CONSUMPTIONOF FUNGALSPOROCARPS BY YELLOWSTONE GRIZZLY BEARS DAVIDJ. MATTSON,U.S. GeologicalSurvey Forestand RangelandEcosystem Science Center,Colorado Plateau FieldStation, P.O. Box5614, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011-5614, USA, email:
[email protected] SHANNONR. PODRUZNY, U.S. Geological Survey Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team,Forestry Sciences Lab, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA, email:
[email protected] MARKA. HAROLDSON, U.S. Geological Survey Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team, ForestrySciences Lab, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA, email:
[email protected] Abstact: Sign of grizzlybears (Ursus arctos horribilis) consuming fungal sporocarps (mushrooms and truffles) was observedon 68 occasions duringa studyof radiomarkedbears in the Yellowstoneregion, 1977-96. Sporocarpsalso weredetected in 96 grizzlybear feces. Mostfungi consumedby Yellowstone'sgrizzly bears were members of theBoletaceae (Suillus spp.), Russulaceae (Russula spp. and Lactarius sp.), Morchellaceae (Morchellaelata), and Rhizopogonaceae. Consumption of false truffles(Rhizopogon spp.) was indicatedby excavationsthat were deeper, on average(1.1 dm),than excavations for mushrooms (0.6 dm). Consumptionof sporocarpswas most frequent during September (7% of all activity), althoughmedian numbers of sporocarpsexcavated at feedingsites peaked during both August and September (22-23 excavations/site).Almost all consumption(75%)