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Grains in the Diets of Medium-Sized Carnivores — A Case of Diplochory?

Kurek P., Holeksa J.

Polish Journal of Ecology

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2015

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Vol. 63, nr 2

286--290

EN

Although most grasses (including cereals) are described as epizoochoric or anemochoric, many authors have shown that grains may be dispersed via the digestive tracts of animals, i.e. are endozoochoric. Cereals have been reported from carnivores' faeces several times; nevertheless, there is no data about the fate (i.e. capacity to germinate) of these grains. The scope of this paper is to focus on the role of medium-sized carnivores as potential secondary dispersers of grains. In 2010–2011, we examined 619 faeces of badgers Meles meles, foxes Vulpes vulpes and martens Martes sp. Faeces were collected every month from June to November in Kampinos National Park (KNP). In seven cases (1.1%) we found 64 grains of a total of two species of cereals: rye, Secale cereale and oats, Avena sativa, in the faeces of red fox and martens, with the red fox samples predominant. Some of the seeds retained the capacity to germinate and to establish seedlings. In two cases, included as accompanying material, feathers of a bird were found, which may suggest secondary dispersal of cereals via carnivores' guts.

2

Carnivore and ungulate populations in the Beydaglari Mountains (Antalya, Turkey) : border region between Asia and Europe

Albayrak T., Giannatos G., Kabasakal B.

Polish Journal of Ecology

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2012

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Vol. 60, nr 2

419-428

EN

Turkey is being a bridge between Europe and Asia and it provides the natural pathway for the spread of species between these continents. The Beydaglar. Mountains and its surroundings (Antalya) host many Asian, European and Mediterranean faunal and floral elements and the location, which is considered as one of the most important faunal areas in Turkey especially for larger mammals. The study is the first systematic survey of the carnivores in the region which is based on photo trapping. The cameras were set at 45 locations for 2055 trap days between 2005-2009 over the area 294 km2 at the altitude 1200-2000 m a.s.l. Most of the species and their individual abundance were recorded in maquis habitat type followed by red pine forest, mixed (red pine and maquis), and cedar forest respectively. The wild animals that were captured included five mammalian carnivore species (red fox Vulpes vulpes, badger Meles meles, stone marten Martes foina, gray wolf Canis lupus and caracal Caracal caracal) and also wild boar Sus scrofa, fallow deer Dama damaand hare Lepus europaeus. Photo trapping activity was mostly recorded between 21:00 and 03:00 hours. Wild terrestrial carnivores occur at low densities in the study area (1.73 for caracal and 0.9 for wolf ind.100 km[^-2]) while the most widespread larger mammal was the wild boar (188 ind.100 km[^-2]). The small fallow deer population was mainly confined in a large (4.2 km2) fenced enclosure and its size was accessed by direct drive count. The results support the hypothesis that Beydaglar. Mountains having the Asian, European and Mediterranean mammals makes the Anatolian Peninsula being a bridge between Europe and Asia. Caracal density was lower than the Datca population in the southern part of Anatolia. This may be consequence of higher human activities in the Beydaglar. Mts. Human activities in the Beydaglar. Mts. should be reduced for sensitive animals to human activities like caracal and wolf and the illegal hunting should be strictly prohibited in the area for viability of the large mammals of Beydaglar. Mts.

3

Effect of felling on the distribution of rodents and their predators in a transitional mixed forest

Sidorovich V., Solovej I., Sidorovich A., Rotenko I.

Polish Journal of Ecology

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2008

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Vol. 56, nr 2

309-321

EN

The influence of felling on the distribution of rodents and their predators in a transitional coniferous-deciduous forest in northern Belarus was investigated in relation to stand age, forest type, and soil richness. The study was conducted in two areas differing by top-grounds (clay and sand soils) and, in turn, having different habitat carrying capacities. Three forest parts were investigated: 1) 10%, 2) 20-30%, and 3) 40-60% covered by recent clearcuts. Three age classes of the clearcuts, namely 1) less than 2 years old, 2) 2-5 years old and 3) 6-12 years old, were considered. In total, we obtained data on small rodent numbers in 84 clearcuts, and the data on predators - in 67 clearcuts and the woodland parts differed by logging rate. Eventually, we became convinced that felling generally led to an increase in the abundance and species richness of rodents and their predators and that was attributable in the clearcuts aged up to 12 years. First, logging led to higher densities of Apodemus mice, the red fox Vulpes vulpes L., weasel Mustela nivalis L., tawny owl Strix aluco L., common buzzard Buteo buteo L. and adder Vipera berus L. Also, with the increased felling rate Microtus voles and the longeared owl Asio otus L. penetrated in transitional woodlands. Too intensive forest harvesting (more than 40% of recent clearcuts) led to the decline in the populations of several predatory species such as the pine marten Martes martes L., Tengmalm.s owl Aegolius funereus L., Ural owl Strix uralensis Pall., and pygmy owl Glaucidium passerinum L. The decline in rodent predators found in the conditions of too intensive logging rate was different in the woodlands on sand and clay top-grounds. In the conditions of clay soil too intensive felling led to the pronounced decline of a marked part of the rodent predatory guild inhabiting woodlands, and the species densities decreased to the level that was lower than the initial one. Conversely, in initially poor habitats in the woodland on sandy deposits, logging of any rate led to the increase in numbers of rodents and their predators compared to undisturbed forest. But moderate logging was found to be the most favourable for the community there.

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Content of heavy metals in bodies of field ground beetles (Coleoptera, carabidae) with respect to selected ecological factors

Purchart L., Kula E.

Polish Journal of Ecology

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2007

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Vol. 55, nr 2

305-314

EN

The concentration of heavy metals in the bodies of invertebrates is dependent on their physiological equipment and prevalent environmental factors. To verify the effect of some of these factors on the content of metals (Pb, Cd, In, Cu, Mn) we analysed and then tested (using RDA, t-test) ten species of field ground beetles (Coleoptera, Carabidae). A significant effect of Cu and Cd was discovered in terms of the sex; the males accumulated more Cu (27.520 mg kg[^-1]) than females (18.297 mg kg[^-1]) (P <0.01), which, on the contrary, accumulated more Cd (1.495 mg kg[^-1]) than males (0.663 mg kg[^-1]) (P <0.02). The content of all the metals differed significantly (P <0.03) according to the species, unambiguously showing species-specific models of accumulation. The effect of the feeding ecology was evident only on the essential elements; carnivores (Zn - 222.596 mg kg[^-1], Cu - 27.211 mg kg[^-1], Mn - 71.929 mg kg[^-1]) had a significantly (P <0.03) higher contents than omnivores (Zn - 168.198 mg kg[^-1], Cu - 21.116 mg kg[^-1], Mn - 58.452 mg kg[^-1]). Although there were differences (P <0.01) in the concentrations of Zn and Cu between the spring (Zn -163.749 mg kg[^-1], Cu - 19.998 mg kg[^-1]1) and autumn (Zn - 202.373 mg kg[^-1], Cu - 25.496 mg kg[^-1]) species, the effect of the type of reproduction is considered to be only partial. At the same time the time of sampling affected the Zn and Mn (P <0.02) content. An important positive correlation was determined between the contents of Cu-Zn, Mn-Zn and Mn-Cu.