{"title":"Quantification of sex-related diet composition by free-ranging mountain hares ( Lepus timidus )","authors":"M. Rehnus, K. Bollmann","doi":"10.4404/HYSTRIX-00271-2019","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"Variability in habitat use influences animal distribution and can lead to different life-histories across sexes and individuals. Such differences are frequently observed in species with sexual dimorphism, but less known in monomorphic species. In this study, we investigated sex-related differences in the diet of the mountain hare (Lepus timidus) — a monomorphic species — during the mating season (spring) and the post-reproductive period (autumn). We investigated the diet composition by the microhistological analysis of pellets of 18 individuals (8 males, 10 females) which were surveyed from 2015 to 2017 by a non-invasive genetic population monitoring in the Swiss National Park. We found significant differences in diet composition between seasons and sexes. Females consumed a higher proportion of graminoids in the mating season, probably due to higher energetic needs at that time of the year. Our study shows that further attention should be given to sex-specific diet composition of monomorphic species.","PeriodicalId":55036,"journal":{"name":"Hystrix-Italian Journal of Mammalogy","volume":"132 1","pages":"80-82"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8000,"publicationDate":"2020-06-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"1","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Hystrix-Italian Journal of Mammalogy","FirstCategoryId":"99","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.4404/HYSTRIX-00271-2019","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"ZOOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 1
Abstract
Variability in habitat use influences animal distribution and can lead to different life-histories across sexes and individuals. Such differences are frequently observed in species with sexual dimorphism, but less known in monomorphic species. In this study, we investigated sex-related differences in the diet of the mountain hare (Lepus timidus) — a monomorphic species — during the mating season (spring) and the post-reproductive period (autumn). We investigated the diet composition by the microhistological analysis of pellets of 18 individuals (8 males, 10 females) which were surveyed from 2015 to 2017 by a non-invasive genetic population monitoring in the Swiss National Park. We found significant differences in diet composition between seasons and sexes. Females consumed a higher proportion of graminoids in the mating season, probably due to higher energetic needs at that time of the year. Our study shows that further attention should be given to sex-specific diet composition of monomorphic species.
期刊介绍：
Hystrix the Italian Journal of Mammalogy accepts papers on original research in basic and applied mammalogy on fossil and living mammals. The Journal is published both in paper and electronic "online first" format. Manuscripts can be published as full papers or short notes, as well as reviews on methods or theoretical issues related to mammals. Commentaries can also be occasionally accepted, under the approval by the Editor in Chief. Investigations of local or regional interest, new data about species distribution and range extensions or confirmatory research can be considered only when they have significant implications. Such studies should preferably be submitted as short notes. Manuscripts bearing only a local interest will not be accepted.
Full papers have no limits in length as well as in figure and table number and are abstracted in English. Authors are encouraged to add supplemental material in form of colour figures, original datasets and/or computer program source code.
Supplemental material and colour figures will appear only on the electronic edition.
Short notes must be about 16000 characters long (including title, author names and affiliations, abstract and references), and do not include supplemental material. They are abstracted in English.
Proceedings of symposia, meetings and/or workshops, and technical reports can be published as special supplements to regular issues, under the approval by the Editor in Chief and the Associate Editors.
There are no page charges.
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