Nutritional Bottleneck in a Herbivore, the Desert Wood Rat (Neotoma lepida)

@article{Karasov1989NutritionalBI,
  title={Nutritional Bottleneck in a Herbivore, the Desert Wood Rat (Neotoma lepida)},
  author={William H. Karasov},
  journal={Physiological Zoology},
  year={1989},
  volume={62},
  pages={1351 - 1382}
}
  • W. Karasov
  • Published 1 November 1989
  • Environmental Science, Biology
  • Physiological Zoology
The nutritional ecology of desert wood rats (Neotoma lepida) was studied at a site in the Mojave Desert that lacked succulents such as cactus, yucca, and agave. During the late fall and early winter, before winter rains, wood rats ate primarily mature leaves and stems ofcreosote bush (Larrea tridentata), whereas after winter rains they ate newly germinating annuals. Wood rats lost body mass during the prerain period and some were visibly emaciated, whereas they suffered no significant mass loss… 
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48 Citations
Highly Influential Citations
11
Background Citations
31
Methods Citations
1

48 Citations

An Oak (Quercus agrifolia) Specialist (Neotoma macrotis) and a Sympatric Generalist (Neotoma lepida) Show Similar Intakes and Digestibilities of Oak
TLDR
The two species' similar tolerances for oak were probably due to their similar abilities to digest and potentially assimilate the ground oak leaves.
Woodrat herbivory influences saguaro (Carnegiea gigantea) reproductive output
Plant secondary metabolites alter the feeding patterns of a mammalian herbivore (Neotoma lepida)
TLDR
It is suggested that the immediate and sustained ability to detect and regulate the intake of resin concentrations during each foraging bout provides a behavioral mechanism to regulate blood concentrations of resin and allows desert woodrats to make “wise” foraging decisions.
GRANIVORY AND PLANT SELECTION BY DESERT GERBILS OF DIFFERENT BODY SIZE
TLDR
It is hypothesized that: (1) smaller animals would be more dependent than larger animals on highly digestible food items such as seeds, and (2) smaller dogs and cats will be more selective than large animals forhighly digestible and energy-rich plant parts.
Creosote Bush (Larrea tridentata) Resin Increases Water Demands and Reduces Energy Availability in Desert Woodrats (Neotoma lepida)
TLDR
The increased water requirement and energy losses of woodrats consuming a diet with resin could have notable ecological consequences.
Woodrat (Neotoma) herbivores maintain nitrogen balance on a low-nitrogen, high-phenolic forage, Juniperus monosperma
TLDR
The results suggest that absorption and detoxification of juniper secondary compounds may be more important for restricting juniper intake by the generalist than nitrogen imbalance.
Estimating the influence of the thermal environment on activity patterns of the desert woodrat (Neotoma lepida) using temperature chronologies
TLDR
The results suggest that activity of N. lepida is constrained during the climatically intense summer months, and animals face a trade-off between remaining in the thermal safety of the den vs. emerging to obtain resour- ces.
Using the Specialization Framework to Determine Degree of Dietary Specialization in a Herbivorous Woodrat
TLDR
Behavior and habitat differences between these woodrat species lead to the categorization of N. stephensi as an obligate juniper specialist with a small range that overlaps that of its preferred food, J. monosperma, and N. lepida as a facultative juniper Specialist with a large range, and only a portion of its distribution containing populations that feed extensively on J. osteos perma.
Metabolic Costs of Rodents Feeding on Plant Chemical Defenses: A Comparison Between an Herbivore and an Omnivore
The role of dietary fiber in dung size of bushy-tailed woodrats, Neotoma cinerea : its potential application to paleoclimatic interpretation
TLDR
An increase in fiber intake led to a significant increase in dung length and dry dung weight but not dung width or body weight, although the relationship is not clearly understood and needs further evaluation.
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References

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TLDR
The results indicate that creosote resin does deter feeding by desert woodrats, and the antiherbivore mechanism of creosotes resin to desert wood rats is likely one of toxicity and not digestibility reduction.
Energy Assimilation, Nitrogen Requirement, and Diet in Free-Living Antelope Ground Squirrels Ammospermophilus leucurus
  • W. Karasov
  • Environmental Science
    Physiological Zoology
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TLDR
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TLDR
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TLDR
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TLDR
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TLDR
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TLDR
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TLDR
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