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Defense of winter-dormant Alaska paper birch against snowshoe hares

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Summary

Mature growth-phase internodes of Alaska paper birch (Betula resinifera) are preferred by the snowshoe hare (Lepus americanus) over juvenile growth-phase internodes due to the low food value of the latter. While the mature over juvenile preferencec cannot be explained by the levels of inorganic nutrients or gross chemical fractions (resins or phenols), it can be explained by the striking differences in secondary metabolites of the two growth phases. The principle compound which renders the juvenile phase internodes unpalatable is papyriferic acid, a triterpene which is a demonstrated feeding deterrent to snowshoe hares and which is present in juvenile internodes at concentrations 25 times greater than those in mature internodes.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska, 99701, Fairbanks, AK, USA

    John P. Bryant & Gregory D. Wieland

  2. Department of Chemistry, University of Alaska, 99701, Fairbanks, AK, USA

    Paul B. Reichardt & Thomas P. Clausen

Authors
  1. Paul B. Reichardt
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  2. John P. Bryant
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  3. Thomas P. Clausen
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  4. Gregory D. Wieland
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Reichardt, P.B., Bryant, J.P., Clausen, T.P. et al. Defense of winter-dormant Alaska paper birch against snowshoe hares. Oecologia 65, 58–69 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00384463

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00384463

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