{"title":"Seasonality of Andean Bear Scat Contents in Amazonas, Northeastern Peru","authors":"Alexandra Chávez, C. Díaz, Jessica Amanzo","doi":"10.2192/URSUS-D-20-00011.2","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"Abstract: Characterizing a species' feeding habits has proved key to delimiting critical areas for species conservation. The Andean bear (Tremarctos ornatus), a species of conservation concern, inhabits the montane cloud forest and montane grasslands (jalca) of Amazonas, northeastern Peru. Knowledge of the bear's diet there is limited. Thus, we aimed to determine whether contents of Andean bear scat there differed between the rainy and dry seasons of 2016. Microhistological analysis of scats, with reviews on its feeding sites, showed a mainly herbivorous generalist diet dominated by Bromeliaceae, Ericaceae, and Lauraceae. Scat contents differed between seasons, possibly associated with the phenology of consumed vegetation. Persea sp. aff. areolatocostae was a key species in the seasonal changes. Our results suggested that the bears at this site may be opportunistically frugivorous, changing their diets in response to food availability.","PeriodicalId":49393,"journal":{"name":"Ursus","volume":"44 1","pages":"1 - 9"},"PeriodicalIF":0.6000,"publicationDate":"2021-10-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Ursus","FirstCategoryId":"99","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.2192/URSUS-D-20-00011.2","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q4","JCRName":"ZOOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Abstract: Characterizing a species' feeding habits has proved key to delimiting critical areas for species conservation. The Andean bear (Tremarctos ornatus), a species of conservation concern, inhabits the montane cloud forest and montane grasslands (jalca) of Amazonas, northeastern Peru. Knowledge of the bear's diet there is limited. Thus, we aimed to determine whether contents of Andean bear scat there differed between the rainy and dry seasons of 2016. Microhistological analysis of scats, with reviews on its feeding sites, showed a mainly herbivorous generalist diet dominated by Bromeliaceae, Ericaceae, and Lauraceae. Scat contents differed between seasons, possibly associated with the phenology of consumed vegetation. Persea sp. aff. areolatocostae was a key species in the seasonal changes. Our results suggested that the bears at this site may be opportunistically frugivorous, changing their diets in response to food availability.
期刊介绍:
Ursus includes a variety of articles on all aspects of bear management and research worldwide. Original manuscripts are welcome. In addition to manuscripts reporting original research, submissions may be based on thoughtful review and synthesis of previously-reported information, innovative philosophies and opinions, and public policy or legal aspects of wildlife conservation. Notes of general interest are also welcome. Invited manuscripts will be clearly identified, but will still be subject to peer review. All manuscripts must be in English. All manuscripts are peer-reviewed, and subject to rigorous editorial standards.