|
|
 |
Food habits v Mediterranean altitudes
Journal
Canadian Journal of Zoology,
Volume 82, Number 1, 1 January 2004, pp. 41-51(11)
- NRC Research Press
Authors
Virgós E.; Mangas J.G.; Blanco-Aguiar J.A.; Garrote G.; Almagro N.; Viso R.P.
Abstract
Food habits of European badgers (Meles meles) along an altitudinal gradient of Mediterranean environments: a field test of the earthworm specialization hypothesis
Food specialization by badgers is a largely debated controversy. Data from Mediterranean areas indicate small importance of
earthworms in badger diet and support the idea that badgers are generalist
predators. Nevertheless, only dry areas have been sampled so far. We
studied badger diet in six areas along an elevation gradient with
different rainfall and habitat conditions, which influenced earthworm
availability. We evaluated the influence of earthworm availability on
badger diet along this environmental gradient. Badgers used a wide
range of prey items in the different habitats and seasons sampled. In
contrast with other Mediterranean studies, earthworms made an important
contribution to badger diet (27% of estimated volume). Earthworm
occurrence in the diet was high in elevated and wet habitats and in
spring and autumn–winter. Earthworm consumption was nonlinearly related
to availability, indicating high intake compared with availability in
wet areas. Moreover, in summer, availability was virtually zero in all
habitats, whereas consumption averaged 15% volume of the diet. We
tentatively suggest that badgers compensate for variations in earthworm
availability by changing their foraging tactics. This suggests that
badgers could be viewed as specialist foragers for earthworms in some
Mediterranean environments.
Web site
|
|
|
