Ref ID: 10499
Ref Type: Conference Proceeding
Authors: O'Reilly-Wapstra, J. M.
Date: 7-7-2003
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Conference Date: 7-9 July, Sydney, NSW
Conference Title: 49th Australian Mammal Society Annual Conference
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Keywords: Australian Mammal Society/browser/browsing/brushtail possum/chemical/choice/conference/control/coppiced/correlations/damage/decision/environment/Eucalyptus/Eucalyptus globulus/family/feeding/field/food/forage/genetic/genetic control/genotype/globulus/herbivore/heterogeneous/implication/localities/mammal/oil/pedigree/plant/possum/preference/pressure/quality/race/scale/selection/selection pressure/society/species/tannin/tree/trees/trend/trial/variation
Abstract: Herbivores commonly feed in a heterogeneous environment and the quality of available forage varies not only between plant species, but also within plant species. For many browsers, the 'patchiness' in food quality within a plant species can be attributed to variation in plant secondary compounds, and this variation can be under environmental and genetic control. I investigated the browsing preferences of a generalist herbivore, the common brushtail possum, for Eucalyptus globulus trees of known genotype. Browsing damage of 2302 individual coppiced trees of known pedigree, and representing all E. globulus genetic hierarchical scales (race, locality, family), was assessed in a common environment field trial. Using a selection of trees from this trial, a no choice feeding trial was conducted to assess whether preferences of captive possums, as measured by relative intake, were consistent with preferences in the field. Results from the field trial showed that possum preferences varied amongst races, localities and amongst families of E. globulus. These results were consolidated in the feeding trial with similar trends in possum preferences for different E. globulus localities. The chemical basis for these preferences was then investigated. Major groups of plant secondary compounds, such as oils, tannins and formylphloroglucinols varied among E. globulus genotypes and correlations were found between intake and some of these compounds. This variation exists at a scale relevant to the feeding decisions of individual possums (i.e. between localities and between families within localities) and this has implications for possible selection pressures imposed by this herbivore on plant defenses
Notes: Entered by Julianne O'Reilly-Wapstra (30/07/2003)
Address: joreilly@utas.edu.au
Reprint: Not in File
Program: SPF Resource Protection
Project: C3
Deliverable: C3-1; C3-4
Confidentiality: Public
Availability: Authors
Report: Annual Report 2002/3
Type of Work: Paper