RELATIONSHIP OF SNOWSHOE HARE FEEDING PREFERENCES TO NUTRIENT AND TANNIN CONTENT OF 4 CONIFERS

The relative preferences of snowshoe hares for native and exotic tree species and the relationship of these preferences to nutritional const ituents and phenols have important forestry management implications. T hus, feeding preferences of confined snowshoe hares (Lepus americanus Erxleben) for Siberian larch (Larix sibericus (Endl.) Sabine ex Trautv .), Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.), white spruce (Picea glauc a (Moench) Voss), and black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) B.S.P.) were examined under two experimental ad libitum feeding conditions. At the end of experiment 1, two-year-old Siberian larch and Norway spruce we re equally selected by hares. Twigs and stems of Siberian larch, howev er, were browsed almost exclusively during the first few days of the e xperiment, while white spruce was browsed very little at all. Siberian larch was richer in crude protein and lower in fiber than white spruc e and Norway spruce, whereas Norway spruce was lower in condensed tann ins and total phenols than the other two species. In experiment 2, twi gs and stems of 4-year-old black spruce were preferred to those of whi te spruce. Black spruce contained significantly higher concentrations of crude protein, calcium, and phosphorus and lower concentrations of cellulose and total phenols than white spruce. Overall, white spruce w as most resistant to hare damage, though the lack of preference was no t reflected in either low nutrient or high tannin values. In fact, con centrations of condensed tannins and total phenols had no antifeedant effects.