Mississippi State University Scholars Junction Theses and Dissertations Theses and Dissertations 1-1-2013 Bamboo Nutritional Composition, Biomass Production, and Palatability to Giant Pandas: Disturbance and Temporal Effects Jennifer L. Parsons Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarsjunction.msstate.edu/td Recommended Citation Parsons, Jennifer L., "Bamboo Nutritional Composition, Biomass Production, and Palatability to Giant Pandas: Disturbance and Temporal Effects" (2013). Theses and Dissertations. 848. https://scholarsjunction.msstate.edu/td/848 This Dissertation - Open Access is brought to you for free and open access by the Theses and Dissertations at Scholars Junction. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Scholars Junction. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Automated Template B: Created by James Nail 2011V2.02 Bamboo nutritional composition, biomass production, and palatability to giant pandas: disturbance and temporal effects By Jennifer L. Parsons A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of Mississippi State University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Agricultural Sciences (Animal Nutrition) in the Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences Mississippi State, Mississippi August 2013 Copyright by Jennifer L. Parsons 2013 Bamboo nutritional composition, biomass production, and palatability to giant pandas: disturbance and temporal effects By Jennifer L. Parsons Approved: _________________________________ _________________________________ Brian J. Rude Brian S. Baldwin Professor and Graduate Coordinator Professor Animal and Dairy Sciences Plant and Soil Sciences (Major Professor) (Committee Member) _________________________________ _________________________________ Stephen Demarais Gary N. Ervin Professor Professor Wildlife, Fisheries, and Aquaculture Biological Sciences (Committee Member) (Committee Member) _________________________________ _________________________________ Francisco Vilella George M. Hopper Assistant Unit Leader Dean of the College of Agriculture Cooperative Fish and Wildlife and Life Sciences Research Unit (Committee Participant) Name: Jennifer L. Parsons Date of Degree: August 17, 2013 Institution: Mississippi State University Major Field: Agricultural Sciences (Animal Nutrition) Major Professor: Brian J. Rude Title of Study: Bamboo nutritional composition, biomass production, and palatability to giant pandas: disturbance and temporal effects Pages in Study: 208 Candidate for Degree of Doctor of Philosophy The giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) subsists on bamboo, but lacks gastrointestinal modifications for fiber digestion. Pandas display dietary selectivity for certain plant parts; however, cues for selection are unknown, and few have examined panda feeding behavior and bamboo nutrient composition simultaneously. Bamboos are clonal plants, with seasonal cycles of nutrient accumulation related to peak photosynthesis and recruitment. These cycles can be destabilized by aboveground disturbance; however, effects of disturbance on nutritional quality and sustainability of bamboo for primary consumers have not been studied. I examined 4 factors that may contribute to bamboo nutritional quality or sustainable harvest: season, ramet maturity and age, and disturbance. I conducted a 3-year study with Phyllostachys aureosulcata (PLLAU), P. glauca (PLLGL), and P. rubromarginata (PLLRU), at the Shelby County AgriCenter, Memphis TN, applying 3 disturbance treatments in a replicated split-plot design: control, 3% and 20% annual removal of biomass. Bamboo was sampled 8 times/year and divided into shoot, leaf, and culm (central stem) for analysis of crude protein (CP), neutral- and acid-detergent fiber (NDF and ADF), ash, lipid, minerals, and acid-insoluble ash (AIA). I quantified bamboo-stand production, maturity, recruitment and mortality. Biomass removed from PLLAU was used in diet-selection trials with 2 giant pandas, observing consumption of plant parts and bamboo from different disturbance treatments, and sampling bamboo for allelochemical and starch analysis. Disturbance effects were evident only for branch and culm dry mass in PLLRU. In Year 2, drought conditions and peak roosting blackbird populations confounded results. Defoliation and guano deposition preceded changes to soil chemistry, bamboo composition, and stand structure; recruitment increased for PLLRU. After accounting for confounding factors, less-mature bamboo had greater concentrations of most nutrients, but less NDF, ADF, and K. Two-year-old ramets had greater CP, NDF, lipid, P, K, S, and Cu, but less Ca and Fe, than 1-year-old ramets. I confirmed seasonal plant-part selection by pandas, but found no correlation between leaf consumption and AIA concentration. Culm starch analyses were insufficient to establish a clear pattern. I recommend further investigation of non-structural carbohydrates in bamboo, and palatability testing of undisturbed versus disturbed bamboo, which I was unable to examine. DEDICATION To my husband, who has not only been an unfailing source of support and motivation, but has also served as lab assistant, sounding board, counselor, and massage therapist, and singlehandedly kept me from starving when I would not have otherwise stopped to eat. To my parents, for teaching me from a young age that I could do anything I made up my mind to do, and for constantly reinforcing that idea throughout my life. To my grandmother and aunts, who I have always considered role models of successful, grounded, happy, and self-assured women. ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I wish to thank my collaborators on this study: Brian Rude, Brian Baldwin, Meghan Carr, John Ouellette, and Heidi Bissell, as well as the financial support of Ocean Park Conservation Foundation (Hong Kong), the Memphis Zoo, and Mississippi State University. This work would not have been possible without the invaluable assistance of Cathy Aultman and the H. W. Essig Nutrition Laboratory; Barbara Myers, Jennifer Bernard, Rachel Wostl, Carolyn Apanavicius, and the Conservation and Research, Mammal, and Horticulture Departments at the Memphis Zoo; Daniel Ballhorn, Department of Plant Biology, University of Minnesota; Robert Sikes and Tommy Finley, Department of Biology, University of Arkansas – Little Rock; Adam Orr, Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences, Mississippi State University; Joe Deraney and Lexi Steinweg-Woods, University of Wisconsin – Madison; the laboratory of Mary Beth Hall, U.S. Dairy Forage Research Center and University of Wisconsin – Madison; Lance Miller, Institute for Conservation Research, San Diego Zoo Global; and volunteers and interns from Mississippi State University, Rhodes College, the University of Memphis, and Christian Brothers University, in particular Mandy Lawson, Tracey Boler, Katelyn Armstrong Allender, Alisha and Frankie Hollander, and Casey and Chris Asa. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS DEDICATION .................................................................................................................... ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................................... iii LIST OF TABLES ............................................................................................................. vi LIST OF FIGURES ......................................................................................................... viii CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................1 Background ........................................................................................................1 Justification and objectives ..............................................................................16 Format ..............................................................................................................18 II. NUTRITIONAL QUALITY OF BAMBOO FOR A SPECIALIST FORAGER: INFLUENCE OF SEASON, BAMBOO MATURITY AND AGE, AND DISTURBANCE ..............................19 Abstract ............................................................................................................19 Introduction ......................................................................................................20 Material and methods .......................................................................................28 Research site ..............................................................................................28 Study species ..............................................................................................28 Experimental design...................................................................................29 Sample collection .......................................................................................30 Analyses .....................................................................................................32 Results ..............................................................................................................34 Temporal effects ........................................................................................34 Ramet maturity and age .............................................................................35 Disturbance ................................................................................................36 Weather ......................................................................................................36