Digestibility of Animal Tissue by Muskrats

Campbell, Kevin L.; MacArthur, Robert A.

doi:10.2307/1382680

Cited by 7 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…1994). The significance of this is readily apparent in the work of Campbell & MacArthur (1996), which showed that the herbivorous muskrat ( Ondatra zibethicus ) can meet its maintenance requirement for nitrogen by consuming diets containing as little as 3% animal tissue. Animal tissue is also a notable component of vole and lemming diets (Batzli 1985).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Examination of the nitrogen limitation hypothesis in non‐cyclic populations of cotton rats (Sigmodon hispidus)

Schetter

Lochmiller

Leslie

et al. 1998

Journal of Animal Ecology

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Summary 0[ Nitrogen!containing nutrients have long been considered a frequently limiting resource to the growth of herbivore populations "nitrogen limitation hypothesis#[ To explore this hypothesis\ we examined the relationships between availability of essential amino acids and concentrations of phenolics in the diets of hispid cotton rats "Sigmodon hispidus# in central Oklahoma and the intrinsic characteristics of their non!cyclic populations[ We posited that lower quality proteins "i[e[ essential amino acid composition# and elevated phenolic levels "protein digestion inhibitors# in diets of cotton rats from low! compared to high!density populations\ especially during the breeding season\ would be supportive of the nitrogen limitation hypothesis[ Replicated low! and high!density populations were censused by live!trapping at 2!month intervals[ Samples of stomach digesta were collected from cotton rats in similar habitats adjacent to trapping grids to determine the botanical and nutrient composition of their diets[ 1[ During the breeding season\ concentrations of essential amino acids were as much as 32) greater in diets of cotton rats from high!density populations[ Dicots\ typically higher in protein than monocots\ were an important component of diets and were preferred forage in all seasonal collections[ Seeds and arthropods were frequently utilized by cotton rats as additional high!quality sources of essential amino acids[ Concentrations of total phenolics in the diet "greater in diets from low!density popu! lations# were consistent with the nitrogen limitation hypothesis[ 2[ Density was consistently higher in the high!density populations throughout the study[ Other demographic and body condition parameters were similar between low! and high!density populations in the non!breeding season\ but reproductive activity was greater in high!density populations during the breeding season[ Total number of juveniles recruited into the trappable population over the entire study was about _ve times greater in high! compared to low!density populations[ 3[ Our data did not refute the nitrogen limitation hypothesis where levels of essential amino acids and phenolic compounds in the diet during the breeding season may determine annual peak densities of cotton rats that can be supported in their habitat[ However\ we could not rule out the involvement of other environmental variables such as overhead cover "as well as other unmeasured variables# as contributing factors to determining annual peak densities[ Key!words] amino acids\ cotton rat\ food quality\ herbivore nutrition\ nitrogen limi! tation\ phenolics\ population dynamics\ Sigmodon hispidus[ Journal of Animal Ecology "0887# 56\ 694Ð610

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Examination of the nitrogen limitation hypothesis in non‐cyclic populations of cotton rats (Sigmodon hispidus)

Schetter

Lochmiller

Leslie

et al. 1998

Journal of Animal Ecology

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“…While anthropogenic impacts are considered major causes for their decline (Owen, 2009), many predators, including mammals (muskrats, mink, otters and raccoons; Smith, 2001) may also impact mussel populations. The omnivorous muskrat, Ondatra zibethicus (Linnaeus, 1766), is known to consume a variety of bivalves, including corbiculids (Neves & Odom, 1989), dreissenids (Sietman et al, 2003), margaritiferids (Erickson, 2001) and unionids (Tarr, 1884;Beecher, Case & Tarr, 1885;Butler, 1885Butler, , 1940Bovbjerg, 1956;Marinelli & Messier, 1993;Watters, 1993;Campbell & MacArthur, 1994, 1996Zahner-Meinke & Hanson, 2001).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The omnivorous muskrat, Ondatra zibethicus (Linnaeus, 1766), is known to consume a variety of bivalves, including corbiculids (Neves & Odom, 1989), dreissenids (Sietman et al. , 2003), margaritiferids (Erickson, 2001) and unionids (Tarr, 1884; Beecher, Case & Tarr, 1885; Butler, 1885, 1940; Bovbjerg, 1956; Marinelli & Messier, 1993; Watters, 1993; Campbell & MacArthur, 1994, 1996; Zahner‐Meinke & Hanson, 2001).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Muskrat predation on a diverse unionid mussel community: impacts of prey species composition, size and shape

et al. 2010

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1. The muskrat, Ondatra zibethicus, is a predator known to affect species composition, population size and age structure of freshwater unionid mussel communities. Muskrats leave large piles of dead shells (middens) on the edges of rivers, lakes and streams. We compared the species composition and size structure of shells collected from muskrat middens to the nearby live unionid community in the lower Licking River (Kentucky, USA). 2. Like previous studies, our results suggest that muskrats are both size-selective and species-specific predators; however, our results indicate that mussel shape is also an important factor. 3. We generated a shape metric ('cubocity') sensitive to the overall shape of the mussel. Species with relatively lower cubocity values (around 0.85) are plate-like or spike-like, while mussels with more cuboidal shells have higher cubocity values (near 1.0). 4. Our results suggest muskrats prefer cuboidal mussels and generally avoid spike-shaped mussels. The endangered fanshell, Cyprogenia stegaria, was the most favoured prey; the fanshell's relative size and shape appear to make it particularly vulnerable to muskrats. 5. We believe the predictive capabilities of this shape metric will be of benefit to those who monitor and manage threatened mussel populations.

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“…Therefore, fish may cease consumption before enough protein is ingested to meet their growth potential if the PE is below optimal; conversely, excess amounts of protein will be used for energy allowing fat deposition if the PE is above the optimal level (Wilson and Halver 1986;Ramseyer and Garling 1998). Crude protein and prey energy density values for fathead minnow are 657 g/kg and 20.7 MJ/kg, respectively (Campbell and MacArthur 1996), resulting in a PE of 31.7. Larval meal worm crude protein and prey energy density values are 187 g/kg and 8.6 MJ/kg, respectively (Finke 2002), resulting in a PE of 21.7.…”

Section: Compensatory Growthmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of Feeding–Fasting Cycles on Oxygen Consumption and Bioenergetics of Female Yellow Perch

et al. 2012

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We measured growth and oxygen consumption of age‐1 yellow perch Perca flavescens subjected to ad libitum (control) or variable feeding cycles of 2 (i.e., 2 d of feed, 2 d of deprivation), 6, or 12 d for a 72‐d period. Individual, female yellow perch (initial weight = 51.9 ± 0.9 g [mean ± SE]) were stocked in 110‐L aquaria to provide six replicates per treatment and fed measured rations of live fathead minnow Pimephales promelas. Consumption, absolute growth rate, growth efficiency, and oxygen consumption were similar among feeding regimens. However, growth trajectories for fish on the 2‐d cycle were significantly lower than other feed–fast cycles. Hyperphagia occurred in all treatments. Bioenergetics model simulations indicated that consumption was significantly underestimated (t = 5.4, df = 4, P = 0.006), while growth was overestimated (t = −5.5, df = 4, P = 0.005) for fish on the 12‐d cycle. However, model errors detected between observed and predicted values were low, ranging from −10.1% to +7.8%. We found that juvenile yellow perch exhibited compensatory growth (CG), but none of the feed–fast treatments resulted in growth overcompensation. Likewise, we found no evidence that respiration rates varied with CG, implying that yellow perch bioenergetics models could be used to predict the effects of feeding history and CG response on food consumption and fish growth.

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Digestibility of Animal Tissue by Muskrats

Cited by 7 publications

References 15 publications

Examination of the nitrogen limitation hypothesis in non‐cyclic populations of cotton rats (Sigmodon hispidus)

Examination of the nitrogen limitation hypothesis in non‐cyclic populations of cotton rats (Sigmodon hispidus)

Muskrat predation on a diverse unionid mussel community: impacts of prey species composition, size and shape

Effect of Feeding–Fasting Cycles on Oxygen Consumption and Bioenergetics of Female Yellow Perch

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