Abstract
The diet of the long-nosed potoroo, Potorous tridactylus, in south-western Victoria, was investigated
by the microscopical identification of faecal remains. P. tridactylus is omnivorous: the main component
of the diet was fungi, and other important items included hard-bodied arthropods, vascular plant tissues,
seeds and fleshy fruits. There was a seasonal switch in the relative proportions of the main dietary
components between the autumn-winter and spring-summer periods of the year. During autumn and
winter, the main components were fungi and seeds. In spring and summer, fewer fungi were eaten and
the proportions of arthropods, plant tissues, fleshy fruit and flowers in the diet increased. Identification
of fungal spores revealed the presence of at least 50 species in the diet, most of which have a hypogeal
fruiting habit. Hypogeal fungi form ectotrophic mycorrhizal associations with forest trees and are
important in the health and productivity of forests. They lack active mechanisms for spore dispersal
and are dependent upon mycophagous animals. The role of mycophagous small mammals, such as
P. tridactylus, in the health of forest ecosystems may be more important than previously recognised.
Subject
Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
Cited by
36 articles.
订阅此论文施引文献
订阅此论文施引文献,注册后可以免费订阅5篇论文的施引文献,订阅后可以查看论文全部施引文献