Relationship of snowshoe hare feeding preferences to nutrient and tannin content of four conifers
| Autor: | Sheila A. Rangen, Robert J. Hudson, Alex W. L. Hawley |
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| Rok vydání: | 1994 |
| Předmět: | |
| Zdroj: | Canadian Journal of Forest Research. 24:240-245 |
| ISSN: | 1208-6037 0045-5067 |
| DOI: | 10.1139/x94-035 |
| Popis: | The relative preferences of snowshoe hares for native and exotic tree species and the relationship of these preferences to nutritional constituents and phenols have important forestry management implications. Thus, feeding preferences of confined snowshoe hares (Lepusamericanus Erxleben) for Siberian larch (Larixsibericus (Endl.) Sabine ex Trautv.), Norway spruce (Piceaabies (L.) Karst.), white spruce (Piceaglauca (Moench) Voss), and black spruce (Piceamariana (Mill.) B.S.R) were examined under two experimental ad libitum feeding conditions. At the end of experiment 1, two-year-old Siberian larch and Norway spruce were equally selected by hares. Twigs and stems of Siberian larch, however, were browsed almost exclusively during the first few days of the experiment, while white spruce was browsed very little at all. Siberian larch was richer in crude protein and lower in fiber than white spruce and Norway spruce, whereas Norway spruce was lower in condensed tannins and total phenols than the other two species. In experiment 2, twigs and stems of 4-year-old black spruce were preferred to those of white spruce. Black spruce contained significantly higher concentrations of crude protein, calcium, and phosphorus and lower concentrations of cellulose and total phenols than white spruce. Overall, white spruce was most resistant to hare damage, though the lack of preference was not reflected in either low nutrient or high tannin values. In fact, concentrations of condensed tannins and total phenols had no antifeedant effects. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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