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Spitzer R, Ericson M, Felton AM, Heim M, Raubenheimer D, Solberg EJ, Wam HK, Rolandsen CM. Camera collars reveal macronutrient balancing in free-ranging male moose during summer. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e70192. [PMID: 39157671 PMCID: PMC11329299 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.70192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2024] [Revised: 07/29/2024] [Accepted: 08/05/2024] [Indexed: 08/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Understanding how the nutritional properties of food resources drive foraging choices is important for the management and conservation of wildlife populations. For moose (Alces alces), recent experimental and observational studies during the winter have shown macronutrient balancing between available protein (AP) and highly metabolizable macronutrients (total non-structural carbohydrates [TNC] and lipids). Here, we combined the use of continuous-recording camera collars with plant nutrient analyses and forage availability measurements to obtain a detailed insight into the food and nutritional choices of three wild moose in Norway over a 5-day period in summer. We found that moose derived their macronutrient energy primarily from carbohydrates (74.2%), followed by protein (13.1%), and lipids (12.7%). Diets were dominated by deciduous tree browse (71%). Willows (Salix spp.) were selected for and constituted 51% of the average diet. Moose consumed 25 different food items during the study period of which 9 comprised 95% of the diet. Moose tightly regulated their intake of protein to highly metabolizable macronutrients (AP:TNC + lipids) to a ratio of 1:2.7 (0.37 ± 0.002SD). They did this by feeding on foods that most closely matched the target macronutrient ratio such as Salix spp., or by combining nutritionally imbalanced foods (complementary feeding) in a non-random manner that minimized deviations from the intake target. The observed patterns of macronutrient balancing aligned well with the findings of winter studies. Differential feeding on nutritionally balanced downy birch (Betula pubescens) leaves versus imbalanced twigs+leaves across moose individuals indicated that macronutrient balancing may occur on as fine a scale as foraging bites on a single plant species. Utilized forages generally met the suggested requirement thresholds for the minerals calcium, phosphorus, copper, molybdenum, and magnesium but tended to be low in sodium. Our findings offer new insights into the foraging behavior of a model species in ungulate nutritional ecology and contribute to informed decision-making in wildlife and forest management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Spitzer
- Department of Wildlife, Fish and Environmental StudiesSwedish University of Agricultural SciencesUmeåSweden
| | | | - Annika M. Felton
- Faculty of Forest Sciences, Southern Swedish Forest Research CentreSwedish University of Agricultural SciencesLommaSweden
| | - Morten Heim
- Norwegian Institute for Nature ResearchTrondheimNorway
| | - David Raubenheimer
- Charles Perkins Centre, and School of Life and Environmental SciencesUniversity of SydneyCamperdownNew South WalesAustralia
| | | | - Hilde K. Wam
- Department of Wildlife and RangelandsNIBIOÅsNorway
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Mychajliw AM, Adams AJ, Brown KC, Campbell BT, Hardesty-Moore M, Welch ZS, Page HM, Southon JR, Cooper SD, Alagona PS. Coupled social and ecological change drove the historical extinction of the California grizzly bear ( Ursus arctos californicus). Proc Biol Sci 2024; 291:20230921. [PMID: 38196370 PMCID: PMC10777157 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.0921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Large carnivores (order Carnivora) are among the world's most threatened mammals due to a confluence of ecological and social forces that have unfolded over centuries. Combining specimens from natural history collections with documents from archival records, we reconstructed the factors surrounding the extinction of the California grizzly bear (Ursus arctos californicus), a once-abundant brown bear subspecies last seen in 1924. Historical documents portrayed California grizzlies as massive hypercarnivores that endangered public safety. Yet, morphological measurements on skulls and teeth generate smaller body size estimates in alignment with extant North American grizzly populations (approx. 200 kg). Stable isotope analysis (δ13C, δ15N) of pelts and bones (n = 57) revealed that grizzlies derived less than 10% of their nutrition from terrestrial animal sources and were therefore largely herbivorous for millennia prior to the first European arrival in this region in 1542. Later colonial land uses, beginning in 1769 with the Mission era, led grizzlies to moderately increase animal protein consumption (up to 26% of diet), but grizzlies still consumed far less livestock than otherwise claimed by contemporary accounts. We show how human activities can provoke short-term behavioural shifts, such as heightened levels of carnivory, that in turn can lead to exaggerated predation narratives and incentivize persecution, triggering rapid loss of an otherwise widespread and ecologically flexible animal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexis M. Mychajliw
- Department of Biology, Middlebury College, Middlebury, VT, USA
- Environmental Studies Program, Middlebury College, Middlebury, VT, USA
- La Brea Tar Pits & Museum, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Andrea J. Adams
- Earth Research Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
| | - Kevin C. Brown
- Environmental Studies Program, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
| | - Beau T. Campbell
- Dinosaur Institute, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Molly Hardesty-Moore
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
| | - Zoë S. Welch
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
| | - Henry M. Page
- Marine Science Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
| | - John R. Southon
- Department of Earth System Science, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Scott D. Cooper
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
| | - Peter S. Alagona
- Environmental Studies Program, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
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3
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De Cuyper A, Strubbe D, Clauss M, Lens L, Zedrosser A, Steyaert S, Verbist L, Janssens GPJ. Nutrient intake and its possible drivers in free-ranging European brown bears ( Ursus arctos arctos). Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e10156. [PMID: 37261316 PMCID: PMC10227639 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Revised: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The dietary nutrient profile has metabolic significance and possibly contributes to species' foraging behavior. The brown bear (Ursus arctos) was used as a model species for which dietary ingredient and nutrient concentrations as well as nutrient ratios were determined annually, seasonally and per reproductive class. Brown bears had a vertebrate- and ant-dominated diet in spring and early summer and a berry-dominated diet in fall, which translated into protein-rich and carbohydrate-rich diets, respectively. Fiber concentrations appeared constant over time and averaged at 25% of dry matter intake. Dietary ingredient proportions differed between reproductive classes; however, these differences did not translate into a difference in dietary nutrient concentrations, suggesting that bears manage to maintain similar nutrient profiles with selection of different ingredients. In terms of nutrient ratios, the dietary protein to non-protein ratio, considered optimal at around 0.2 (on metabolizable energy basis), averaged around 0.2 in this study in fall and around 0.8 in spring and summer. We introduced the minimal non-fat to fat ratio necessary for efficient maintenance metabolism. This ratio varied across seasons but never fell beneath the theoretically estimated minimum to ensure metabolic efficiency. This population thus managed to ingest diets that never exerted a lack of glucogenic substrate, suggesting that metabolic efficiency may either be a driver of active diet selection or that natural resources available to bears did not constitute a constraint in this respect. Given the considerable proportion of fiber in the diet of brown bears, the relevance of this nutrient and its role in foraging behavior might be underestimated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annelies De Cuyper
- Department of Veterinary and Biosciences, Faculty of Veterinary MedicineGhent UniversityMerelbekeBelgium
| | - Diederik Strubbe
- Terrestrial Ecology Unit, Department of Biology, Faculty of SciencesGhent UniversityGhentBelgium
| | - Marcus Clauss
- Clinic for Zoo Animals, Exotic Pets and Wildlife, Vetsuisse FacultyUniversity of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | - Luc Lens
- Terrestrial Ecology Unit, Department of Biology, Faculty of SciencesGhent UniversityGhentBelgium
| | - Andreas Zedrosser
- Department of Natural Sciences and Environmental Health, Faculty of Technology, Natural Sciences and Maritime SciencesUniversity of South‐Eastern NorwayBøNorway
- Institute for Wildlife Biology and Game ManagementUniversity for Natural Resources and Life SciencesViennaAustria
| | - Sam Steyaert
- Faculty of Biosciences and AquacultureNord UniversitySteinkjerNorway
| | - Leen Verbist
- Onderzoekskern Salto, Odisee Hogeschool, Campus Sint‐NiklaasSint‐NiklaasBelgium
| | - Geert P. J. Janssens
- Department of Veterinary and Biosciences, Faculty of Veterinary MedicineGhent UniversityMerelbekeBelgium
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4
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Ursids evolved early and continuously to be low-protein macronutrient omnivores. Sci Rep 2022; 12:15251. [PMID: 36085304 PMCID: PMC9463165 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-19742-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2022] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The eight species of bears world-wide consume a wide variety of diets. Some are specialists with extensive anatomical and physiological adaptations necessary to exploit specific foods or environments [e.g., polar bears (Ursus maritimus), giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca), and sloth bears (Melursus ursinus)], while the rest are generalists. Even though ursids evolved from a high-protein carnivore, we hypothesized that all have become low-protein macronutrient omnivores. While this dietary strategy has already been described for polar bears and brown bears (Ursus arctos), a recent study on giant pandas suggested their macronutrient selection was that of the ancestral high-protein carnivore. Consumption of diets with inappropriate macronutrient profiles has been associated with increased energy expenditure, ill health, failed reproduction, and premature death. Consequently, we conducted feeding and preference trials with giant pandas and sloth bears, a termite and ant-feeding specialist. Both giant pandas and sloth bears branched off from the ursid lineage a million or more years before polar bears and brown bears. We found that giant pandas are low-protein, high-carbohydrate omnivores, whereas sloth bears are low-protein, high-fat omnivores. The preference for low protein diets apparently occurred early in the evolution of ursids and may have been critical to their world-wide spread.
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Shardlow TF, Van Elslander J, Mowat G. The influence of human disturbance on Pacific salmon ( Oncorhynchus spp.) in the diet of American black bears ( Ursus americanus) in two areas of coastal British Columbia, Canada. CAN J ZOOL 2022. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2021-0198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Recent studies have highlighted the importance of salmon (genus Oncorhynchus Suckley, 1861) in the diet of bears, and of bears as consumers and key agents supporting the transport of salmon-derived nutrients to riparian ecosystems. Salmon abundance and human disturbance are known influences on bear ecology and behaviour, though few studies have quantified shifts in bear diet due to these effects. We used stable isotope analysis to investigate how salmon escapement and human presence influenced the proportion of salmon in the diet of American black bears ( Ursus americanus Pallas, 1780) in two locations in coastal British Columbia, Canada. We found that salmon constituted a small proportion of black bear diet across sexes and ecosystems, while bears appeared to gain a similar amount of energy and lean mass from terrestrial sources. Salmon consumption was not related to the total annual abundance of salmon in a watershed but was significantly lower in large streams with regular human presence, suggesting that human disturbance can cause a dietary shift in bears that could have important consequences to their fitness. We also observed that the isotopic signatures of key bear foods did not vary between foliage and fruit, simplifying data collection for future isotopic studies on bear diet.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jonathan Van Elslander
- Department of Earth, Environmental and Geographic Sciences, Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences, University of British Columbia Okanagan, 1177 Research Road, Kelowna, BC V1V 1V7, Canada
| | - G. Mowat
- Department of Earth, Environmental and Geographic Sciences, Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences, University of British Columbia Okanagan, 1177 Research Road, Kelowna, BC V1V 1V7, Canada
- Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development, Wildlife and Habitat Branch, Suite 401-333 Victoria Street, Nelson, BC V1L 4K3, Canada
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6
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Davidson KH, Starzomski BM, El‐Sabaawi R, Hocking MD, Reynolds JD, Wickham SB, Darimont CT. Marine subsidy promotes spatial and dietary niche variation in an omnivore, the Keen's mouse ( Peromyscus keeni). Ecol Evol 2021; 11:17700-17722. [PMID: 35003633 PMCID: PMC8717356 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2021] [Revised: 09/08/2021] [Accepted: 09/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Marine-derived resource subsidies can generate intrapopulation variation in the behaviors and diets of terrestrial consumers. How omnivores respond, given their multiple trophic interactions, is not well understood. We sampled mice (Peromyscus keeni) and their food sources at five sites on three islands of the Central Coast of British Columbia, Canada, to test predictions regarding variation in the spatial behavior and consumption of marine-subsidized foods among individuals. About 50% of detections (n = 27 recaptures) occurred at traps closest to shoreline (25 m), with capture frequencies declining significantly inland (up to 200 m). Stable isotope signatures (δ 13C and δ 15N), particularly δ 15N, in plant foods, forest arthropod prey, and mouse feces were significantly enriched near shorelines compared with inland, while δ 13C patterns were more variable. Bayesian isotope mixing models applied to isotope values in mouse hair indicated that over one-third (35-37%) of diet was comprised of beach-dwelling arthropods, a marine-derived food source. Males were more abundant near the shoreline than females and consumed more marine-derived prey, regardless of reproductive status or availability of other food sources. Our results identify how multiple pathways of marine nutrient transfer can subsidize terrestrial omnivores and how subsets of recipient populations can show variation in spatial and dietary response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katie H. Davidson
- Department of GeographyUniversity of VictoriaVictoriaBritish ColumbiaCanada
- Hakai InstituteHeriot BayBritish ColumbiaCanada
| | - Brian M. Starzomski
- Hakai InstituteHeriot BayBritish ColumbiaCanada
- School of Environmental StudiesUniversity of VictoriaVictoriaBritish ColumbiaCanada
| | - Rana El‐Sabaawi
- Department of BiologyUniversity of VictoriaVictoriaBritish ColumbiaCanada
| | - Morgan D. Hocking
- School of Environmental StudiesUniversity of VictoriaVictoriaBritish ColumbiaCanada
- Ecofish Research Ltd.VictoriaBritish ColumbiaCanada
| | - John D. Reynolds
- Hakai InstituteHeriot BayBritish ColumbiaCanada
- Department of Biological SciencesSimon Fraser UniversityBurnabyBritish ColumbiaCanada
| | - Sara B. Wickham
- Hakai InstituteHeriot BayBritish ColumbiaCanada
- School of Environmental StudiesUniversity of VictoriaVictoriaBritish ColumbiaCanada
- Present address:
School of Environment, Resources and SustainabilityUniversity of WaterlooWaterlooOntarioCanada
| | - Chris T. Darimont
- Department of GeographyUniversity of VictoriaVictoriaBritish ColumbiaCanada
- Hakai InstituteHeriot BayBritish ColumbiaCanada
- Raincoast Conservation FoundationSidneyBritish ColumbiaCanada
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7
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Robbins CT, Tollefson TN, Rode KD, Erlenbach JA, Ardente AJ. New insights into dietary management of polar bears (Ursus maritimus) and brown bears (U. arctos). Zoo Biol 2021; 41:166-175. [PMID: 34793606 DOI: 10.1002/zoo.21658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Revised: 09/23/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Although polar bears (Ursus maritimus) and brown bears (U. arctos) have been exhibited in zoological gardens for centuries, little is known about their nutritional needs. Multiple recent studies on both wild and captive polar bears and brown bears have found that they voluntarily select dietary macronutrient proportions resulting in much lower dietary protein and higher fat or digestible carbohydrate concentrations than are currently fed in most zoos. These lower protein concentrations selected by both species maximized growth rates and efficiencies of energy utilization in brown bears and may play a role in reducing kidney, liver, and cardiovascular diseases in both species. Therefore, we propose the need for the development of new dietary regimens for both species in managed care that better reflect their macronutrient needs. We developed a new kibble that is higher in fat and lower in protein than typical diets that have been fed in managed care, has a fatty acid profile more consistent with wild bear diets, and has been readily consumed by both brown bears and polar bears. The kibble can be fed as the sole diet or as part of more complex diets with additional fruits, meats, or vegetables. Because many nutritional deficiencies and related diseases can take months or years to appear, we urge caution and continued long-term monitoring of bears and their diets to ensure their optimal health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles T Robbins
- School of the Environment and School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, USA
| | - Troy N Tollefson
- Mazuri® Exotic Animal Nutrition, Land O'Lakes Inc., St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Karyn D Rode
- U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, Anchorage, Alaska, USA
| | - Joy A Erlenbach
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge, Kodiak, Alaska, USA
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8
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Hecker LJ, Edwards MA, Nielsen SE. Assessing the nutritional consequences of switching foraging behavior in wood bison. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:16165-16176. [PMID: 34824819 PMCID: PMC8601871 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2021] [Revised: 10/17/2021] [Accepted: 10/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Diet is one of the most common traits used to organize species of animals into niches. For ruminant herbivores, the breadth and uniqueness of their dietary niche are placed on a spectrum from browsers that consume woody (i.e., browse) and herbaceous (i.e., forbs) plants, to grazers with graminoid-rich diets. However, seasonal changes in plant availability and quality can lead to switching of their dietary niche, even within species. In this study, we examined whether a population of wood bison (Bison bison athabascae) in northeast Alberta, Canada, seasonally switched their foraging behavior, and if so, whether this was associated with changes in nutrient acquisition. We hypothesized that bison should switch foraging behaviors from grazing in the winter when standing, dead graminoids are the only foliar plants readily available to browsing during spring and summer as nutritious and digestible foliar parts of browse and forbs become available. If bison are switching foraging strategy to maximize protein consumption, then there should be a corresponding shift in the nutritional niche. Alternatively, if bison are eating different plants, but consuming similar amounts of nutrients, then bison are switching their dietary niche to maintain a particular nutrient composition. We found wood bison were grazers in the winter and spring, but switch to a browsing during summer. However, only winter nutrient consumption of consumed plants differed significantly among seasons. Between spring and summer, bison maintained a specific nutritional composition in their diet despite compositional differences in the consumed plants. Our evidence suggests that bison are selecting plants to maintain a target macronutrient composition. We posit that herbivore's can and will switch their dietary niche to maintain a target nutrient composition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lee J. Hecker
- University of AlbertaEdmontonAlbertaCanada
- Royal Alberta MuseumEdmontonAlbertaCanada
| | - Mark A. Edwards
- University of AlbertaEdmontonAlbertaCanada
- Royal Alberta MuseumEdmontonAlbertaCanada
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9
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Ma Y, Wang M, Wei F, Nie Y. Geographic distributions shape the functional traits in a large mammalian family. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:13175-13185. [PMID: 34646461 PMCID: PMC8495830 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2021] [Revised: 08/03/2021] [Accepted: 08/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Traits of organisms are shaped by their living environments and also determined in part by their phylogenetic relationships. For example, phylogenetic relationships often affect the geographic distributions of animals and cause variation in their living environments, which usually play key roles in the life history and determine the functional traits of species. As an ancient family of mammals, bears widely distribute and have evolved some specific strategies for survival and reproduction during their long-term evolutionary histories. Many studies on the ecology of bears have been conducted in recent decades, but few have focused on the relationships between their geographic distributions and ecological adaptations. Here, using bears as a model system, we collected and reanalyzed data from the available literatures to explore how geographic distributions and phylogenetic relationships shape the functional traits of animals. We found a positive relationship between phylogenetic relatedness and geographic distributions, with bears distributed in adjacent areas applying more similar strategies to survive and reproduce: (a) Bears living at high latitudes consumed a higher proportion of vertebrates, which may provide more fat for adaptation to low temperatures, and (b) their reproduction rhythms follow fluctuations in seasonal forage availability and quality, in which bears reach mating status from March to May and give birth in approximately November or later.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingjie Ma
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation BiologyInstitute of ZoologyChinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Meng Wang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation BiologyInstitute of ZoologyChinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Fuwen Wei
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation BiologyInstitute of ZoologyChinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
- Center for Excellence in Animal Evolution and GeneticsChinese Academy of SciencesKunmingChina
| | - Yonggang Nie
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation BiologyInstitute of ZoologyChinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
- Center for Excellence in Animal Evolution and GeneticsChinese Academy of SciencesKunmingChina
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10
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Twining CW, Parmar TP, Mathieu-Resuge M, Kainz MJ, Shipley JR, Martin-Creuzburg D. Use of Fatty Acids From Aquatic Prey Varies With Foraging Strategy. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.735350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Across ecosystems, resources vary in their nutritional composition and thus their dietary value to consumers. Animals can either access organic compounds, such as fatty acids, directly from diet or through internal biosynthesis, and the extent to which they use these two alternatives likely varies based on the availability of such compounds across the nutritional landscape. Cross-ecosystem subsidies of important dietary nutrients, like omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LC-PUFA), may provide consumers with the opportunity to relax the demands of synthesis and rely upon dietary flexibility rather than internal metabolic processes. Here, we examined how dietary flexibility and distance from a lake influenced the degree to which generalist insectivores relied upon dietary n-3 LC-PUFA from emergent aquatic insects versus n-3 LC-PUFA synthesized from precursor compounds found in terrestrial insects. We used bulk and compound-specific stable isotope analyses to understand spider and insectivorous bird (Blue Tit; Cyanistes caeruleus) reliance on aquatic and terrestrial resources, including dietary PUFA sources, along a riparian to upland gradient from a lake. We simultaneously investigated n-3 LC-PUFA synthesis ability in nestlings using 13C fatty acid labeling. We found that riparian spiders took advantage of emergent aquatic insect subsidies, deriving their overall diet and their n-3 PUFA from aquatic resources whereas nestling birds at all distances and upland spiders relied upon terrestrial resources, including PUFA. Our 13C labeling experiment demonstrated that nestling tits were able to synthesize the n-3 LC-PUFA docosahexaenoic acid from the dietary precursor α-linolenic acid, suggesting that they are not limited by aquatic resources to satisfy their LC-PUFA requirements. Overall, this study suggests that habitat generalist insectivores vary in the degree to which they can shift diet to take advantage of high-quality aquatic resources depending upon both their foraging flexibility and internal synthesis capacity.
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11
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Carpenter M, Savage AM. Nutrient availability in urban food waste: carbohydrate bias in the Philadelphia–Camden urban matrix. JOURNAL OF URBAN ECOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/jue/juab012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Urban areas provide animals with both a unique set of challenges and resources. One of the novel resources available in urban areas is an abundance of human food waste. Although it is known that many urban-dwelling animals are consuming human food waste at some level, there is not a good understanding of the nutrients provided by this novel resource. Given that human food waste is unlikely to resemble an animal’s natural diet, there could be health consequences for an animal consuming human food waste. In some animals, nutritional imbalances can also lead to behavioral changes, making it important to understand more precisely what they are eating. To answer the question of what nutrients were available in urban food waste, we surveyed food waste in the Philadelphia–Camden urban matrix. We found that human food waste contained ∼1000% more carbohydrates than other nutrient types. Given the impact that carbohydrate-rich diets can have on human health, there may be important consequences for the animals in urban environments that consume this food waste. Therefore, it is possible that human food subsidies have cascading consequences for entire communities and their ecosystem services in cities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa Carpenter
- Deparment of Biodiversity, Evolution, and Earth Sciences, Drexel University, 3141 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Amy M Savage
- Deparment of Biology, Rutgers University Camden, 303 Cooper St, Camden, NJ 08102, USA
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12
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Sergiel A, Barja I, Navarro-Castilla Á, Zwijacz-Kozica T, Selva N. Losing seasonal patterns in a hibernating omnivore? Diet quality proxies and faecal cortisol metabolites in brown bears in areas with and without artificial feeding. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0242341. [PMID: 33180870 PMCID: PMC7660533 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0242341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2020] [Accepted: 11/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Bears are omnivores particularly well-adapted to variations in the nutritional composition, quality and availability of food resources. Artificial feeding practices have been shown to strongly influence diet composition and seasonality, as well as to cause alterations in wintering and movement in brown bears (Ursus arctos). In this study, we investigated seasonal differences (hypophagia vs hyperphagia) in food quality of two brown bear subpopulations in the Polish Carpathians using faecal nitrogen (FN) and carbon (FC) estimates. The subpopulations inhabit areas that differ in artificial feeding practices: no artificial feeding occurs in the western subpopulation (Tatra Mountains), while artificial food targeted to ungulates is provided and used year-round in the eastern subpopulation (Bieszczady Mountains). We also compared these results with faecal cortisol metabolites (FCM) to explore how FN and FC correlate with the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity and if the seasonal patterns are apparent. We found that in Tatra Mts bears fed on significantly higher quality diet, as shown by FN and FC values, and had significantly higher FC levels in hyperphagia, when they accumulate fat reserves for wintering. The pattern in FCM levels for Tatra subpopulation followed the changes in energy intake during the seasons of hypo- and hyperphagia, while in Bieszczady Mts, the area with intensive feeding, no seasonal patterns could be observed. Artificial feeding practices may disrupt nutrient phenology and seasonality, relative to subpopulations with natural diets. We showed that the availability of human-provided foods may alter not only the overall dietary quality, but also hormonal patterns linked to seasonal nutritional requirements. Combining FN, FC and FCM proved to be a useful tool for reconstructing diet quality and related physiological patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnieszka Sergiel
- Institute of Nature Conservation, Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakow, Poland
- * E-mail:
| | - Isabel Barja
- Department of Biology, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación en Biodiversidad y Cambio Global (CIBC-UAM) Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | | | | | - Nuria Selva
- Institute of Nature Conservation, Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakow, Poland
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13
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Hecker LJ, Coogan SCP, Nielsen SE, Edwards MA. Latitudinal and seasonal plasticity in American bison
Bison bison
diets. Mamm Rev 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/mam.12229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lee J. Hecker
- Department of Renewable Resources University of Alberta Edmonton AlbertaT6G 2H1Canada
- Royal Alberta Museum Edmonton AlbertaT5J 0G2Canada
| | - Sean C. P. Coogan
- Department of Renewable Resources University of Alberta Edmonton AlbertaT6G 2H1Canada
| | - Scott E. Nielsen
- Department of Renewable Resources University of Alberta Edmonton AlbertaT6G 2H1Canada
| | - Mark A. Edwards
- Department of Renewable Resources University of Alberta Edmonton AlbertaT6G 2H1Canada
- Royal Alberta Museum Edmonton AlbertaT5J 0G2Canada
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Shrestha TK, Hecker LJ, Aryal A, Coogan SCP. Feeding preferences and nutritional niche of wild water buffalo ( Bubalus arnee) in Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve, Nepal. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:6897-6905. [PMID: 32760500 PMCID: PMC7391305 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2019] [Revised: 02/07/2020] [Accepted: 02/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The nutritional characteristics of food resources play an important role in the foraging behavior of animals and can provide information valuable to their conservation and management. We examined the nutritional ecology of wild water buffalo (Bubalus arnee; hereafter "buffalo") in the Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve of Nepal during autumn using a multidimensional nutritional niche framework. We identified 54 plant species as being foraged by buffalo. We found that buffalo consumed graminoids and forbs 2-3 times more frequently than browse items. Proximate analyses of the 16 most frequently foraged plants indicated that buffalo diets were highest in carbohydrate (40.41% ± 1.82%) followed by crude protein (10.52% ± 0.93%) and crude fat (1.68% ± 0.23%). The estimated macronutrient balance (i.e., realized nutrient niche) of the buffalo diet (20.5% protein: 72.8% carbohydrate: 6.7% lipid) was not significantly different than the average balance of all analyzed food items based on 95% confidence regions. Our study suggests that buffalo are likely macronutrient specialists, yet may be generalists in the sense that they feed on a wide range of food items to achieve a nutrient balance similar to that available in forage items. However, the four most frequently consumed items tended to be higher in protein energy than less frequently consumed foods, suggesting some preference for higher protein forage relative to relatively abundant carbohydrates. Although limited in scope, our study provides important information on the nutritional ecology of buffalo, which may be useful for the conservation and management of this endangered species.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lee J. Hecker
- Department of Renewable ResourcesUniversity of AlbertaEdmontonABCanada
| | - Achyut Aryal
- CC Group Limited/CC Training AcademyAucklandNew Zealand
- Save Dot International LimitedAucklandNew Zealand
| | - Sean C. P. Coogan
- Department of Renewable ResourcesUniversity of AlbertaEdmontonABCanada
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Hisano M, Newman C. Adaptations to prey base in the hypercarnivorous leopard cat Prionailurus bengalensis. ETHOL ECOL EVOL 2020. [DOI: 10.1080/03949370.2020.1711816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Masumi Hisano
- Faculty of Natural Resources Management, Lakehead University, 955 Oliver Road, Thunder Bay, ON P7B 5E1, Canada
| | - Chris Newman
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, The Recanati-Kaplan Centre, Tubney House, Abingdon Road, Tubney, Oxon OX13 5QL, UK
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Balestrieri A, Remonti L, Saino N, Raubenheimer D. The ‘omnivorous badger dilemma’: towards an integration of nutrition with the dietary niche in wild mammals. Mamm Rev 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/mam.12164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Balestrieri
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Policy University of Milan via Celoria 26 20133 Milan Italy
| | - Luigi Remonti
- Institut Agricole Régional Regione La Rochère 1/A 11100 Aosta Italy
| | - Nicola Saino
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Policy University of Milan via Celoria 26 20133 Milan Italy
| | - David Raubenheimer
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, and the Charles Perkins Centre University of Sydney John Hopkins Drive Sydney NSW2006Australia
- New Zealand Institute for Advanced Study Massey University Oaklands Rd AlbanyAuckland0632New Zealand
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17
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Panthi S, Aryal A, Coogan SCP. Diet and macronutrient niche of Asiatic black bear ( Ursus thibetanus) in two regions of Nepal during summer and autumn. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:3717-3727. [PMID: 31015961 PMCID: PMC6468138 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2018] [Revised: 12/10/2018] [Accepted: 12/21/2018] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Relatively little is known about the nutritional ecology of omnivorous Asiatic black bears (Ursus thibetanus) in Nepal. We characterized the diet of black bears in two seasons (June-July, "summer"; and October-November "autumn") and two study areas (Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve [DHR]; and Kailash Sacred Landscape [KSL]). We then conducted nutritional analysis of species consumed by black bears in each study area, in combination with nutritional estimates from the literature, to estimate the proportions of macronutrients (i.e., protein [P], lipid [L], and carbohydrate [C]) in the seasonal bear foods and diets, as well as their macronutrient niche breadth. We found that bamboo (Arundinaria spp.) had the highest relative frequency in both study areas and seasons. Ants and termites were found in DHR diets, but not KSL diets. One anthropogenic crop was found in DHR summer diets (Zea mays) and two were found in KSL summer diets (Z. mays; and Kodo millet [Paspalum scrobiculatum]). Other than insects, no animal prey was found in either diet. The proportions of macronutrients in diets (i.e., realized macronutrient niches) were relatively high in carbohydrate for both study areas and seasons: DHRsummer 24.1P:8.7L:67.2C; KSLsummer 16.7P:8.2L:75.1C; DHRautumn 21.1P:10.5L:68.4C; KSHautumn 19.0P:11.0L:70.0C. Macronutrient niche breadth was 3.1 × greater in the DHR than KSL during summer, and 4.0 × greater in the autumn, primarily due to the higher proportion of lipid in ants and termites relative to plant foods. Within-study area differences in niche breadth were greater during summer than autumn; in the KSH the macronutrient breadth was 1.4 × greater in summer, while in the DHR it was 1.1 × greater in summer. Similarity in dietary macronutrient proportions despite differences in foods consumed and niche breadth are suggestive of foraging to reach a preferred macronutrient balance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saroj Panthi
- Department of Forests and Soil ConservationMinistry of Forests and EnvironmentKathmanduNepal
| | - Achyut Aryal
- Institute of Natural and Mathematical SciencesMassey UniversityAucklandNew Zealand
- Charles Perkins Centre, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of ScienceThe University of SydneySydneyNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Sean C. P. Coogan
- Department of Renewable ResourcesUniversity of AlbertaEdmontonAlbertaCanada
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Coogan SCP, Coops NC, Janz DM, Cattet MRL, Kearney SP, Stenhouse GB, Nielsen SE. Towards grizzly bear population recovery in a modern landscape. J Appl Ecol 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.13259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Sean C. P. Coogan
- Department of Renewable ResourcesUniversity of Alberta Edmonton AB Canada
| | - Nicholas C. Coops
- Department of Forest Resources ManagementUniversity of British Columbia Vancouver BC Canada
| | - David M. Janz
- Department of Veterinary Biomedical SciencesUniversity of Saskatchewan Saskatoon SK Canada
| | - Marc R. L. Cattet
- RGL Recovery Wildlife Health & Veterinary Services Saskatoon SK Canada
| | - Sean P. Kearney
- Department of Forest Resources ManagementUniversity of British Columbia Vancouver BC Canada
| | | | - Scott E. Nielsen
- Department of Renewable ResourcesUniversity of Alberta Edmonton AB Canada
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Moving targets: determinants of nutritional preferences and habitat use in an urban ant community. Urban Ecosyst 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s11252-018-0796-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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Coogan SCP, Raubenheimer D, Zantis SP, Machovsky‐Capuska GE. Multidimensional nutritional ecology and urban birds. Ecosphere 2018. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.2177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Sean C. P. Coogan
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences and the Charles Perkins Centre University of Sydney Sydney NSW 2006 Australia
- Department of Renewable Resources University of Alberta Edmonton Alberta T6G 2H1 Canada
| | - David Raubenheimer
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences and the Charles Perkins Centre University of Sydney Sydney NSW 2006 Australia
| | - Simon P. Zantis
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences and the Charles Perkins Centre University of Sydney Sydney NSW 2006 Australia
| | - Gabriel E. Machovsky‐Capuska
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences and the Charles Perkins Centre University of Sydney Sydney NSW 2006 Australia
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