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Nitrogen content in feces and the diet of Sika deer on the Boso Peninsula, central Japan
Author(s) -
Asada Masahiko,
Ochiai Keiji
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
ecological research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.628
H-Index - 68
eISSN - 1440-1703
pISSN - 0912-3814
DOI - 10.1046/j.1440-1703.1999.143303.x
Subject(s) - cervus , evergreen , zoology , peninsula , feces , nitrogen , biology , forage , ecology , chemistry , organic chemistry
Fecal and rumen nitrogen content of Sika deer ( Cervus nippon Temminck 1838) on the Boso Peninsula, central Japan, were analyzed concerning their seasonal fluctuations and local differences at four areas on the Boso Peninsula. The mean fecal nitrogen was high in August and low in February in all the areas. The seasonal variation, however, was relatively small. This may be the result of the following reasons: the Boso deer feed on evergreen broad‐leaves containing a high and stable nitrogen content in winter; little snow falls there; and the deer consume foods relatively low in nitrogen in summer. The fecal and rumen nitrogen content in both summer and winter depended on deer density.