Abstract

ORTIZ, Claudia  and  BONINO, Never A. Seasonal diet of the red deer (Cervus elaphus) in the Nahuel Huapi National Park, Argentina. Ecol. austral [online]. 2007, vol.17, n.2, pp.281-286. ISSN 1667-782X.

The botanical composition and seasonal variation on the diet of the red deer (Cervus elaphus) in the Nahuel Huapi National Park was determined. Fecal fresh samples from at least 15 individuals were collected at every season which were analyzed individually using the microhistological analysis. In autumn and winter, ligneous species (L. hirsuta among the trees and Collettia spinosissima among the shrubs) were the most consumed plants, while in spring and summer the grasses and graminoids (Poa spp. and Carex spp., respectively) were the main basis of the diet. The red deer showed to be an intermediate feeder as its diet was a mixture of grasses (15%), graminoids (22%) and concentrated foods (62%). The great consumption of L. hirsuta suggested that red deer browsing could affect the regeneration of this tree species, specially in areas with high deer densities.

Keywords : Microhistological analysis; Patagonia.

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