Food habits of sika deer as assessed by fecal analysis in Mt. Ohdaigahara,central Japan |
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| Authors: | Shotaro Yokoyama Toru Koizumi Ei'ichi Shibata |
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| Institution: | (1) School of Agricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, 464-01 Nagoya, Japan;(2) Kansai Research Center, Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, 612 Kyoto, Japan;(3) Present address: Kyushu Research Center, Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, 860 Kumamoto, Japan |
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| Abstract: | Food habits of sika deer,Cervus nippon centralis temminck, in Mt. Ohdaigahara, central Japan, were investigated by the fecal analysis method from September, 1990, to June,
1991. The fecal analysis showed that the percentage ofSasa nipponica Makino et Shibata in the fecal composition was approximately 50% throughout the year, indicating that it was the main food
plant. Bark and twigs were also found in the feces in all seasons, suggesting that the deer ate bark throughout the year.
Even though the amount of the bark eaten per capita was small, the high density of deer may possibly cause serious bark damage.
Barking can be one of the main causes of the mortality ofPicea jezoensis Sieb. et Zucc. var.hondoensis (Mayr) Rehder andAbies homolepis Sieb. et Zucc. in Mt. Ohdaigahara.
A part of this study was presented at the 105th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Forestry Society (1994). |
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| Keywords: | barking Cervus nippon fecal analysis food habits Mt Ohdaigahara |
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