Ormanlık bir alanda yabani tavşan (Lepus europaeus (Pallas))' ın habitat seçimi ve gida biyolojisi üzerine bir araştırma

Abstract

Objectives of the survey were: to investigate the Brown Hare (Lepus europaeus (Pallas))'s habitat prefences with affecting factors, habitat use in different areas, the progress of the use in a 3-year-period and food habit of hare in �atacİk Forest. Habitat preferences were determined from pellet frequencies by using presence-absence technique on the plots was applied semi-randomly in different altitudes, aspects and slope classes. HareÕs uses of the major vegetation associations in the survey area and certain plant species supplying the hare were assessed on the vegetation plots. There was relatively little use of the dense forest stratum (1500-1670 m) while higher frequencies (RU>1.0) were recorded in the areas with high interspersion such as degraded juniper wood (Bar), pine plantations (AS) and crop fields (ZA). Hare used increasingly both plantations and cutting areas (KES) after from the first year. There was a little damage by hare in the plantations in the planting year. Population density increased regularly up to 1400-1500 meters, but declined again on the upper zones. Hare used more often the areas on southern slopes which have inclination of 16-30%. Fluctuation of slope within short distance (²150 m) did not affect the hareÕs use. HareÕs food habit in summer was formed by the grasses and herbs of Poaceae and Fabaceae. During the winter period, it used mainly dried leaves, lower twigs or barks of the woody plants such as oak (Quercus spp.), aspen (Populus tremula L.), shrubs of Rosaceae and Berberidaceae. Besides, it fed on dried herbs or mosses and mistletoes (Viscum album L. and Archeuthobium oxycedri Bieb) in the cutting areas. Special plants such as mistletoes in certain habitats acted an important role in habitat selection. Based on sighted individuals during direct counts in the vantage points, it was found a relation between hare's numbers in different habitats types and use of these types. Among the direct methods, the most effective one was the spotlight counts. From the pellet counts were repeated 3 times in 3 habitat types, the population density remained stabile during the 1992-1994 period.