Summary
We have assessed the relative importance of phenolic compounds, other secondary metabolites, and gross nutrient levels as feeding cues to Canada geese. Phenolic content was the most significant constituent influencing feeding selection by geese. Nutrient content had little or no effect on feeding selection.
Correlative data showing the negative influence of plant phenolics on food choices by wild geese were supported by feeding preference tests. Extracts of unpalatable plants inhibited feeding by captive geese relative to extracts of palatable plants. In high phenolic plants, the phenolic containing methanol extract was more inhibitory than extractions made with petroleum ether. In a relatively low phenolic, unpalatable plant, an inhibitory factor was extractable in petroleum ether, indicating that for this species, another class of deterrents was involved. Preference tests with individual secondary metabolites showed that tannic acid and quebracho tannin were very effective in inhibiting feeding by geese and phenolic acids were slightly inhibitory, but a sesquiterpene lactone was not deterrent. These results point out the primacy of some secondary metabolites in determining food choices by geese.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Allen SE, Grimshaw HM, Parkinson JA, Quarmby C (1974) Chemical analysis of ecological materials. Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford
Bate-Smith EC (1972) Detection and determination of ellagitannins. Phytochemistry 11:1153–1156
Bate-Smith EC (1973) Haemanalysis of tannins: The concept of relative astringency. Phytochemistry 12:907–912
Bate-Smith EC (1975) Phytochemistry of proanthocyanins. Phytochemistry 14:1107–1113
Bate-Smith EC, Lerner NH (1954) Leuco-anthocyanins. 2. Systematic distribution of leuco-anthocyanins in leaves. Biochem J 58:126–132
Bryant J, Kuropat P (1980) Feeding selection by subarctic browsing vertebrates. Ann Rev Ecol Syst 11:261–285
Buchsbaum R, Valiela I, Teal JM (1981) Grazing by Canada geese and related aspects of the chemistry of salt marsh grasses. Colonial Waterbirds 4:126–131
Feeny P (1975) Biochemical evolution between plants and their insect herbivores. In: Gilbert LE, Raven PH (eds) Coevolution of animals and plants. Univ Texas Press, Austin, p 1–17
Harborne JB (1973) Phytochemical methods. Chapman and Hall, London
Harwood J (1975) Grazing strategies of blue geese (Anser caerulescens). Unpublished Ph.D. thesis University of Western Ontario
Haslam E (1965) Galloyl esters in the Aceraceae. Phytochemistry 4:415–498
Hegnauer R (1977) The Compositae. In: Heywood VH, Harborne JB, Turner, BL (eds) Biology and chemistry of the Compositae. Academic Press, New York, p 283–336
Lieff BC (1973) Summer feeding ecology of blue and Canada geese at the McConnell River, N.W.T. Unpublished Ph D thesis Univ of Western Ontario
Lieff BC, MacInnes CD, Misra MK (1970) Food selection experiments with young geese. J Wildl Manag 34:321–327
Lowry O, Rosebrough N, Farr A, Randall R (1951) Protein measurement with a Folin phenol reagent. J Biol Chem 193:265–275
McFarland LZ, George H (1966) Preference of selected grains by geese. J Wildl Manag 30:9–13
McMillan WW, Wiseman BR, Burns RE, Harris HB, Green GL (1972) Bird resistance in diverse germplasm of Sorghum. Agron J 64:821–822
Moss R (1972) Food selection by red grouse (Lagopus lagopus scoticus [Lath]) in relation to chemical composition. J Anim Ecol 41:411–428
Muenscher WC (1939) Poisonous plants of the United States. McMillan, New York
Owen M (1975) Cutting and fertilizing grassland for winter goose management. J Wildl Manag 39:163–167
Owen M (1980) Wild Geese of the World. BJ Batsford Ltd., London
Owen M, Nugent M, Davies N (1977) Discrimination between grass species and nitrogen fertilization by young barnacle geese. Wildfowl 28:21–26
Picman J, Picman AK, Towers GHN (1982) Effect of the sesquiterpene lactone, helenin, on feeding rates and survival of the tundra red backed vole, Clethrionomys rutilis. Biochem Syst Ecol 10:269–273
Rhoades D (1977) Integrated antiherbivore, antidessicant, and ultraviolet screening properties of creosote resin. Biochem Syst Ecol 5:281–290
Rosenthal G, Janzen D (1979) Herbivores: Their interactions with secondary plant metabolites. Academic Press, New York
Seaman FC (1982) Sesquiterpene lactones as taxonomic markers in the Asteraceae. Bot Rev 48:121–595
Sokal RR, Rohlf FJ (1975) Biometry. WH Freeman and Co, San Francisco
Spies JR (1957) Colorimetric procedures for amino acids. In: Colowick SP, Kaplan NO (eds) Methods in enzymology vol 3. Academic Press, New York, pp 467–476
Strickland JDH, Parsons TR (1972) A practical handbook of seawater analysis. Fisheries Research Board of Canada
Swain T (1977) Secondary compounds as protective agents. Ann Rev Plant Physiol 28:479–501
Swain T, Goldstein JL (1964) The quantitative analysis of phenolic compounds. In: Pridham JB (ed) Methods in polyphenol chemistry. MacMillan, New York, p 131–146
Thomas VG, Prevatt JP (1980) The nutritional value of arrow grasses to geese at James Bay. J Wildl Manag 44:830–836
Valiela I, Teal JM, Deuser WG (1978) The nature of growth forms in the salt marsh grass Spartina alterniflora. Am Nat 112:461–470
Valiela I, Koumjian L, Swain T, Teal JM, Hobbie J (1979) Inhibition of detritus feeding by cinnamic acids. Nature 280:55–57
Vande Casteele K, De Pooter H, Van Sumere CF (1976) Gas chromatographic separation and analysis of trimethylsilyl derivatives of some naturally occurring non-volatile compounds and related substances. J Chromatogr 121:49–63
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Buchsbaum, R., Valiela, I. & Swain, T. The role of phenolic compounds and other plant constituents in feeding by Canada geese in a coastal marsh. Oecologia 63, 343–349 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00390663
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00390663