Abstract： We sampled the forage resources of the eastern forests of Wandashan Mountains in Heilongjiang during winters 2005 and 2006 in order to quantify forage available to wapiti (Cervus elaphus). Nutritient composition of food items was analyzed to estimate wapiti carrying capacity. Feeding experiments were conducted on 3 captive wapiti (2 ♂,1 ♀) to estimate daily nutrient requirements in winter. We estimated winter carrying capacity of Wandashan Mountains as 11 115±1 419 based on mass (dry weight),as 5 845±1 077 based on metabolizable energy,and as 16 958 ±2 983 based on nitrogen. By determining the nutrient composition of principal forages ingested by wapiti,we found that the content density of nitrogen was higher than the amount required by wapiti,whereas metabolizable energy was lower. Therefore we conclude that metabolizable energy limits wapiti during winter. Additionally,we found that yearly variation in snow depth,biomass of food plants,and solar radiation caused detectable differences in yearly carrying capacity.
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