Summer diet of the mountain hare (Lepus timidus L.) in a low-alpine area in southern Norway

Abstract

The summer diet of the mountain hare (Lepus timidus L.) was studied in a low-alpine area in southern Norway. Dietary preferences were determined for 11 hares in cafeteria trials. The hares were later equipped with radio transmitters and released, and diet selection was observed directly. The results demonstrate that mountain hares seem able to utilize a wide variety of different plants, although they selected herbs in the field. Based on the available literature, diet overlap and diet niche breadth were estimated for five sympatric herbivores; reindeer, sheep, willow grouse, Norwegian lemming, and mountain hare. Generally, the noncyclic herbivores had broader diet niches and greater dietary overlaps than the cyclic herbivores.