Seasonal variation in the diet of wild rabbits Oryctolagus cuniculus on a semiarid Atlantic island [Alegranza, Canarian Archipelago]

• Autorzy: Martin M. C. , Marrero P. , Nogales M.
• Języki publikacji: EN

Abstrakty

EN

The diet of the wild rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus (Linnaeus, 1758) on Alegranza Island (Canary Islands) was studied by microhistological examination of faecal samples. We compared the presence of each food-plant species in the faeces across a year in comparison with plant availability. Two areas were studied, Llano de la Vega and La Caldera. At the first site, Suaeda vera and Chenoleoides tomentosa were the most common plants, while at the latter it was Euphorbia regis-jubae. In general, species belonging to the Chenopodiaceae were most commonly eaten by rabbits. Plants such as Chenoleoides tomentosa and Salsola vermiculata were most important in the diet in every season. Levin's niche-breadth was broader across the seasons in the study site of La Caldera than at Llano de la Vega. Furthermore, this parameter yielded the highest values (broadest niche) during the spring at both sites. Most important plants eaten by rabbits showed green vegetative parts through all seasons. Rabbits selected some plants independently of their availability, even in this reduced insular environment. The feeding behaviour of rabbits in Alegranza, selecting certain species, must have had important consequences on the composition and distribution of the vegetation over the years. This negative effect on island vegetation has been shown to occur on many oceanic islands of the world where rabbits have been introduced.

Słowa kluczowe

EN

diet; Canary Islands; Oryctolagus cuniculus; Atlantic island; wild rabbit; seasonal variation; food selection; plant availability; rabbit

• Wydawca: -
• Czasopismo: Acta Theriologica
• Rocznik: 2003
• Tom: 48
• Numer: 3
• Opis fizyczny: p.399-410,fig.

Twórcy

autor

Martin M. C.

• Universidad de La Laguna, E-38206, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain

autor

Marrero P.

autor

Nogales M.

Bibliografia

• Catling P. C. and Newsome A. E. 1992. A new technique to determine the seasonal changes in the quality of food selected by free ranging rabbits. [In: Mediterranean-type ecosystems. C. A. Thanos, ed]. Proceedings of the 6th International Conference on Mediterranean-type ecosystems. Meleme, Crete, University of Athens, Athens: 177–182.
• Cerván M. and Pardo F. 1997. Dispersión de semillas de Retama (Retama spaerocarpa L.) por el Conejo (Oryctolagus cuniculus L.) en el centro de España. Doana, Acta Vertebrata 24: 143–154.
• Cervantes F. A. and Martínez J. 1992. Food habits of the rabbitRomerolagus diazi (Leporidae) in central Mexico. Journal of Mammalogy 73: 830–834.
• Chapuis J. L. 1979. Evolution saisanniere du regime alimentaire d’Oryctolagus cuniculus (L.) dans differents types d’habitats, en France. [In: World lagomorph. K. Myers and C. D. MacInnes, eds]. Proceeding of the World Lagomorph Conference, University of Guelph, Ontario: 743–761.
• Chapuis J. L. 1980. Méthodes d’étude du régime alimentaire du lapin de garenne,Oryctolagus cuniculus (L.) par l’analyse micrographique des feces. Revue d’Écologie Terre et Vie 34: 159–198.
• Chapuis J. L. and Barnaud G. 1995. Restauration d’îles de l’archipel de Kerguelen par eradication du lapin (Oryctolagus cuniculus): méthode d’intervention appliquée sur l’île Verte. Revue d’Écologie Terre et Vie 50: 377–390.
• Chapuis J. L., Boussés P., Pisanu B. and Réale D. 2001. Comparative rumen and fecal diet microhistological determinations of European mouflon. Journal of Range Management 54: 239–242.
• Chapuis J. L. and Gaudin J. C. 1995. Utilisation des resources trophiques par le lapin de garenne (Oryctolagus cuniculus) en garrigue sčche aménagée. Gibier Faune Sauvage 12: 213–230.
• Cooke B. D. 1979. Food and dynamics of rabbit populations in inland Australia. [In: World lagomorph. K. Myers and C. D. MacInnes, eds]. Proceeding of the World Lagomorph Conference, University of Guelph, Ontario: 633–647.
• Crawley M. J. 1983. Herbivory. The dynamics of animal-plant interactions. Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford: 1–437.
• Dawson T. J. and Ellis B. A. 1979. Comparison of the diets of yellow-footed rock-wallabies and sympatric herbivores in western New South Wales. Australian Wildlife Research 6: 245–254.
• Duffy S. G., Fairley Mria J. S. and O’Donnell G. 1996. Food of rabbitsOryctolagus cuniculus on upland grasslands in Connemara. Biology and Environment: Proceeding of the Royal Irish Academy 96B: 69–75.
• Flux J. E. C. and Fullagar P. J. 1992. World distribution of the rabbitOryctolagus cuniculus on islands. Mammal Review 22: 151–205.
• Izquierdo I., Martín J. L., Zurita N. and Arechavaleta M. (eds). 2001. Lista de especies silvestres de Canarias (hongos, plantas y animales terrestres). Consejería de Política Territorial y Medio Ambiente, Gobierno de Canarias: 1–437.
• Kent M. and Coker P. 1992. Vegetation description and analysis. Belhaven Press, London: 1–363.
• Krebs C. J. 1989. Ecological methodology. Harper Collins Publisher, New York: 1–654.
• Kunkel G. 1971. La vegetación de La Graciosa y notas sobre Alegranza, Montaña Clara y el Roque del Infierno. Monographiae Biologicae Canariensis 2: 47–63.
• Kunkel G. 1982. Los Riscos de Famara (Lanzarote, Islas Canarias), breve descripción y guía florística. Naturalia Hispanica 22: 1–118.
• Lacoste A. and Salanon R. 1973. Biogeografía. Oikos-Tau S.A., Barcelona: 1–271.
• Malo J. E., Jiménez B. and Suárez F. 1995. Seed bank build-up in small disturbance in a Mediterranean pasture: the contribution of endozoochorous dispersal by rabbit. Ecography 18: 73–82.
• Marrero A. 1991. La flora y vegetación del Parque Natural de Los Islotes del Norte de Lanzarote y Riscos de Famara. Su situación actual. Comunicaçoes apresentadas nas primeras Jornadas Atlânticas de Protecçao do Meio Ambiente, Angra do Heroismo, Azores: 195–211.
• Marrero P. and Martín C. 2000. Spring food preferences of rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus L., 1758) on the Islet of Alegranza (Canarian Archipielago). Zeitschrift für Säugetierkunde 65: 246–250.
• Martín J. L., García H., Redondo C. E., García I. and Carralero I. 1995. La Red Canaria de Espacios Naturales Protegidos. Viceconsejería de Medio Ambiente del Gobierno de Canarias, Santa Cruz de Tenerife: 1–412.
• Martín M. C. and Marrero P. 1999. Dieta primaveral del conejo (Oryctolagus cuniculus L.) en Alegranza, islas Canarias (Lagomorpha, Leporidae). Vieraea 27: 105–113.
• Martínez T. 1988. Utilisation de l’analyse micrographique des fčces pour l’étude du régime alimentaire du bouquetin de la Sierra Nevada (Espagne). Mammalia 52: 465–473.
• Marzol Jaén M. V. 1988. La Lluvia: un Recurso Natural para Canarias. Servicio de publicaciones de la Caja General de Ahorros de Canarias, Santa Cruz de Tenerife: 1–228.
• Matrai K., Altbacker V. and Hahn I. 1998. Seasonal diet of rabbits and their browsing effect on juniper in Bugac Juniper Forest (Hungary). Acta Theriologica 43: 107–112.
• Muñoz J. C. 1993. Consumo de gálbulos de Sabina (Juniperus phoenicea ssp.turbinata Guss, 1981) y dispersión de semillas por el Conejo (Oryctolagus cuniculus L.) en el Parque Nacional de Doana. Doana, Acta Vertebrata 20: 49–58.
• Myers K., Parer I., Wood D. and Cooke D. 1994. The rabbit in Australia. [In: The European rabbit. The history and biology of a successful coloniser. H. V. Thompson and C. M. King, eds]. Oxford Science Publications, Oxford University, Oxford: 108–157.
• Nogales M., Valido A. and Medina F. M. 1995. Frugivory ofPlocama pendula (Rubiaceae) by the rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) in xerophytic zones of Tenerife (Canary Islands). Acta Oecologica 16: 585–591.
• Pérez P. L. and Hernández C. E. 1999. Plantas medicinales o útiles en la flora canaria. Lemus, La Laguna: 1–386.
• Rodrigo J. D. and González M. N. 1984. Los islotes del norte de Lanzarote. Aguayro 151: 13–18.
• Rodríguez-Pieero J. C. and Rodríguez-Luengo J. L. 1993. The effect of herbivores on the endemic Canary flora. Boletim do Museu Municipal do Funchal 2: 265–271.
• Rogers P. M. 1979. The wild rabbit in the Camargue, Southern France. [In: World lagomorph. K. Myers and C. D. MacInnes, eds]. Proceeding of the World Lagomorph Conference, University of Guelph, Ontario: 587–599.
• Rogers P. M., Arthur C. P. and Soriguer R. C. 1994. The rabbit in continental Europe. [In: The European rabbit. The history and biology of a successful coloniser. H. V. Thompson and C. M. King, eds]. Oxford Science Publications, Oxford University, Oxford: 23–63.
• Rosati V. R. and Bucher E. H. 1992. Seasonal diet of the Chacoan cavy (Pediolagus salinicola) in the western Chaco, Argentina. Mammalia 56: 567–574.
• Soriguer R. C. 1988. Alimentación del conejo (Oryctolagus cuniculus L., 1758) en Doana SO, España. Doana, Acta Vertebrata 15: 141–150.
• Torriani L. 1978. Descripción e Historia del Reino de las Islas Canarias Antes Afortunadas, con el Parecer de sus Fortificaciones, 1599. Goya, Santa Cruz de Tenerife: 1–298.
• Villafuerte R., Kufner M. B., Delibes M. and Moreno S. 1993. Environmental factors influencing the seasonal daily activity of the European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) in a Mediterranean area. Mammalia 57: 341–347.
• Wallage-Dress J. M. and Deinum B. 1986. Quality of the select diet by wild rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus (L.)) in autumn and winter. Netherlands Journal of Zoology 36: 438–448.
• Wallage-Dress J. M., Immink H. J., De Bruyn G.-J. and Slim P. A. 1986. The use of fragment-identification to demonstrate short-term changes in the diet of rabbits. Acta Theriologica 31: 293–301.
• Wood D. H. and Lee A. K. 1985. An examination of sodium, potassium and osmotic concetrations in blood and urine of arid-zone rabbits in seasonal field conditions and in the laboratory. Australian Wildlife Research 12: 173–182.