Ants as food for Apennine brown bears
The value of ants to bears is a topic of substantial relevance for the small and highly endangered population of Apennine brown bears (Ursus arctos marsicanus) in central Italy. Following a previous food-habit study (2006–2009) based on scat analysis, we used the same data set to further investigate...
Published in: | The European Zoological Journal |
---|---|
Main Authors: | , , |
Other Authors: | , , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Taylor and Francis Ltd.
2018
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/11573/1168856 https://doi.org/10.1080/24750263.2018.1511762 |
id |
ftunivromairis:oai:iris.uniroma1.it:11573/1168856 |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
ftunivromairis:oai:iris.uniroma1.it:11573/1168856 2024-04-14T08:20:40+00:00 Ants as food for Apennine brown bears E. Tosoni M. Mei P. Ciucci Tosoni, E. Mei, M. Ciucci, P. 2018 http://hdl.handle.net/11573/1168856 https://doi.org/10.1080/24750263.2018.1511762 eng eng Taylor and Francis Ltd. info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/wos/WOS:000453845800001 volume:85 issue:1 firstpage:342 lastpage:348 numberofpages:7 journal:THE EUROPEAN ZOOLOGICAL JOURNAL http://hdl.handle.net/11573/1168856 doi:10.1080/24750263.2018.1511762 info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/scopus/2-s2.0-85052908363 info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess ant Apennine brown bear food habit myrmecophagy Ursus arctos marsicanu Animal Science and Zoology info:eu-repo/semantics/article 2018 ftunivromairis https://doi.org/10.1080/24750263.2018.1511762 2024-03-21T19:17:55Z The value of ants to bears is a topic of substantial relevance for the small and highly endangered population of Apennine brown bears (Ursus arctos marsicanus) in central Italy. Following a previous food-habit study (2006–2009) based on scat analysis, we used the same data set to further investigate patterns of ant consumption by Apennine bears at a greater taxonomic and temporal resolution. We observed a great diversity of ant species in bear scats, comprising 15 genera and > 42 species. Bears most frequently consumed ants living in open grassland and forest edges, belonging to five genera: Formica, Lasius, Tetramorium, Camponotus and Myrmica. Specifically, yellow Lasius spp., Serviformica spp., Lasius s. str. spp., and Tetramorium spp. were most represented in the bear diet, followed by Formica pratensis, Camponotus spp., Myrmica spp. and Formica sanguinea. Yellow Lasius spp. yielded the highest number of individuals per bear scat, outnumbering any other ant taxon. During the years of our study, ant consumption by bears peaked between June and July and corresponded to a higher occurrence of brood in the scats. Our results are useful to inform habitat management, especially in light of expected natural and anthropogenic changes. However, further investigation is necessary to unveil behavioural and ecological correlates of myrmecophagy in Apennine brown bears. Article in Journal/Newspaper Ursus arctos Sapienza Università di Roma: CINECA IRIS The European Zoological Journal 85 1 342 348 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Sapienza Università di Roma: CINECA IRIS |
op_collection_id |
ftunivromairis |
language |
English |
topic |
ant Apennine brown bear food habit myrmecophagy Ursus arctos marsicanu Animal Science and Zoology |
spellingShingle |
ant Apennine brown bear food habit myrmecophagy Ursus arctos marsicanu Animal Science and Zoology E. Tosoni M. Mei P. Ciucci Ants as food for Apennine brown bears |
topic_facet |
ant Apennine brown bear food habit myrmecophagy Ursus arctos marsicanu Animal Science and Zoology |
description |
The value of ants to bears is a topic of substantial relevance for the small and highly endangered population of Apennine brown bears (Ursus arctos marsicanus) in central Italy. Following a previous food-habit study (2006–2009) based on scat analysis, we used the same data set to further investigate patterns of ant consumption by Apennine bears at a greater taxonomic and temporal resolution. We observed a great diversity of ant species in bear scats, comprising 15 genera and > 42 species. Bears most frequently consumed ants living in open grassland and forest edges, belonging to five genera: Formica, Lasius, Tetramorium, Camponotus and Myrmica. Specifically, yellow Lasius spp., Serviformica spp., Lasius s. str. spp., and Tetramorium spp. were most represented in the bear diet, followed by Formica pratensis, Camponotus spp., Myrmica spp. and Formica sanguinea. Yellow Lasius spp. yielded the highest number of individuals per bear scat, outnumbering any other ant taxon. During the years of our study, ant consumption by bears peaked between June and July and corresponded to a higher occurrence of brood in the scats. Our results are useful to inform habitat management, especially in light of expected natural and anthropogenic changes. However, further investigation is necessary to unveil behavioural and ecological correlates of myrmecophagy in Apennine brown bears. |
author2 |
Tosoni, E. Mei, M. Ciucci, P. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
E. Tosoni M. Mei P. Ciucci |
author_facet |
E. Tosoni M. Mei P. Ciucci |
author_sort |
E. Tosoni |
title |
Ants as food for Apennine brown bears |
title_short |
Ants as food for Apennine brown bears |
title_full |
Ants as food for Apennine brown bears |
title_fullStr |
Ants as food for Apennine brown bears |
title_full_unstemmed |
Ants as food for Apennine brown bears |
title_sort |
ants as food for apennine brown bears |
publisher |
Taylor and Francis Ltd. |
publishDate |
2018 |
url |
http://hdl.handle.net/11573/1168856 https://doi.org/10.1080/24750263.2018.1511762 |
genre |
Ursus arctos |
genre_facet |
Ursus arctos |
op_relation |
info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/wos/WOS:000453845800001 volume:85 issue:1 firstpage:342 lastpage:348 numberofpages:7 journal:THE EUROPEAN ZOOLOGICAL JOURNAL http://hdl.handle.net/11573/1168856 doi:10.1080/24750263.2018.1511762 info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/scopus/2-s2.0-85052908363 |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1080/24750263.2018.1511762 |
container_title |
The European Zoological Journal |
container_volume |
85 |
container_issue |
1 |
container_start_page |
342 |
op_container_end_page |
348 |
_version_ |
1796299050393272320 |