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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ftunivbern:oai:boris.unibe.ch:93746 2023-08-20T04:05:00+02:00 Factors Affecting Diet Variation in the Pyrenean Rock Ptarmigan (Lagopus muta pyrenaica): Conservation Implications García-González, Ricardo Aldezabal, Arantza Laskurain, Nere Amaia Margalida, Antoni Novoa, Claude 2016 application/pdf https://boris.unibe.ch/93746/1/Garci%CC%81a-Gonza%CC%81lez_PLoSONE2016a.pdf https://boris.unibe.ch/93746/ eng eng Public Library of Science https://boris.unibe.ch/93746/ info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess García-González, Ricardo; Aldezabal, Arantza; Laskurain, Nere Amaia; Margalida, Antoni; Novoa, Claude (2016). Factors Affecting Diet Variation in the Pyrenean Rock Ptarmigan (Lagopus muta pyrenaica): Conservation Implications. PLoS ONE, 11(2), e0148614. Public Library of Science 10.1371/journal.pone.0148614 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0148614> 570 Life sciences biology 590 Animals (Zoology) info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion PeerReviewed 2016 ftunivbern https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0148614 2023-07-31T21:32:12Z 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 BORIS (Bern Open Repository and Information System, University of Bern) Arctic PLOS ONE 11 2 e0148614 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
BORIS (Bern Open Repository and Information System, University of Bern) |
op_collection_id |
ftunivbern |
language |
English |
topic |
570 Life sciences biology 590 Animals (Zoology) |
spellingShingle |
570 Life sciences biology 590 Animals (Zoology) García-González, Ricardo Aldezabal, Arantza Laskurain, Nere Amaia Margalida, Antoni Novoa, Claude Factors Affecting Diet Variation in the Pyrenean Rock Ptarmigan (Lagopus muta pyrenaica): Conservation Implications |
topic_facet |
570 Life sciences biology 590 Animals (Zoology) |
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 |
García-González, Ricardo Aldezabal, Arantza Laskurain, Nere Amaia Margalida, Antoni Novoa, Claude |
author_facet |
García-González, Ricardo Aldezabal, Arantza Laskurain, Nere Amaia Margalida, Antoni Novoa, Claude |
author_sort |
García-González, Ricardo |
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 |
publishDate |
2016 |
url |
https://boris.unibe.ch/93746/1/Garci%CC%81a-Gonza%CC%81lez_PLoSONE2016a.pdf https://boris.unibe.ch/93746/ |
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 |
García-González, Ricardo; Aldezabal, Arantza; Laskurain, Nere Amaia; Margalida, Antoni; Novoa, Claude (2016). Factors Affecting Diet Variation in the Pyrenean Rock Ptarmigan (Lagopus muta pyrenaica): Conservation Implications. PLoS ONE, 11(2), e0148614. Public Library of Science 10.1371/journal.pone.0148614 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0148614> |
op_relation |
https://boris.unibe.ch/93746/ |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0148614 |
container_title |
PLOS ONE |
container_volume |
11 |
container_issue |
2 |
container_start_page |
e0148614 |
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1774715427981623296 |