The wild rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus L.) diet on a sand dune area in central Portugal: a contribution towards management

Alves, José A.; Vingada, José; Rodrigues, Patrícia

doi:10.2461/wbp.2006.2.8

Cited by 14 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 7 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…In Peninsular Malaysia, Jeffery et al (2003) identified the American cockroach (Periplaneta americana) as an intermediate host for G. neoplasticum. In the Iberian Peninsula, insects were never reported as an item included in the wild rabbit diet (Gomes 2000, Martins et al 2002, Alves et al 2006. The infection of O. cuniculus by Gongylonema should result from the unintentional ingestion of coprophagous insects harbouring the third-stage larvae.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Natural infection of Oryctolagus cuniculus (Lagomorpha, Leporidae) by Gongylonema neoplasticum (Nematoda, Gongylonematidae) in Portugal

Eira

Miquel

Vingada

et al. 2006

Acta Parasitologica

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Gongylonema neoplasticum was identified in the oesophagus of 14 wild rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) from Portugal. This is the first record of Gongylonema neoplasticum in a naturally infected lagomorph species in Europe. This paper presents the most relevant measurements of adult worms and some of their surface features seen by scanning electron microscopy. Epidemiological aspects of G. neoplasticum such as geographical distribution, host spectrum and biological features are discussed.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Natural infection of Oryctolagus cuniculus (Lagomorpha, Leporidae) by Gongylonema neoplasticum (Nematoda, Gongylonematidae) in Portugal

Eira

Miquel

Vingada

et al. 2006

Acta Parasitologica

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Rabbits eat the fruiting bodies of fungi (Alves et al 2006), and they likely disperse fungal spores that develop mycorrhizal associations, contributing to the development of vegetation, as occurs in other small mammals (Dickman 1999; Johnson 1996). To our knowledge this important topic has not been addressed.…”

Section: The Rabbit As An Ecosystem Engineermentioning

confidence: 99%

Key Role of European Rabbits in the Conservation of the Western Mediterranean Basin Hotspot

Delibes‐Mateos

Delibes

Ferreras

et al. 2008

Conservation Biology

221

169

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The Mediterranean Basin is a global hotspot of biodiversity. Hotspots are said to be experiencing a major loss of habitat, but an added risk could be the decline of some species having a special role in ecological relationships of the system. We reviewed the role of European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) as a keystone species in the Iberian Peninsula portion of the Mediterranean hotspot. Rabbits conspicuously alter plant species composition and vegetation structure through grazing and seed dispersal, which creates open areas and preserves plant species diversity. Moreover, rabbit latrines have a demonstrable effect on soil fertility and plant growth and provide new feeding resources for many invertebrate species. Rabbit burrows provide nest sites and shelter for vertebrates and invertebrates. In addition, rabbits serve as prey for a number of predators, including the critically endangered Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus) and Spanish Imperial Eagle (Aquila adalberti). Thus, the Mediterranean ecosystem of the Iberian Peninsula should be termed "the rabbit's ecosystem." To our knowledge, this is the first empirical support for existence of a multifunctional keystone species in a global hotspot of biodiversity. Rabbit populations have declined drastically on the Iberian Peninsula, with potential cascading effects and serious ecological and economic consequences. From this perspective, rabbit recovery is one of the biggest challenges for conservation of the Mediterranean Basin hotspot.

show abstract

“…Consequently, it has been suggested that avoiding feeds with a high Ca content, such as legume hays, can help prevent urolith formation in rabbits (Kamphues, 1999; Eckermann‐Ross, 2008). However, given that wild rabbits consume high proportions of legumes in their natural diet (Katona et al., 2004; Alves et al., 2006), it is reasonable to suspect that the animals are adapted to the Ca load in legume forage.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Influence of diet on calcium metabolism, tissue calcification and urinary sludge in rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus)*

Clauss

Burger

Liesegang

et al. 2011

Animal Physiology Nutrition

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Rabbits absorb more calcium (Ca) from their diet than they require, and excrete surplus via urine, which therefore contains a typical 'sludge'. This makes rabbits susceptible to Ca-containing uroliths. But given the Ca content of diets of free-ranging specimens, and the limited reports of urinary sludge and Ca contents in free-ranging lagomorphs, we can suspect that rabbits are naturally adapted to high urinary Ca loads. We fed four groups of New Zealand hybrid rabbits [n = 28, age at start 5-6 weeks) pelleted diets consisting of lucerne hay only (L, Ca 2.32% dry matter (DM)], lucerne:oats 1:1 (LG, Ca 1.36%), grass hay only (G, Ca 1.04%), or grass:oats 1:1 (GG, 0.83%) for 25 weeks, with water available ad libitum. Diets were not supplemented with Ca, phosphorus, or vitamin D. Rabbits on diets LG and GG had lower food and water intakes, lower faeces and urine output, grew faster and had higher body mass at slaughter (mainly attributable to adipose tissue). Apparent Ca digestibility decreased in the order L-LG-G/GG. Rabbits on L had larger and heavier kidneys, more urinary sediment at sonography, and a higher urinary Ca content than the other groups. No animal showed signs of urolithiasis/calcinosis at X-ray, sonography, or gross pathology. Kidney/aorta histology only sporadically indicated Ca deposits, with no systematic difference between groups. Under the conditions of the experiment, dietary Ca loads in legume hay do not appear problematic for rabbits, and other factors, such as water supply and level of activity may be important contributors to urolithiasis development in veterinary patients. However, due to the lower Ca content of grass hay, the significantly lower degree of urinary sludge formation, and the significantly higher water intake related with grass hay feeding, grass hay-dominated diets are to be recommended for rabbits in which urolithiasis prevention is an issue.

show abstract

The wild rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus L.) diet on a sand dune area in central Portugal: a contribution towards management

Cited by 14 publications

References 7 publications

Natural infection of Oryctolagus cuniculus (Lagomorpha, Leporidae) by Gongylonema neoplasticum (Nematoda, Gongylonematidae) in Portugal

Natural infection of Oryctolagus cuniculus (Lagomorpha, Leporidae) by Gongylonema neoplasticum (Nematoda, Gongylonematidae) in Portugal

Key Role of European Rabbits in the Conservation of the Western Mediterranean Basin Hotspot

Influence of diet on calcium metabolism, tissue calcification and urinary sludge in rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus)*

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About