Factors Affecting Diet Variation in the Pyrenean Rock Ptarmigan (Lagopus muta pyrenaica): Conservation Implications.
The Pyrenean rock ptarmigan (Lagopus muta pyrenaica) lives at one of the southernmost limits of the ptarmigan range. Their small population sizes and the impacts of global changes are limiting factors in the conservation of this threatened subspecies. An effective conservation policy requires precis...
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:183e4010b81a4819aacdfe4a37415850 2023-05-15T15:14:37+02:00 Factors Affecting Diet Variation in the Pyrenean Rock Ptarmigan (Lagopus muta pyrenaica): Conservation Implications. Ricardo García-González Arantza Aldezabal Nere Amaia Laskurain Antoni Margalida Claude Novoa 2016-01-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0148614 https://doaj.org/article/183e4010b81a4819aacdfe4a37415850 EN eng Public Library of Science (PLoS) http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC4749312?pdf=render https://doaj.org/toc/1932-6203 1932-6203 doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0148614 https://doaj.org/article/183e4010b81a4819aacdfe4a37415850 PLoS ONE, Vol 11, Iss 2, p e0148614 (2016) Medicine R Science Q article 2016 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0148614 2022-12-31T16:25:09Z The Pyrenean rock ptarmigan (Lagopus muta pyrenaica) lives at one of the southernmost limits of the ptarmigan range. Their small population sizes and the impacts of global changes are limiting factors in the conservation of this threatened subspecies. An effective conservation policy requires precise basic knowledge of a species' food and habitat requirements, information that is practically non-existent for this Pyrenean population. Here, we describe the diet of a ptarmigan population in the Eastern Pyrenees, the environmental factors influencing its variability and the relationship between diet floristic composition and quality. Diet composition was determined by microhistological analysis of faeces and diet quality was estimated from free-urate faecal N content. Our results show that grouse diet is based mainly on arctic-alpine shrubs of the Ericaceae family, as well as dwarf willows (Salix spp.) and Dryas octopetala. The most frequently consumed plant species was Rhododendron ferrugineum, but its abundance in the diet was negatively related to the diet nitrogen content. Conversely, the abundance of Salix spp., grass leaves and arthropods increased the nitrogen content of the diet. Seasonality associated with snow-melting contributed the most to variability in the Pyrenean ptarmigan diet, differentiating winter from spring/summer diets. The latter was characterised by a high consumption of dwarf willows, flowers, arthropods and tender forb leaves. Geographic area and sex-age class influenced diet variability to a lesser extent. Current temperature increases in the Pyrenees due to global warming may reduce the persistence and surface area of snow-packs where preferred plants for rock ptarmigan usually grow, thus reducing food availability. The high consumption of Rh. ferrugineum characterised the diet of the Pyrenean population. Given the toxicity of this plant for most herbivores, its potential negative effect on Pyrenean ptarmigan populations should be evaluated. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Dryas octopetala Global warming Lagopus muta rock ptarmigan Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Arctic PLOS ONE 11 2 e0148614 |
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topic |
Medicine R Science Q |
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Medicine R Science Q Ricardo García-González Arantza Aldezabal Nere Amaia Laskurain Antoni Margalida Claude Novoa Factors Affecting Diet Variation in the Pyrenean Rock Ptarmigan (Lagopus muta pyrenaica): Conservation Implications. |
topic_facet |
Medicine R Science Q |
description |
The Pyrenean rock ptarmigan (Lagopus muta pyrenaica) lives at one of the southernmost limits of the ptarmigan range. Their small population sizes and the impacts of global changes are limiting factors in the conservation of this threatened subspecies. An effective conservation policy requires precise basic knowledge of a species' food and habitat requirements, information that is practically non-existent for this Pyrenean population. Here, we describe the diet of a ptarmigan population in the Eastern Pyrenees, the environmental factors influencing its variability and the relationship between diet floristic composition and quality. Diet composition was determined by microhistological analysis of faeces and diet quality was estimated from free-urate faecal N content. Our results show that grouse diet is based mainly on arctic-alpine shrubs of the Ericaceae family, as well as dwarf willows (Salix spp.) and Dryas octopetala. The most frequently consumed plant species was Rhododendron ferrugineum, but its abundance in the diet was negatively related to the diet nitrogen content. Conversely, the abundance of Salix spp., grass leaves and arthropods increased the nitrogen content of the diet. Seasonality associated with snow-melting contributed the most to variability in the Pyrenean ptarmigan diet, differentiating winter from spring/summer diets. The latter was characterised by a high consumption of dwarf willows, flowers, arthropods and tender forb leaves. Geographic area and sex-age class influenced diet variability to a lesser extent. Current temperature increases in the Pyrenees due to global warming may reduce the persistence and surface area of snow-packs where preferred plants for rock ptarmigan usually grow, thus reducing food availability. The high consumption of Rh. ferrugineum characterised the diet of the Pyrenean population. Given the toxicity of this plant for most herbivores, its potential negative effect on Pyrenean ptarmigan populations should be evaluated. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Ricardo García-González Arantza Aldezabal Nere Amaia Laskurain Antoni Margalida Claude Novoa |
author_facet |
Ricardo García-González Arantza Aldezabal Nere Amaia Laskurain Antoni Margalida Claude Novoa |
author_sort |
Ricardo García-González |
title |
Factors Affecting Diet Variation in the Pyrenean Rock Ptarmigan (Lagopus muta pyrenaica): Conservation Implications. |
title_short |
Factors Affecting Diet Variation in the Pyrenean Rock Ptarmigan (Lagopus muta pyrenaica): Conservation Implications. |
title_full |
Factors Affecting Diet Variation in the Pyrenean Rock Ptarmigan (Lagopus muta pyrenaica): Conservation Implications. |
title_fullStr |
Factors Affecting Diet Variation in the Pyrenean Rock Ptarmigan (Lagopus muta pyrenaica): Conservation Implications. |
title_full_unstemmed |
Factors Affecting Diet Variation in the Pyrenean Rock Ptarmigan (Lagopus muta pyrenaica): Conservation Implications. |
title_sort |
factors affecting diet variation in the pyrenean rock ptarmigan (lagopus muta pyrenaica): conservation implications. |
publisher |
Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
publishDate |
2016 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0148614 https://doaj.org/article/183e4010b81a4819aacdfe4a37415850 |
geographic |
Arctic |
geographic_facet |
Arctic |
genre |
Arctic Dryas octopetala Global warming Lagopus muta rock ptarmigan |
genre_facet |
Arctic Dryas octopetala Global warming Lagopus muta rock ptarmigan |
op_source |
PLoS ONE, Vol 11, Iss 2, p e0148614 (2016) |
op_relation |
http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC4749312?pdf=render https://doaj.org/toc/1932-6203 1932-6203 doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0148614 https://doaj.org/article/183e4010b81a4819aacdfe4a37415850 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0148614 |
container_title |
PLOS ONE |
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11 |
container_issue |
2 |
container_start_page |
e0148614 |
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