Potential nutritional limitations for black-tailed deer in a spruce-hemlock forest, southeastern Alaska
Hanley TA and McKendrick JD. 1985. Potential nutritional limitations for black-tailed deer in a spruce-hemlock forest, southeastern Alaska. The Journal of Wildlife Management. 49(1):103-114
Biomass of current annual growth of vascular understory species was monitored over an annual cycle in an old-growth forest on Admiralty Island, southeastern Alaska. Fecal pellets of Sitka black-tailed deer (Odocoileus hemionus sitkensis) were collected monthly, and their plant species composition was determined microhistologically. The roles of digestible energy, protein, and phosphorus as potential limitations for deer productivity and survival were evaluated by comparing estimated dietary intake with estimated metabolic requirements. Biomass of current annual growth varied from 430 kg/ha in late June to 80 kg/ha in mid-March. Deer diets indicated a general preference ranking of herbs (exclusive of graminoids) > shrubs > conifers throughout the year. Under snow-free winter conditions, no single nutritional factor was most limiting. When herb-layer forages were buried by snow, estimated in vitro dry-matter digestibility of the diet decreased from 58 to 38%, and digestible energy became the most important factor. The need for a better understanding of protein digestibility and phosphorus requirements was indicated.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Hanley, Thomas; McKendrick, Jay
- Units
- GLBA , KLGO , SEAN , SITK
- Keywords
- Diet, Foraging, Mammals, Nutrition, Odocoileus hemionus sitkensis, Old-Growth Forest, Sitka Black-Tailed Deer, Ungulates