Food habits of genetically identified pine marten (Martes martes) expanding in agricultural lowlands (NW Italy)

• Autorzy: Balestrieri A. , Remonti L. , Ruiz-Gozalez A. , Vergara M. , Capelli E. , Gomez-Moliner B. J. , Prigioni C.
• Języki publikacji: EN

Abstrakty

EN

We assessed the diet of pine marten (Martes martes) expanding in the heavily human-altered agricultural plain of the River Po, northern Italy. Between February 2008 and November 2009, surveys were carried out twice a week during seasonal sampling sessions of three to four consecutive weeks. To distinguish the faecal samples from those of sympatric carnivores, a polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism method was applied. The availability of small mammals was assessed by the analysis of 59 barn owl (Tyto alba) pellets. A total of 109 pine marten faeces were analysed. Its diet consisted of fruit, rodents, lagomorphs and birds. Seasonal variation occurred for fruit, which prevailed in summer, and rodents, which were more preyed upon in autumn. In winter, the diet of the pine marten was almost totally based on vertebrates, and lagomorphs were the main source of protein in summer. Use of small mammals differed significantly from their availability, voles, particularly bank vole Myodes glareolus, being preferred to mice (Apodemus sp.) and rats (Rattus sp.). Medium-size mammals formed about 18% of pine marten diet, a value generally reported for high-latitude habitats. In agricultural areas, the pine marten proved to be an opportunistic predator, able to face the reduced availability of small mammals by preying upon medium-size prey and fruit.

• Wydawca: -
• Czasopismo: Acta Theriologica
• Rocznik: 2011
• Tom: 56
• Numer: 3
• Opis fizyczny: p.199-207,fig.,ref.

Twórcy

autor

Balestrieri A.

• Department of Animal Biology, University of Pavia, via Taramelli 22, Pavia 27100, Italy

autor

Remonti L.

• Department of Animal Biology, University of Pavia, via Taramelli 22, Pavia 27100, Italy

autor

Ruiz-Gozalez A.

• Zoology Laboratory, Department of Zoology and Animal Cell Biology, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad del Pais Vasco (UPV-EHU), C/Paseo de la Universidad 7, Vitoria-Gasteiz 01006, Spain

autor

Vergara M.

• Zoology Laboratory, Department of Zoology and Animal Cell Biology, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad del Pais Vasco (UPV-EHU), C/Paseo de la Universidad 7, Vitoria-Gasteiz 01006, Spain

autor

Capelli E.

• Department of Animal Biology, University of Pavia, via Taramelli 22, Pavia 27100, Italy

autor

Gomez-Moliner B. J.

• Zoology Laboratory, Department of Zoology and Animal Cell Biology, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad del Pais Vasco (UPV-EHU), C/Paseo de la Universidad 7, Vitoria-Gasteiz 01006, Spain

autor

Prigioni C.

• Department of Animal Biology, University of Pavia, via Taramelli 22, Pavia 27100, Italy

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Identyfikatory

DOI

10.1007/s13364-010-0015-8