Nutrient Content of Squawroot 155 



extract, however, is lowest in spring foods (Landers et al. 1979). 

 Eagle and Pelton (1983) suggested that squawroot was probably an 

 important energy source for bears because the carbohydrates in squawroot 

 are readily absorbed. 



Squawroot is likely a major source of carbohydrates (represented 

 by relatively high NFE concentrations) in the spring diet of bears in 

 the Harmon Den area. Nitrogen-free extract concentrations in squawroot 

 tended to remain relatively high throughout the study, and carbohydrates 

 available in squawroot appear to be easily absorbed (Eagle and 

 Pelton 1983); this may be important to a bear's overall spring and 

 early summer condition. The combination of high protein herbaceous 

 material and relatively rich carbohydrate squawroot may be important 

 for bears recovering from the denning period; particularly for lactating 

 females with cubs, because of their increased nutritional requirements 

 (Eagle and Pelton 1983, Rogers 1987). 



The habitat types where squawroot occurs (i.e., mature oak stands) 

 should receive special concerns, as management of these stands for 

 peak acorn production also would maintain ample sources of squawroot 

 for bears throughout their range in the southern Appalachians. 



LITERATURE CITED 



Beeman, L. E., and M. R. Pelton. 1980. Seasonal foods and feeding 

 ecology of black bears in the Smoky Mountains. Proceedings of 

 the International Conference for Bear Research and Management 

 4:141-147. 



Eagle, T. C, and M. R. Pelton. 1983. Seasonal nutrition of black 

 bears in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Proceedings 

 of the International Conference for Bear Research and Manage- 

 ment 5:94-101. 



Fenneman, N. M. 1938. Physiography of the eastern United States. 

 McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York, New York. 



Finlayson, C. P. 1957. The geology of the Max Patch Mountain 

 area, Lemon Gap Quadrangle, Tennessee-North Carolina. M.S. Thesis. 

 The University of Tennessee, Knoxville. 



Garner, N. P. 1986. Seasonal movements, habitat selection, and food 

 habits of black bears (Ursus americanus) in Shenandoah National 

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 versity, Blacksburg. 



Harvill, A. M., Jr., T. R. Bradley, and C. E. Sterns. 1981. Atlas of 

 the Virginia flora. Part II Dicotyledons. Virginia Botanical Asso- 

 ciates, Farmville, Virginia. 



Landers, J. L., R. J. Hamilton, A. S. Johnson, and R. L. Marchinton. 

 1979. Foods and habitat of black bears in southeastern North 

 Carolina. The Journal of Wildlife Management 43:143-153. 



