ISSN:
1573-5036
Keywords:
Feeding experiments
;
Food consumption
;
Fungal decay
;
Gut contents
;
Hyphae
;
Isopoda
;
Pine needles
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Agriculture, Forestry, Horticulture, Fishery, Domestic Science, Nutrition
Notes:
Summary A study was made of the gut content composition ofPorcellio scaber Latr. in the coastal pine sites, and of feeding experiments on naturally occurring needles and artificially treated needles. The gut contents of isopods consisted mainly of fragmentary tissues of needles and subsidiarily of fungal hyphae. The proportion of fungi in the gut varied with the season of the year, the age of isopods and their habitats in relation to fungal density. The more the decay of needles proceeded, the more the needles were preferred and consumed,i.e. brown needles least, dark brown needles intermediate, and blackish brown and yellowish decayed needles most. Irrespective of considerable differences in food consumption of these needles, assimilation was the same and its efficiency decreased with the progress of decay. As far as the needles in the incipient stages of decay are concerned, the structural toughness of needles is considered to be the prominent factor in determining the feeding value of the needles. Of extractive treatments on natural needles, removals of ether- and water-soluble fractions in all kinds of needles reduced drastically both consumption and assimilation.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF02178621
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