NUTRITIONAL QUALITY OF WILLOWS FOR MOOSE: EFFECTS OF TWIG AGE AND DIAMETER
Alaskan moose (Alces alces gigas) consume willow (Salix spp.) as a fundamental component of their winter diet. We collected Barclay willow (S. barclayi) from 5 nearby sites (15-80 m apart) on the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska, USA, during winter 1999-2000. We tested effects of diameter and age of twigs on...
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ftjalces:oai:ojs.pkp.sfu.ca:article/513 2023-05-15T13:13:30+02:00 NUTRITIONAL QUALITY OF WILLOWS FOR MOOSE: EFFECTS OF TWIG AGE AND DIAMETER Spaeth, Douglas F. Bowyer, R. Terry Stephenson, Thomas R. Barboza, Perry S. Van Ballenberghe, Victor 2002-01-01 application/pdf http://alcesjournal.org/index.php/alces/article/view/513 eng eng Lakehead University http://alcesjournal.org/index.php/alces/article/view/513/595 http://alcesjournal.org/index.php/alces/article/view/513 Alces: A Journal Devoted to the Biology and Management of Moose; Vol. 38 (2002): Alces Vol. 38 (2002); 143-154 2293-6629 0835-5851 info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion Peer-reviewed Article 2002 ftjalces 2022-02-12T19:35:49Z Alaskan moose (Alces alces gigas) consume willow (Salix spp.) as a fundamental component of their winter diet. We collected Barclay willow (S. barclayi) from 5 nearby sites (15-80 m apart) on the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska, USA, during winter 1999-2000. We tested effects of diameter and age of twigs on nutritional quality of willows for moose. Smaller-diameter twigs had higher in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD), and protein content, but lower fiber content (P < 0.001) than larger twigs. An inverse relationship occurred between the age of twigs and protein content (P < 0.001), with older-aged twigs containing less protein. Accordingly, age of twigs was negatively related to fiber content (P = 0.002). Conversely, no relation existed between age of twigs and IVDMD (P = 0.34). Tannin content (P < 0.001) and age of twigs (P = 0.04) varied among sites, with older twigs possessing more tannins than younger ones. No difference in tannins, however, occurred between diameter categories of twigs (P = 0.48). Digestible energy differed between diameter categories (P = 0.02) and among ages of twigs (P = 0.02), as well as among collection sites (P < 0.001). Thus, structural components of the twig to support growth were more important in affecting digestibility, whereas age of the twig was more influential in determining nitrogen and tannin content. The relation between twig age and tannin content, however, was the inverse of that expected. More research is needed to understand how quality of winter browse interacts with additional factors, such as predation risk, population density, and allometric differences between sexes, to affect diet selection and foraging behavior of moose and other large herbivores. Article in Journal/Newspaper Alces alces Alaska Alces (A Journal Devoted to the Biology and Management of Moose) Barclay ENVELOPE(-61.000,-61.000,-62.600,-62.600) |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Alces (A Journal Devoted to the Biology and Management of Moose) |
op_collection_id |
ftjalces |
language |
English |
description |
Alaskan moose (Alces alces gigas) consume willow (Salix spp.) as a fundamental component of their winter diet. We collected Barclay willow (S. barclayi) from 5 nearby sites (15-80 m apart) on the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska, USA, during winter 1999-2000. We tested effects of diameter and age of twigs on nutritional quality of willows for moose. Smaller-diameter twigs had higher in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD), and protein content, but lower fiber content (P < 0.001) than larger twigs. An inverse relationship occurred between the age of twigs and protein content (P < 0.001), with older-aged twigs containing less protein. Accordingly, age of twigs was negatively related to fiber content (P = 0.002). Conversely, no relation existed between age of twigs and IVDMD (P = 0.34). Tannin content (P < 0.001) and age of twigs (P = 0.04) varied among sites, with older twigs possessing more tannins than younger ones. No difference in tannins, however, occurred between diameter categories of twigs (P = 0.48). Digestible energy differed between diameter categories (P = 0.02) and among ages of twigs (P = 0.02), as well as among collection sites (P < 0.001). Thus, structural components of the twig to support growth were more important in affecting digestibility, whereas age of the twig was more influential in determining nitrogen and tannin content. The relation between twig age and tannin content, however, was the inverse of that expected. More research is needed to understand how quality of winter browse interacts with additional factors, such as predation risk, population density, and allometric differences between sexes, to affect diet selection and foraging behavior of moose and other large herbivores. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Spaeth, Douglas F. Bowyer, R. Terry Stephenson, Thomas R. Barboza, Perry S. Van Ballenberghe, Victor |
spellingShingle |
Spaeth, Douglas F. Bowyer, R. Terry Stephenson, Thomas R. Barboza, Perry S. Van Ballenberghe, Victor NUTRITIONAL QUALITY OF WILLOWS FOR MOOSE: EFFECTS OF TWIG AGE AND DIAMETER |
author_facet |
Spaeth, Douglas F. Bowyer, R. Terry Stephenson, Thomas R. Barboza, Perry S. Van Ballenberghe, Victor |
author_sort |
Spaeth, Douglas F. |
title |
NUTRITIONAL QUALITY OF WILLOWS FOR MOOSE: EFFECTS OF TWIG AGE AND DIAMETER |
title_short |
NUTRITIONAL QUALITY OF WILLOWS FOR MOOSE: EFFECTS OF TWIG AGE AND DIAMETER |
title_full |
NUTRITIONAL QUALITY OF WILLOWS FOR MOOSE: EFFECTS OF TWIG AGE AND DIAMETER |
title_fullStr |
NUTRITIONAL QUALITY OF WILLOWS FOR MOOSE: EFFECTS OF TWIG AGE AND DIAMETER |
title_full_unstemmed |
NUTRITIONAL QUALITY OF WILLOWS FOR MOOSE: EFFECTS OF TWIG AGE AND DIAMETER |
title_sort |
nutritional quality of willows for moose: effects of twig age and diameter |
publisher |
Lakehead University |
publishDate |
2002 |
url |
http://alcesjournal.org/index.php/alces/article/view/513 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-61.000,-61.000,-62.600,-62.600) |
geographic |
Barclay |
geographic_facet |
Barclay |
genre |
Alces alces Alaska |
genre_facet |
Alces alces Alaska |
op_source |
Alces: A Journal Devoted to the Biology and Management of Moose; Vol. 38 (2002): Alces Vol. 38 (2002); 143-154 2293-6629 0835-5851 |
op_relation |
http://alcesjournal.org/index.php/alces/article/view/513/595 http://alcesjournal.org/index.php/alces/article/view/513 |
_version_ |
1766258744803459072 |