Prey Hair and Bone Recovery in Ermine Scats
- 1 October 1988
- journal article
- research article
- Published by JSTOR in The Journal of Wildlife Management
- Vol. 52 (4) , 657-660
- https://doi.org/10.2307/3800926
Abstract
We examined the relationship of hair (y1) and bone (y2) weight to body weight (x) in meadow voles (Microtus pennsylvanicus). The regressions were linear in both cases: y1 = 0.1541 + 0.0195x (r2 = 0.84), y2 = 0.3776 + 0.0402x (r2 = 0.89). These equations were used to estimate hair and bone consumed when ermine (Mustela erminea) were fed meadow voles. Apparent digestibilities of these components were -5 and 60%, respectively, and did not differ (P < 0.05) between male and female ermine. These values are sustantially lower than those previously reported for hair and bone digestibility in other predators. Such variability must be explained if scat analysis data is to be used to reconstruct diets in carnivores.This publication has 5 references indexed in Scilit:
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