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Diet and nutrient balance of red panda in Nepal
- Source :
- Die Naturwissenschaften. 102(9-10)
- Publication Year :
- 2015
-
Abstract
- We identified the winter plant species consumed by red panda in the Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve of eastern Nepal and compared this to the early-summer diet which was determined previously by Panthi et al. (2012). In addition, we estimated the proximate nutritional content of the leaves identified in red panda diet for both seasons, and we used nutritional geometry to explore macronutrient balance of leaves from the two different sampling periods. We identified six different plants in winter scats, which were the same as found in the previously determined early-summer diet. Arundinaria spp. bamboos were the main species found (82.1 % relative frequency), followed by Acer spp. (6.3 %), Betula utilis (4.6 %), Quercus semicarpifolia (3.7 %), Berberis spp. (1.3 %), and lichens (1.0 %), leaving 2.0 % unidentified. Geometric analysis suggested that the macronutrient balance of seasonal diets were similar in nutrient balance to the most frequently consumed Arundinaria spp. Differences in macronutrient balance may indicate seasonal nutrient preferences, such as increased carbohydrate intake in winter for thermogenesis, and increased protein and lipid intake in early summer to support reproduction and lactation; however, these differences may also indicate differences in resource availability. Habitat conserved for red panda in the region should include sufficient Arundinaria spp. as well as lesser consumed plants which may serve as complimentary foods.
- Subjects :
- Conservation of Natural Resources
media_common.quotation_subject
General Medicine
Biology
Proximate
biology.organism_classification
Diet
Plant Leaves
Arundinaria
Feces
Nutrient
Animal science
Nepal
Ailuridae
Botany
Berberis
Animals
Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena
Seasons
Reproduction
Betula utilis
Lichen
Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
media_common
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 14321904
- Volume :
- 102
- Issue :
- 9-10
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Die Naturwissenschaften
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....e1cac5dbe73452dcf3a13775fcc0dd79