Food-habits Of Musk Deer (Moschus Moschiferus) In Tonghe Forest Area Of The Lesser Khingan Mountains

With the microhistological analysis technology of feces in combination with utilization methods, this thesis presented a research on the food habit of Moschus moschiferus and its seasonal change in Longkou of Tonghe forest area of Lesser Khingan Mountains from February 2004 to January 2005. The results showed that 84 plant species of 56 families were grazed by Moschus moschiferus, including 33 wood plants (39.28%), 23 herbages (27.38%), 6 ferns (7.14%), 16 mosses (19.05%), 6 lichens (7.14%).The plant tips, including twig, wand and browse, were the most important part of plant grazed by Moschus moschiferus. The twigs of wood plants and short shrubs were the major food of Moschus moschiferus throughout the year, and they were grazed in highest proportion (75.02%) among all food of Moschus moschiferus, and the proportion began to reduce from April and May, and were least in July and Autumn (24.6%). Of wood plants, Rhododendron dauricum, Acer mono, Deutzia glabata, Populus ussuriensis and Tilia amurensis et al. were heavily used. Of herbages, Carex callitrichos and Caulophyllum robustum et al. were heavily used.There was no significant difference in plant species grazed by Moschus moschiferus in different seasons, but the proportions of various plants species were different significantly over seasons, and the part of plant grazed by Moschus moschiferus also changed over seasons. According to feeding part, Moschus moschiferus belonged to concentrate selectors.In addition, the nutrient contents of 11 plant species often grazed by Moschus moschiferus were determined, and the difference of nutrient contents between winter and summer was tested. The nutrient content included water, crude protein, crude fat, crude fiber, crude ash, nitrogen-free extract, calcium and energy. The results showed that there was no significant difference in water content between summer and winter (P>0.05). There was significant difference in crude protein between summer and winter (P<0.01). There was no significant difference in crude fat between summer and winter (P>0.05). There was significant difference in crude fiber between summer and winter (P<0.01). There was no significant difference in crude ash (P>0.05). There was significant difference in gross energy between summer and winter (0.010.05).