Forage offering and seasonal intake comparisons to evaluate European rabbit threat in Nothofagus forests of southern Patagonia  

作　　者：Alejandro Huertas Herrera Mónica Toro‑Manríquez Laura Borrelli María Vanessa Lencinas Guillermo Martínez Pastur 

机构地区：[1]Centro de Investigación en Ecosistemas de la Patagonia(CIEP),Camino Baguales s/n Km 4,Coyhaique,Chile [2]Ulterarius Consultores Ambientales y Científicos Ltda.,Ignacio Serrano 420,Coyhaique,Chile [3]Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria(INTA),EEA Bariloche,Modesta Victoria 4450,8400 San Carlos de Bariloche,Río Negro,Argentina [4]Laboratorio de Recursos Agroforestales,Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas(CADIC),Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas(CONICET),Houssay 200,9410 Ushuaia,Tierra del Fuego,Argentina.

出　　处：《Ecological Processes》2022年第1期604-617,共14页生态过程（英文）

摘　　要：Background:The European rabbit(Oryctolagus cuniculus L.1758)was introduced into different regions of the world,generating significant trade‑offs that critically impacted native vegetation.Here,we evaluate the rabbit’s forage intakes in three vegetation types(forests,shrublands,and grasslands)along the four seasons in a temperate forest landscape in Southern Patagonia and discuss the potential threats over native vegetation.We formulated the following questions:(i)what is the forage offer at each vegetation type?(ii)what is the rabbit’s forage intake and how it varied across the seasons along the year?and(iii)which vegetation types and plant life forms were more used according to the rabbit’s forage intakes?Methods:We censused understory vegetation to characterize the forage offer at each vegetation type and determined seasonal dietary intakes using microhistological analysis of pellets.The plant species identified in the field were grouped according to life form classes(tree regeneration,shrubs,forbs,graminoids,orchids,ferns,bryophytes,and hemiparasites).Data were analysed through uni‑and multi‑variate analyses,determining relationships between forage offer and the rabbit’s forage intakes.Results:Forage intakes revealed changes in plant life form consumption across vegetation types,where intake pressure was considerably different for tree regeneration(p=0.001),graminoids(p=0.001),and hemiparasites(p=0.001).Besides,significant changes in consumption among seasons were detected for shrubs(p=0.001),ferns(p=0.030),and hemiparasites(p=0.002).Although many species play an important role in the rabbit’s forage intake networks(e.g.,Chiliotrichum diffusum,Holcus lanatus),the strongest intake linkages were found in exotic grasses(e.g.,Poa pratensis and Festuca sp.),native hemiparasites(e.g.,Misodendrum sp.),native shrubs(e.g.,Empetrum rubrum),and native trees(e.g.,Nothofagus sp.).The summer and autumn seasons presented higher intake compared to the winter and spring seasons.Furthermore,hemiparasites intake(

关 键 词：Forest ecology Oryctolagus cuniculus Plant-animal interaction Vegetation type HERBIVORY Habitat use 

分 类 号：Q94[生物学—植物学]