A Seven-Year Longitudinal Study on the Food Habits of the Asiatic Black Bear (<i>Ursus thibetanus</i>) in Relation to Mast Production in Shirakawa Village, Gifu Prefecture, Japan

Mori, Tomoki; Sugiura, Rina; Katô, Makoto; Kato, Haruki; Niizuma, Yasuaki

doi:10.3106/ms2017-0034

Cited by 10 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…Because the Asiatic black bears’ diet shows considerable annual variation in relation to fruit production [11,12,50], our results are just a “snapshot” of the dietary specialization traits. In our study, based on the data of 2 years survey, we concluded that most bears depend on seeds of the Fagaceae family during autumn.…”

Section: Future Study and Conclusionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Asiatic black bears ( Ursus thibetanus ) inhabiting Japan are omnivorous and mainly consume plant-based materials [8]. Therefore, depending on plant phenology, they forage for a broad range of food sources: in spring, green vegetation, such as new leaves and flowers; in summer, green vegetation, insects, and fleshy fruits; and in autumn, seeds of the Fagaceae family [9–12]. Although the Asiatic black bears’ seasonal food habits are comparatively well studied, there is little evidence of dietary specialization [13].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Dietary specialization depending on ecological context and sexual differences in Asiatic black bears

2019

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The food habits of the Asiatic black bear (Ursus thibetanus) are well studied, but there is a little evidence of dietary specialization—that is, when individuals use a narrower set of resources compared to the population as a whole. To examine the dietary composition at the individual level, seasonal patterns of dietary specialization, and sex-based dietary differences in Asiatic black bears, we attached Global Positioning System (GPS) collars to 15 Asiatic black bears and collected their scats in Nagano Prefecture, Japan from 2017 to 2018. Our results showed that the dietary composition differed among individuals, although seasonal changes in dietary composition were observed at the population level. Dietary specialization was high in summer (resources less abundant) and low in spring and autumn (resources more abundant), indicating a relationship with general food abundance and the dietary diversity of bears. In spring, all bears consumed green vegetation and/or seed of Fagaceae family from previous autumn; in early- and late- summer, dietary composition, such as green vegetation, insects, and fruits, greatly differed among individuals. In autumn, most bears heavily depended on seeds of Fagaceae which is high-quality food for bears.Although we did not find statistical differences between sexes in terms of dietary specialization and diversity, we found variations in the timing of feeding on the Fagaceae family, being earlier in females compared with males. We also found considerable variation in dietary composition within sexes, suggesting that dietary specialization depends on multiple factors besides food abundance, food diversity, and sex.

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Section: Future Study and Conclusionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dietary specialization depending on ecological context and sexual differences in Asiatic black bears

2019

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“…However, it is worth noting that two male bears (M04 and M05) exhibited a substantial reliance on green vegetation during early summer (Figure 3a ). Typically, green vegetation‐dominated diets in the summer have only been reported in Asiatic black bears inhabiting the Sea of Japan side of Honshu and high‐altitude areas (Huygens et al., 2003 ; Mori et al., 2018 ). Our study provides evidence that intra‐individual variations in diet can surpass regional variations.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Previous studies have demonstrated substantial seasonal variations in the dietary preferences of Asiatic black bears owing to changes in plant phenology. In spring, they consume green vegetation and/or Fagaceae hard masts, whereas green vegetation, fleshy fruits, and social insects are incorporated into their diets in summer, and fleshy fruits and hard masts are consumed in autumn (e.g., Hashimoto, 2002 ; Koike, 2010 ; Mori et al., 2018 ). The diets of Asiatic black bears also vary significantly at the individual level depending on the season (Mori et al., 2019 ; Naganuma et al., 2020 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Temporal and individual variation in the feeding habits of Asiatic black bears (Ursus thibetanus)

Mori,

Izumiyama

2024

Ecology and Evolution

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Foraging plays a vital role in the survival of wildlife, and shifts in food availability can impact species fitness and survival. Ursids are known to consume a wide variety of foods and are known to be opportunistic omnivores. Consequently, seasonal shifts in diet, which correspond to temporal and spatial shifts in the availability of food resources, have long captivated researchers studying the foraging behavior of Ursidae. Nevertheless, comprehensive dietary studies encompassing both the population and individual levels remain scarce. In this study, we investigated the dietary patterns of Asiatic black bears (Ursus thibetanus) at both the population and individual levels, using data collected through GPS collars and field surveys of individual bear scat samples in Nagano Prefecture, Japan, from 2016 to 2020. From early April to late June, bears mainly foraged on green vegetation. During this period, male and large‐bodied female bears showed a strong preference for green vegetation. Small‐bodied female bears also ate mostly green vegetation but tended to consume more fruit than other bears towards the end of this period. From June to October, bears' diets included a substantial amount of fruit, with notable peaks in fruit consumption in late June and early September. During the summer months, female bears often incorporated social insects into their diet compared to the population‐level trend. In mid‐September, the consumption of seeds from the Fagaceae family surged, becoming the primary dietary component during this period. This trend was consistently observed across the population. These findings underscore the importance conducting in‐depth dietary analyses that take into account individual characteristics such as sex, age, and body weight.

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A 15-year study on the relationship between beech (Fagus crenata) reproductive-organ production and the numbers of nuisance Japanese black bears (Ursus thibetanus japonicus) killed in a snowy rural region in central Japan

Ida

2021

Landscape Ecol Eng

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A Seven-Year Longitudinal Study on the Food Habits of the Asiatic Black Bear (Ursus thibetanus) in Relation to Mast Production in Shirakawa Village, Gifu Prefecture, Japan

Cited by 10 publications

References 14 publications

Dietary specialization depending on ecological context and sexual differences in Asiatic black bears

Dietary specialization depending on ecological context and sexual differences in Asiatic black bears

Temporal and individual variation in the feeding habits of Asiatic black bears (Ursus thibetanus)

A 15-year study on the relationship between beech (Fagus crenata) reproductive-organ production and the numbers of nuisance Japanese black bears (Ursus thibetanus japonicus) killed in a snowy rural region in central Japan

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