The effect of dietary niacin deficiency on reproduction of European brown hares: An experimental study
Large plots of maize in agricultural landscapes are associated with reduced reproductive output of females and impaired population development of free-living populations of European brown hares (Lepus europaeus, Pallas 1778). We investigated in captive brown hares experimentally whether these effect...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2023-03-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2023.1083045/full |
| _version_ | 1811161946331807744 |
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| author | Aldin Selimovic Mathilde L. Tissier Gabrielle Stalder Johanna Painer-Gigler Anna Haw Hanna Rauch Walter Arnold |
| author_facet | Aldin Selimovic Mathilde L. Tissier Gabrielle Stalder Johanna Painer-Gigler Anna Haw Hanna Rauch Walter Arnold |
| author_sort | Aldin Selimovic |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Large plots of maize in agricultural landscapes are associated with reduced reproductive output of females and impaired population development of free-living populations of European brown hares (Lepus europaeus, Pallas 1778). We investigated in captive brown hares experimentally whether these effects could result from an undersupply of niacin due to a suspected maize-biased diet in such areas. We repeatedly mated adult female hares, fed ad libitum either with a niacin deficient pellet mainly consisting of maize plant parts, or with the same pellet enriched with niacin to meet physiological requirements. We measured effects of the experimental feeding on body mass of females, reproductive output, growth and survival of leverets. We found significantly higher body mass of females fed the control pellet, and faster body mass gain of their leverets until standardized weaning. We found no significant difference between niacin deficient and control diet groups in reproductive output of females and survival rates of leverets. Our results show that even a diet severely depauperate of niacin affects reproductive success of female brown hares only slightly, presumably because of sufficient conversion of tryptophan to niacin, or of additional supply of niacin by caecal microorganism. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T06:22:05Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d443ee63c9e846329bfbba15876f6e55 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-701X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T06:22:05Z |
| publishDate | 2023-03-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution |
| spelling | doaj.art-d443ee63c9e846329bfbba15876f6e552023-03-02T04:52:25ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution2296-701X2023-03-011110.3389/fevo.2023.10830451083045The effect of dietary niacin deficiency on reproduction of European brown hares: An experimental studyAldin Selimovic0Mathilde L. Tissier1Gabrielle Stalder2Johanna Painer-Gigler3Anna Haw4Hanna Rauch5Walter Arnold6Department of Interdisciplinary Life Sciences, Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, AustriaBiological Sciences, Bishop’s University, Sherbrooke, QC, CanadaDepartment of Interdisciplinary Life Sciences, Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, AustriaDepartment of Interdisciplinary Life Sciences, Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, AustriaDepartment of Interdisciplinary Life Sciences, Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, AustriaDepartment of Interdisciplinary Life Sciences, Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, AustriaDepartment of Interdisciplinary Life Sciences, Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, AustriaLarge plots of maize in agricultural landscapes are associated with reduced reproductive output of females and impaired population development of free-living populations of European brown hares (Lepus europaeus, Pallas 1778). We investigated in captive brown hares experimentally whether these effects could result from an undersupply of niacin due to a suspected maize-biased diet in such areas. We repeatedly mated adult female hares, fed ad libitum either with a niacin deficient pellet mainly consisting of maize plant parts, or with the same pellet enriched with niacin to meet physiological requirements. We measured effects of the experimental feeding on body mass of females, reproductive output, growth and survival of leverets. We found significantly higher body mass of females fed the control pellet, and faster body mass gain of their leverets until standardized weaning. We found no significant difference between niacin deficient and control diet groups in reproductive output of females and survival rates of leverets. Our results show that even a diet severely depauperate of niacin affects reproductive success of female brown hares only slightly, presumably because of sufficient conversion of tryptophan to niacin, or of additional supply of niacin by caecal microorganism.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2023.1083045/fullmaize biased dietgrowthsurvivalpellagranicotinamidetryptophan |
| spellingShingle | Aldin Selimovic Mathilde L. Tissier Gabrielle Stalder Johanna Painer-Gigler Anna Haw Hanna Rauch Walter Arnold The effect of dietary niacin deficiency on reproduction of European brown hares: An experimental study Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution maize biased diet growth survival pellagra nicotinamide tryptophan |
| title | The effect of dietary niacin deficiency on reproduction of European brown hares: An experimental study |
| title_full | The effect of dietary niacin deficiency on reproduction of European brown hares: An experimental study |
| title_fullStr | The effect of dietary niacin deficiency on reproduction of European brown hares: An experimental study |
| title_full_unstemmed | The effect of dietary niacin deficiency on reproduction of European brown hares: An experimental study |
| title_short | The effect of dietary niacin deficiency on reproduction of European brown hares: An experimental study |
| title_sort | effect of dietary niacin deficiency on reproduction of european brown hares an experimental study |
| topic | maize biased diet growth survival pellagra nicotinamide tryptophan |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2023.1083045/full |
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