OPPORTUNISTIC FORAGING OF EASTERN WOODRATS (NEOTOMA-FLORIDANA) IN MANIPULATED HABITATS

We evaluated diets of eastern woodrats (Neotoma floridana) on Cross Ti mbers rangeland subjected to experimental brush manipulation. Treatmen ts were tebuthiuron and triclopyr herbicides, applied with and without annual prescribed burning. Untreated reference sites also were evalua ted. Microhistological techniques were used to estimate relative perce nt composition of plant species in diets. A total of 23 plant species were found in diets from summer and winter samples. Eastern woodrats e xhibited seasonal variation in diet selection, consuming mostly forbs in summer and browse in winter. Pokeweed (Phytolacca americana) and ea stern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana) comprised the greatest percentag es of diets in summer and winter, respectively. Experimental brush tre atment also influenced diet composition. We hypothesized that eastern woodrats would exhibit opportunistic foraging behavior and use food ty pes in proportion to their availability. Forb and browse diet classes were used in accordance with availability except For forbs on burned t ebuthiuron sites. Eastern woodrats generally followed an opportunistic foraging strategy although occasions of selective foraging were obser ved, presumably in response to increased palatability and/or nutrition al quality of available forage.