Seasonal and annual variation in the food habits of Apennine brown bears, central Italy

摘要: Abstract Only scanty and outdated knowledge is available on the food habits of Apennine brown bear (Ursus arctos marsicanus) population, despite its critical conservation status. Based 2,359 scats, collected from June 2006 through December 2009, we documented seasonal annual variation in diet this population within 1,294-km2 core distribution Abruzzo, Lazio, Molise National Park external buffer area central Italy. Using correction factors to estimate digestible energy, revealed substantial consumption plant matter by bears, including herbaceous vegetation spring (mean ± SD; 31.7% 25%) early summer (19.0% 7%), a variety naturally occurring berries (56.5% 14%), hard mast (66.9% 21%), largely supplemented fleshy fruits (26.3% 18%), fall. Bears also consumed insects, mostly ants, (38.3% wild ungulates (10.2% 11%). Hard production strongly influenced year-to-year ...