关键词: 鼠类, 生态位宽度, 生态位重叠, 青海省格尔木

Abstract:

Objective To study the spatial niches of rodents in Geermu area of Qinghai province, China. Methods The rodent communities in four habitats in Geermu area were studied using Shannon-Wiener niche breadth index and Pianka's niche overlap index. Results Of the 12 species of captured rodents, Ochotona curzoniae had the highest niche breadth (0.5486), followed by Pitymys leucurus (0.4930) and P. irene (0.4591); Phodopus roborovskii, Eolagurus luteus, Rattus norvegicus, Microtus oeconomus, Mus musculus, Dipus sagitta and Euchoreutes naso had the lowest niche breadths, with an approximate value of 0. Among the 12 species of rodents, the highest niche overlap was 1, and the lowest niche overlap was 0. Conclusion There are small differences in niche breadth between the species of rodents among the dominant species or non-dominant ones, respectively in Geermu area. The rodent species with a total niche overlap show similarities in biological characteristics and ecological adaptability, while those without niche overlap are different in the use of natural resources, demonstrating no competition in resource utilization.

Key words: Rodent, Niche breadth, Niche overlap, Geermu area of Qinghai province