Abstract
The role of terpenes, soluble sugars and moisture in mediating selective herbivory of Abert squirrels on ponderosa pine was studied. Fourteen terpenes were identified as present in the inner bark of 23 pairs of feed and non-feed trees. Higher total terpene concentration, a greater diversity of terpenes and the presence and concentration of the terpenes myrcene, sabinene, and terpinolene were factors found to be related to squirrel recognition of non-feed trees. No correlation was found in sugar and moisture content of the feed-non-feed pairs. A comparison of the composition of terpenes in resins of Arizona ponderosa pine with those of feed trees in Colorado indicates that Abert squirrels may have adapted to resins of feed trees characteristic of their respective regions.
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