Zb. Zhang et al., INFLUENCE OF RODENTS ON REFORESTATION IN THE MOUNTAIN REGIONS NEAR BEIJING, Izvestia Akademii nauk SSSR. Seria biologiceskaa, (4), 1998, pp. 467-470
From 1993 until 1995, the influence of rodents on reforestation in the
mountain regions near Beijing was studied in order to estimate the pr
essure of rodents on the seed supply, search for effective ways to dec
rease the loss of seeds due to consumption by rodents, and increase se
ed germinating power. It was shown that acorns, apricot pits and nuts
are almost entirely carried away from the soil surface by rodents, thu
s suggesting that rodents have a great impact on the seed supply. When
the seeds were sowed at a depth of about 5 cm, many of them were not
eaten by rodents; 39% of acorns and 18% of apricot pits germinated on
the following year. We propose that deep sowing of seeds may effective
ly decrease the loss of seeds through consumption by rodents.