EPOW - Ecology Picture of the Week

Each week a different image of our fascinating environment is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional ecologist.

21-27 January 2019

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Hare Browse

Browse by Snowshoe Hare (Lepus americanus), Family Leporidae
Horseshoe Lake, Fort Wainwright, Fairbanks, Alaska

Credit & Copyright: Dr. Bruce G. Marcot

Explanation:  Take a good look at this week's main photo, above.  Why are these branches stripped bare down along the ground?  

We are in central Alaska, in boreal forests.  Big clue.  

The answer is ... 
  

 

... this fine critter, a snowshoe hare.

Hares will browse the bark off young branches, leaving behind bare twigs.


    

 

 

These branches are bare all the way to the ground, indicating that they were browsed when there was scant snow cover.

Dense snow cover allows the hares to browse harder-to-reach, higher branches which might have good nutritional content for the adults.

 


  

Snowshoe hares require some 10.6 oz (300 g) of browse per day, and
prefer small branches of deciduous species although
conifers will do in a pinch.
  

In Alaska, populations of snowshoe hares undergo decadal
cycles of boom and bust.

              
  

Next week's picture:  "Nice View" Cloud Forest

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Author & Webmaster: Dr. Bruce G. Marcot, Tom Bruce
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