Abstract: Seasonality is a key environmental factor affecting the seed dispersal by rodents. From September to November (autumn) in 2008 and from March to April (spring) in 2009, investigations were made on the dispersal of Quercus aliena seeds by forest rats in the Foping National Nature Reserve on south slope of Qinling Mountains, and the results were compared with the prediction from mast seeding hypothesis. It was shown that 1) the seed dispersal speed was significantly faster in spring than in autumn, and the mean dispersal distance (eating distance and hoarding distance) was also farther in spring than in autumn, being contrary with the prediction from mast seeding hypothesis, and 2) the hoarding proportion was significantly lower in spring than in autumn, which was consistent with the prediction from mast seeding hypothesis.

Key words: Spectrophotometer detection, Benzalkonium bromide, Seawater, Algaecide, Red tide