Predators exert negative effects on prey, besides the act of killing, generating behavioral and physiological costs, a concept known as the ecology of fear. Studies in scatter-hoarding rodents in temperate zones suggests that prey use habitat structure to perceive predation risk. Less is known about how tropical forest rodents perceive predation risk. Here, we investigated whether the Central American agouti perceive predation risk by ocelots through olfactory cues and whether it influences the foraging behavior for Attalea butyracea seeds, one of its main food sources. By monitoring tagged seeds, we found that seed dispersal and pilferage was lower in sites with high density of ocelots, in line with the predictions of ecology of fear proposing that scared animals eat less. We also found that pilferage rates in high ocelot density sites seem to be lower during the rainy—transition period but not during dry season when food availability is generally low. However, we did not find evidence that agoutis adjust their cache spacing behavior in response to ocelot density. In an additional experiment to corroborate that agoutis’ responses were caused by ocelots’ cues, we found lower dispersal rates for seeds placed next to samples of urine and feces of ocelots as compared to controls, during the first seven days. Moreover, agoutis spent less time handling the seeds with ocelots’ cues. Here, we discuss potential cascading effects linked to the behavior of agoutis towards predation risk.

中文翻译：

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恐惧生态学及其对新热带啮齿动物种子传播的影响

捕食者对猎物施加负面影响，除了杀戮行为，产生行为和生理成本，这一概念被称为恐惧生态。对温带地区分散囤积的啮齿动物的研究表明，猎物利用栖息地结构来感知捕食风险。对热带森林啮齿动物如何感知捕食风险知之甚少。在这里，我们调查了中美洲刺豚鼠是否通过嗅觉线索感知豹猫的捕食风险，以及它是否影响其主要食物来源之一 Attalea butyracea 种子的觅食行为。通过监测标记的种子，我们发现在豹猫密度高的地方，种子传播和盗窃的可能性较低，这与恐惧生态学的预测一致，即害怕的动物吃得更少。我们还发现，在雨季过渡期，高豹猫密度地点的盗窃率似乎较低，但在食物供应普遍较低的旱季则不然。然而，我们没有发现证据表明，agoutis 会根据豹猫的密度调整它们的缓存间距行为。在另一项证实刺鼠的反应是由豹猫的暗示引起的实验中，我们发现在前 7 天，与对照组相比，放置在豹猫尿液和粪便样本旁边的种子的传播率较低。此外，agoutis 用豹猫的提示处理种子的时间更少。在这里，我们讨论了与刺鼠对捕食风险的行为相关的潜在级联效应。我们没有发现证据表明，agoutis 会根据豹猫的密度调整它们的缓存间距行为。在另一项证实刺鼠的反应是由豹猫的暗示引起的实验中，我们发现在前 7 天，与对照组相比，放置在豹猫尿液和粪便样本旁边的种子的传播率较低。此外，agoutis 用豹猫的提示处理种子的时间更少。在这里，我们讨论了与刺鼠对捕食风险的行为相关的潜在级联效应。我们没有发现证据表明，agoutis 会根据豹猫的密度调整它们的缓存间距行为。在另一项证实刺鼠的反应是由豹猫的暗示引起的实验中，我们发现在前 7 天，与对照组相比，放置在豹猫尿液和粪便样本旁边的种子的传播率较低。此外，agoutis 用豹猫的提示处理种子的时间更少。在这里，我们讨论了与刺鼠对捕食风险的行为相关的潜在级联效应。刺鼠用豹猫的提示处理种子的时间更少。在这里，我们讨论了与刺鼠对捕食风险的行为相关的潜在级联效应。刺鼠用豹猫的提示处理种子的时间更少。在这里，我们讨论了与刺鼠对捕食风险的行为相关的潜在级联效应。