Winter diet, habitat selection and fluctuation of a mountain hare Lepus timidus population in Finnish Forest Lapland

Abstract

Composition of the winter diet, habitat selection and population fluctuations in the mountain hare Lepus timidus were studied in the Värriötunturi fell area, Eastern Finnish Forest Lapland, during the winters 1968/69–1984/85. The three population lows recorded during this 17‐year period followed each other at intervals of 4 and 8 years. During the lows the hares occurred only in the most favoured (forest‐covered) habitats and in two of them they behaved according to the concept of the refuge theory. The mountain birch Betula pubescens ssp. tortuosa appeared to be the most important, but not the most favoured winter food item. When the population crashed, the proportion of birch in the diet decreased, and was replaced especially by juniper which is one of the secondary food items (and is for this reason often discarded although cut). It is suggested that the quality and/or quantity of the winter food (i.e. winter pastures) are one of the driving forces in the population fluctuation of the mountain hare in this area.

A long-term study of the winter food niche of the pine marten Martes martes in northern boreal Finland

“…In fact, pine martens in this study area do not display any special tendency to exploit this resource, as became obvious during the trackings, as the pine martens mostly passed fresh tracks of hares without showing any response (Pulliainen and Heikkinen 1980). The hare population in the present area fluctuates, as do those of most other mammals (Pulliainen 1981c, Pulliainen andTunkkari 1987), but the average population density of the species may be so low that the local pine martens tend to hunt them only occasionally. The snowshoe hare, on the other hand, is periodically superabundant in North America, with a cycle of 8 to 11 years (Keith 1963).…”

Studies on the European hare. 41. A spotlight, circular-plot method for counting Brown hares in the hedgerow system

“…The numerous hedges surrounding fields prevent the progression of beaters in belt assessments (Pielowski 1969, Pepin andBirkan 1981) and the use of a vehicle-mounted spotlight in line/strip transects (Eltringham and Flux 1971, Flinders and Hansen 1973, Smith and Nydegger 1985, which are the two methods most commonly used. Among other techniques, the track survey method (Hayashi et al 1966, Hayashi and Komazawa 1971, 1972Pulliainen and Tunkkari 1987) is [255] applicable only in climates with abundant snow; damage assessment (Homolka et al 1988, Sullivan andSullivan 1983) is effective only where there are few rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus L.) and other grazers; pellet counts (Angerbjorn 1983, Homolka 1985, Krebs et al 1987) and capture-recapture method (Abildgard et al 1972, Bresinski 1983, Marcstrom et al 1989 are too expensive in time when extended over large areas; telemetry method (Boutin 1984) needs a costly equipment, and point counts (Frylestam 1981, Barnes andTapper 1985), although presenting some interesting features, are mainly designed for open habitats.…”

Studies on the European hare. 52. Food of Irish hares Lepus timidus hibernicus in western Connemara, Ireland

“…In continental Europe the winter diet of L. timidus is mainly the leaves, twigs and bark of shrubs and trees (Pulliainen 1972, Angerbjorn and Pehrson 1987, Pulliainen and Tukkari 1987. This is largely necessitated over most of its geographical range because of prolonged snow cover, which hides the herb layer (Pulliainen 1972).…”