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Anti-browsing effects of birch bark extract on fallow deer

Bergvall, Ulrika A. ; Co, Michelle ; Bergstrom, Roger ; Sjoberg, Per J. R. ; Waldeback, Monica and Turner, Charlotta LU (2013) In European Journal of Forest Research 132(5-6). p.717-725
Abstract
A major problem within forest industry is unwanted browsing on seedlings from mammalian herbivores. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of birch bark extracts as repellents towards fallow deer. Birch bark was extracted in a conventional way with ethanol as solvent at ambient temperature and with a new method, liquid CO2 extraction. An analysis of the ethanol-extracted birch bark showed that it contained large amounts of terpenoids, of which the most abundant was betulin. In seven different treatment trials, we used 15 individually handled fallow deer. To investigate the binary taste preferences, birch bark extract was added to food and presented in two bowls in typical two-choice tests. We found that the amount of a food type... (More)
A major problem within forest industry is unwanted browsing on seedlings from mammalian herbivores. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of birch bark extracts as repellents towards fallow deer. Birch bark was extracted in a conventional way with ethanol as solvent at ambient temperature and with a new method, liquid CO2 extraction. An analysis of the ethanol-extracted birch bark showed that it contained large amounts of terpenoids, of which the most abundant was betulin. In seven different treatment trials, we used 15 individually handled fallow deer. To investigate the binary taste preferences, birch bark extract was added to food and presented in two bowls in typical two-choice tests. We found that the amount of a food type consumed during a trial and the number of shifts between food bowls were dependent on the amount of the birch extract the food contained. Concentrations of above 1 % by dry weight of birch extract acted as a repellent. In addition, such concentrations produced shorter feeding bouts by a greater willingness to change bowls. Therefore, our conclusion is that birch bark extract acts as a repellent towards fallow deer and is therefore likely to act as a repellent against other deer species. In addition, we show that birch bark extract produced by the new and more environmentally sustainable method employing liquid CO2 mixed with ethanol has the same repellent effect as the traditional ethanol extraction. (Less)
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author
; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Betula, Birch bark, Browsing, Fallow deer, Plant secondary metabolites, Repellents
in
European Journal of Forest Research
volume
132
issue
5-6
pages
717 - 725
publisher
Springer
external identifiers
  • wos:000327075800006
  • scopus:84887626339
ISSN
1612-4669
DOI
10.1007/s10342-013-0709-y
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
1cd31748-366e-459a-a5e7-7dc907cedf7a (old id 4197736)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 10:34:01
date last changed
2022-02-25 03:00:59
@article{1cd31748-366e-459a-a5e7-7dc907cedf7a,
  abstract     = {{A major problem within forest industry is unwanted browsing on seedlings from mammalian herbivores. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of birch bark extracts as repellents towards fallow deer. Birch bark was extracted in a conventional way with ethanol as solvent at ambient temperature and with a new method, liquid CO2 extraction. An analysis of the ethanol-extracted birch bark showed that it contained large amounts of terpenoids, of which the most abundant was betulin. In seven different treatment trials, we used 15 individually handled fallow deer. To investigate the binary taste preferences, birch bark extract was added to food and presented in two bowls in typical two-choice tests. We found that the amount of a food type consumed during a trial and the number of shifts between food bowls were dependent on the amount of the birch extract the food contained. Concentrations of above 1 % by dry weight of birch extract acted as a repellent. In addition, such concentrations produced shorter feeding bouts by a greater willingness to change bowls. Therefore, our conclusion is that birch bark extract acts as a repellent towards fallow deer and is therefore likely to act as a repellent against other deer species. In addition, we show that birch bark extract produced by the new and more environmentally sustainable method employing liquid CO2 mixed with ethanol has the same repellent effect as the traditional ethanol extraction.}},
  author       = {{Bergvall, Ulrika A. and Co, Michelle and Bergstrom, Roger and Sjoberg, Per J. R. and Waldeback, Monica and Turner, Charlotta}},
  issn         = {{1612-4669}},
  keywords     = {{Betula; Birch bark; Browsing; Fallow deer; Plant secondary metabolites; Repellents}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{5-6}},
  pages        = {{717--725}},
  publisher    = {{Springer}},
  series       = {{European Journal of Forest Research}},
  title        = {{Anti-browsing effects of birch bark extract on fallow deer}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10342-013-0709-y}},
  doi          = {{10.1007/s10342-013-0709-y}},
  volume       = {{132}},
  year         = {{2013}},
}