Attraction of wild ungulates to mineral‐rich springs in central Canada

• Published in: Ecography
• Main Authors: Fraser, D., Reardon, E.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Wiley 1980
• Subjects: Canada; Alces alces
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0587.1980.tb00706.x; https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1111%2Fj.1600-0587.1980.tb00706.x; https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1600-0587.1980.tb00706.x

Natural mineral‐rich springs which attract moose Alces alces and white‐tailed deer Odocoileus virginianus were studied in a small area in central Canada. The spring water was particularly rich in Na and Cl but also contained levels of K, Ca, Mg, HCO 3 and Mn higher than nearby stream water. In a selection experiment near a natural spring, aqueous solutions of NaCl, NaHCO 3 and Na 2 SO 4 were consumed consistently by the animals while salts of K, Ca and Mg were not. Isotope analysis indicates that the spring waters are part of a modern and probably localized flow system. Evaporite minerals and extensive fractures in the local sedimentary bedrock appear to account for the salt content of the spring waters.