| Popis: |
Niche differences between male and female white-tailed deer ( Odocoileus virginianus ) were studied on Ossabaw Island, Georgia, U.S.A. Most deer seen in pastures were males, but males and females were seen in approximately equal numbers in forest habitat. Pastures contained more abundant and apparently higher quality forage than did forest habitat. The use of higher quality areas by males is not consistent with observations of most other ungulate species. Resource limitation and the relatively high population density of deer on Ossabaw Island may have contributed to this pattern of habitat use. No dietary differences between the sexes were observed within habitats, as indicated by a lack of significant differences in rumen contents, in vitro digestion of forages, and foraging behavior. |
