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- Title
Selective consumption of acorns by the Japanese wood mouse according to tannin content: a behavioral countermeasure against plant secondary metabolites.
- Authors
Takahashi, Akiko; Shimada, Takuya
- Abstract
We examined the presence of selective consumption against tannins in acorns as a pre-ingestive countermeasure to plant secondary metabolites by using the Japanese wood mouse ( Apodemus speciosus) and acorns of Quercus serrata, which contained ca. 6.4% tannins on a dry weight basis. In addition, the presence of selective consumption against proteins was also examined. In the acorn-feeding experiment, 18 wood mice were allocated to two groups: the experienced group ( N = 9), which had previous experience in feeding on acorns, and the inexperienced group ( N = 9), which had no experience. Mice of both groups were fed only acorns for 3 nights. Selectivity against tannins (an index estimated from the tannin content in control, remaining, and ingested acorns) was significantly positive in the experienced group, indicating the presence of selective consumption against tannins. In contrast, mice in the inexperienced group did not show significant selectivity against tannins. Comparing the selectivity indices directly between two groups, however, they did not differ significantly. Selective consumption against proteins rather than that for proteins also occurred in the experienced group, but it was thought to be a byproduct resulted from the selectivity against tannins. Selective consumption against tannins can mitigate the negative effects of tannins by decreasing tannin intake.
- Subjects
TANNINS; GALLIC acid; MICE; ACORNS; OAK; METABOLITES; PROTEINS; KINO; TANNATES; ANIMAL experimentation
- Publication
Ecological Research, 2008, Vol 23, Issue 6, p1033
- ISSN
0912-3814
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1007/s11284-008-0473-5