Energy contribution from terrestrial meat on bear diets under different CFs for ungulates and proportion of ungulates on the diet.

<p>We simulated four diets composed of ungulates and four other common food items: green vegetation; roots; fruit; and pine nuts. Red lines show the energy contribution from ungulates for a diet with 50% of ungulates and 50% of a) green vegetation; b) roots; c) fruit or d) pine nuts.</p

Percentage of digestible protein contributed per food item category (fresh diet base) across ecosystems.

<p>Contribution was estimated based on the total digestible protein in in one kilogram of fresh diet. Ecosystem diets include: (a) Foothills and (b) Mountains of west-central Alberta (Canada), (c) Flathead River drainage in British Columbia (Canada) and the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE, USA). For the GYE, we present the recent diets for both (d) female (“GYE- Recent, female”), (e) male (“GYE- Recent, male”), and the (f) historical diet “GYE-Historical, females & males”” diets. Continues bars indicate ±1.96×SD (n = 1000 repetitions).</p

Percent digestible energy contribution per food item category (fresh diet base) across ecosystems.

<p>Contribution was estimated based on the total digestible energy in one kilogram of fresh diet. Ecosystem diets include: (a) Foothills and (b) Mountains of west-central Alberta (Canada), (c) Flathead River drainage in British Columbia (Canada) and the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE, USA). For the GYE, we present the recent diets for both (d) female “GYE-Recent, female”, (e) male “GYE-Recent, male”, and the (f) historical diet “GYE-Historical, females & males” diets. Continues bars indicate ±1.96×SD (n = 1000 repetitions).</p

(a) Digestible energy (kcal) and (b) digestible protein (g) in one kilogram fresh brown bear diet across different ecosystems.

<p>Ecosystem diets include the “Foothills” and “Mountains” of west-central Alberta (Canada), “Flathead” river drainage in southeast British Columbia (Canada) and the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE, USA). For the GYE, we present the recent diets for both female (“GYE-Recent, female”) and male (“GYE-Recent, male”), the average recent diet (“GYE-Recent”), and the historical diet “GYE-Historical, females & males” diets. Digestible energy and protein were estimated based on the proportion of digestible dry matter intake obtained from food habit studies in these ecosystems [<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0128088#pone.0128088.ref030" target="_blank">30</a>, <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0128088#pone.0128088.ref033" target="_blank">33</a>, <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0128088#pone.0128088.ref049" target="_blank">49</a>, <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0128088#pone.0128088.ref050" target="_blank">50</a>], fixed correction factors (CFs) are presented in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0128088#pone.0128088.t001" target="_blank">Table 1</a>, and nutritional information. Nutritional values were obtained randomly for a normal distribution curve estimated from the average and SD presented in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0128088#pone.0128088.t002" target="_blank">Table 2</a>. Continues bars indicate ±1.96×SD (n = 1000 repetitions). Squares and dashed bars represent the results (average and ±1.96×SD) when CFs were allowed to vary (<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0128088#pone.0128088.t001" target="_blank">Table 1</a>).</p

(a) Digestible energy (kcal/kg fresh food) and (b) digestible protein (g/kg fresh food) per brown bear food item category.

<p>Error bars indicate standard error (n = 1000 repetitions). Digestible energy and protein were estimated using the nutritional values of each food category. Nutritional values were obtained randomly for a normal distribution curve built with the average and SD presented in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0128088#pone.0128088.t002" target="_blank">Table 2</a>.</p

Nutritional information for different bear food items.

<p>1: PDig was estimated using the relations presented in Pritchard and Robbins [<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0128088#pone.0128088.ref047" target="_blank">47</a>].</p><p>2: DMDig was estimated using the relations presented in Pritchard and Robbins [<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0128088#pone.0128088.ref047" target="_blank">47</a>]</p><p>3: DMDig, EDig and PDig (%) were measured on black bears (<i>Ursus americanus</i>).</p><p>a: Independent laboratory.</p><p>b: Annual average values. University of Alberta laboratory.</p><p>DM (%) = Dry matter (% of fresh matter); DMDig (%) = Digestible dry matter; GrossE (kcal/kg) = Gross energy; EDig (%) = Energy digestibility; PC (%) = Protein content; PDig (g) = protein digested per 100 gr of protein; PDig (%) = Protein digestibility; TDF (%) = Total dietary fiber. DMDig, GrossE, EDig, PC and PDig in a dry matter basis. When information was available standard deviation is included in parenthesis and sample size in brackets.</p><p>Nutritional information for different bear food items.</p

Correction factors (CFs) used in the model.

<p>¹ Green vegetation includes all species not defined in the previous categories.</p><p>² Includes species defined as forbs</p><p>³ Large mammals include elk, bison, white-tailed deer, and moose.</p><p>⁴ Small mammals include rododent, squirrels.</p><p>⁵ Roots include <i>hedysarum</i> spp., biscuit roots, and select cultivated root vegetables (carrot, yam, and sweet potato).</p><p>⁶ We applied the same range value on Insects.</p><p>We ran the model twice, one using a fixed CFs for each food groups, and a second allowing the CFs to vary randomly between the ranges presented in this table.</p><p>Correction factors (CFs) used in the model.</p

Data to accompany Rigano et. al. (2016) J.Comp.Physiol, B

data to accompany manuscrip