Diets and habitats of mule deer in south-central Washington

Journal Article · Fri Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1982 · Northwest Sci.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5745527

Uresk, D W ^[1]; Uresk, V A

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1. Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, Rapid City, SD

Forty-four food items were identified in the fecal pellets of the mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus hemionus) on three areas of the Hanford Site in south-central Washington. Microscopic analysis of plant fragments indicated that bitterbrush (Purshia tridentala) was the most common species occurring in the diets of deer from the B-C Cribs area. Russian thistle (Salsola kali) and goldenrod (Solidago sp.) were the most abundant plants found in the fecal pellets collected from B Pond and Gable Mountain Pond habitats, respectively. The similarity in diets among the habitats was low, ranging from 10 to 16 percent. Preference indices of forage plants among sites were not similar (7 to 19 percent), indicating that deer are selecting different food plants at each site, even though many plants are common to all three sites. Twelve species were sampled for canopy cover and frequency of occurrence in the B-C Cribs and B Pond areas; 22 species were identified on the Gable Mountain site. The most commonly occurring plant was cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) in all three sites. The similarity in frequency and canopy cover of plants was low among sites, indicating that each site is different when these two parameters are considered.

• OSTI ID: 5745527
• Journal Information: Northwest Sci.; (United States), Journal Name: Northwest Sci.; (United States) Vol. 56:2; ISSN NOSCA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

510500* -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Site Resource & Use Studies-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ANIMALS
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
BIOLOGICAL WASTES
DEER
DIET
ECOLOGY
FECES
FEDERAL REGION X
FOOD
HABITAT
HANFORD RESERVATION
MAMMALS
MATERIALS
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NORTH AMERICA
PLANTS
RUMINANTS
US DOE
US ERDA
US ORGANIZATIONS
USA
VERTEBRATES
WASHINGTON
WASTES