%0 Journal Article
%T Effects of Inhabiting and Life Patterns on the UV Spectral Properties of Small Mammalian Herbivores¡¯ Urine
%A Junnian Li
%J Open Journal of Forestry
%P 32-44
%@ 2163-0437
%D 2023
%I Scientific Research Publishing
%R 10.4236/ojf.2023.131003
%X It is well known that avian predators can use prey excretions such as
urine and feces to track their prey, and the urine and feces of small mammalian
herbivores can reflect ultraviolet (UV) light and emit fluorescent light. There <span><span><span style=\"font-family:;\" \"=\"\">are</span></span></span><span><span><span style=\"font-family:;\" \"=\"\"> still some debate</span></span></span><span><span><span style=\"font-family:;\" \"=\"\">s</span></span></span><span><span><span style=\"font-family:;\" \"=\"\"> as to whether UV visibility of small mammalian herbivores</span></span></span><span><span><span style=\"font-family:;\" \"=\"\">¡¯</span></span></span><span><span><span style=\"font-family:;\" \"=\"\"> urine
is used as a hunting cue by avian raptors. Some studies in Europe have
demonstrated that diurnal raptors are capable of utilizing these cues to target
key prey species. However, researchers in Australia have argued that <span>raptors do not use the UV visibility of urine
while hunting. To our</span> knowledge, there are no reports from Asia
concerning the ultraviolet spectral characteristics of small mammal herbivores</span></span></span><span><span><span style=\"font-family:;\" \"=\"\">¡¯</span></span></span><span><span><span style=\"font-family:;\" \"=\"\"> urine.
This study examined the UV spectral properties of urine from 6 small mammal
herbivores species by comparing the UV reflectance and fluorescence spectra of
urine from small mammalian herbivores living in plateau meadows, plateau
shrubs, open marshland, farmland, and semi-desert grassland in China. In
addition, we compared the UV spectral properties of urine from ground-dwelling
species of rodents and <span>subterranean species
to determine whether ultraviolet visibility of small</span> mammal herbivores</span></span></span><span><span><span style=\"font-family:;\" \"=\"\">¡¯</span></span></span><span><span><span style=\"font-family:;\" \"=\"\"> urine
could be used as a visual signal by Asian vole-eating raptors. The results
showed that</span></span></span><span><span><span style=\"font-family:;\" \"=\"\">:</span></span></span><span><span><span style=\"font-family:;\" \"=\"\"> 1) the SC<sub>370</sub> values of urine from </span></span></span><span><span><span style=\"font-family:;\" \"=\"\">four</span></span></span><span><span><span style=\"font-family:;\" \"=\"\"> small mammal herbivores species were ordered as plateau pika (plateau
meadow) &gt; root voles (plateau bush) &gt; reed voles (swampland) &gt;
Brandt¡¯s vole (desert <span>grassland); and 2) UV
fluorescence peak intensity and
%K Rodents Urine
%K Ultraviolet (UV) Light
%K Fluorescence
%U http://www.scirp.org/journal/PaperInformation.aspx?PaperID=121732