Data from: Food quality and quantity is more important in explaining foraging of an intermediate-sized mammalian herbivore than predation risk or competition

During times of high activity by predators and competitors, herbivores may
be forced to forage in patches of low-quality food. However, the relative
importance in determining where and what herbivores forage still remains
unclear, especially for small and intermediate-sized herbivores. Our
objective was to test the relative importance of predator and competitor
activity, and forage quality and quantity on the proportion of time spent
in a vegetation type and the proportion of time spent foraging by the
intermediate-sized herbivore European hare (Lepus europaeus). We studied
red fox (Vulpes vulpes) as a predator species and European rabbit
(Oryctolagus cuniculus) as a competitor. We investigated the time spent at
a location and foraging time of hare using GPS with accelerometers. Forage
quality and quantity was analysed based on hand-plucked samples of a
selection of the locally most important plant species in the diet of hare.
Predator and competitor activity was investigated using a network of
camera traps. Hares spent a higher proportion of time in vegetation types
that contained a higher percentage of fibres (i.e., NDF). Besides, hares
spent a higher proportion of time in vegetation types that contained
relatively low food quantity and quality of forage (i.e., high percentage
of fibres) during days that foxes (Vulpes vulpes) were more active. Also
during days that rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) were more active, hares
spent a higher proportion of time foraging in vegetation types that
contained a relatively low quality of forage. Although predation risk
affected space use and foraging behaviour, and competition affected
foraging behaviour, our study shows that food quality and quantity more
strongly affected space use and foraging behaviour than predation risk or
competition. It seems that we need to reconsider the relative importance
of the landscape of food in a world of fear and competition.