Grey Squirrel Food preferences: The effects of tannin and fat concentration
Smallwood PD and Peters WD. 1986. Grey Squirrel Food preferences: The effects of tannin and fat concentration. Ecology. 67(1):168-174
A study was made to directly test the effects of tannin and fat on the food preferences of free-ranging grey squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis). Using food items processed from white oak (Quercus alba) acorns with various amounts of tannin and fat added, it was found that added tannin significantly reduces the probability that a food item will be eaten and the length of time spent eating it. The addition of fat attenuated the effects of tannin, but the overall effect was that squirrels did not forage in a manner that maximized daily energy intake. These results are contrary to the findings of previous studies. A hypothesis is presented to account for the apparent contradiction: the squirrels may maximize energy intake over the entire autumn/winter season rather than over a shorter period, such as each foraging bout or day.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Smallwood, Peter; Peters, William
- Units
- SODN
- Keywords
- Diet selection, foraging strategies, Lipids, oak mast, optimal foraging, Quercus, sciurids, Seed Dispersal, seed predation, tannin