangles) and
total murids (solid diamonds).
Figure 2. Densities of
murids in the six study plots in the Kanneliya rainforest before (soild bars)
and after (open bars) food addition