Energetic Production by Soft and Hard Mast Foods of American Black Bears in the Smoky Mountains
Inman RM and Pelton MR. 2002. Energetic Production by Soft and Hard Mast Foods of American Black Bears in the Smoky Mountains. Ursus. 13:57-68
ABSTRACT: Abstract: We measured caloric production by 19 species of vegetation used as food by American black bears (Ursus americanus) in Great Smoky Mountains National Park to determine the significance of production by mast type, season, and species. Mean annual production by all species 351,209 cal/ha. Hard mast produced 74.5% (16.0 billion cal) of total calories available on the study area; soft mast produced 25.5% (5.5 billion Gross energetic content of soft and hard mast did not differ (P = 0.488, n = 19). Mid-summer was the lowest period of production. Northern (Quercus rubra) produced 65.7% of calories; squawroot (Conopholis americana) produced 15.8%, and huckleberries (Gaylussacia spp.) produced 5.1 %. A white oak (Q. alba and Q. prinus) mast failure occurred, and white oaks produced only 5.1% of calories. Oaks are likely the single influential genera affecting bear ecology in the southern Appalachians. However, availability of soft mast likely has a substantial impact populations because of the timing of production, nutrients available, and its function as a surrogate during hard mast failure. Further study is needed to determine the effects of soft mast abundance on age of primiparity, litter interval, recruitment, and density. Once the roles of major foods are understood, appropriate habitat compositions and silvicultural prescriptions may be defined.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Inman, Robert; Pelton, Michael
- Units
- GRSM
- Keywords
- American black bear, americanus, APHN, Appalachian Highlands Network, Carya, Conopholis, energy, Gaylussacia, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, GRSM, GRSM-00025, Mammalia, mast, Nyssa, Prunus, Quercus, Rubus, SER, Smilax, Smoky Mountains, Southeast Region, Vaccinium, Vitis, wildlife management