In this study, we used five treatments to test how seed quality, environmental conditions and seed visibility affect seed removal of Liaodong oak (Quercus liaotungensis) by rodents in the Dongling mountainous area (40°00'N, 115°30'E) of Beijing, China. Each treatment comprised 200 seeds. Seeds were checked daily for up to 16 days. The rodents removed most seeds within a few days. Sound seeds disappeared faster than insect-damaged seeds. Seeds placed in closed-canopy forest disappeared significantly more rapidly than similar seeds placed in shrub habitats. Rodents removed seeds placed under or between shrubs at similar rates. Seeds placed under plant litter disappeared much more slowly than seeds placed on the ground surface. The half-lives at the release sites ranged from 0.6 to 8.6 day. These high rates of removal for experimental seeds indicate that rodents have the capacity to harvest most of the naturally-produced Liaodong oak acorns during the two-month period between seed fall and winter. These rodents serve as important seed foragers and dispersal agents for Liaodong oak.%在北京东灵山地区,在灌丛、森林2种生境类型中共设计了5个处理,以检验种子质量、种子可视度、生境类型如何影响鼠类对辽东栎(Quercus liaotungensis)橡子的搬运.每个处理包括200枚种子.每日检查种子状态,实验持续16 d.鼠类在几天之内将大多数种子搬运走.完好橡子比虫蛀橡子消失得快.橡子在森林生境中明显比在灌丛生境中消失的快.鼠类对放置在灌丛下方和灌丛之间的橡子的搬运速率差别不大.放置在落叶下方的橡子消失速率明显慢于地表的橡子.本研究利用半存活时间测量种子的搬运率.各处理的半存活时间范围是0.6～8.6 d.各处理的橡子搬运率均较高,这说明鼠类有能力在种子下落到冬季来临的2个月时间内,搬运绝大多数的橡子.实验说明,鼠类是辽东栎橡子重要的捕食者和扩散者.
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