The bear-berry connection: Ecological and management implications of brown bears' food habits in a highly touristic protected area

Diet studies are essential to understand animal ecology and ecosystem dynamics, especially in the case of large omnivores. These particularly relevant areas where human disturbance is intense and, thus, species dietary patterns might change due easy accessibility food resources origin, which may hinder services these provide. We assessed diet brown bears (Ursus arctos) by DNA metabarcoding Tatra National Park (southern Poland), a highly touristic protected area. Brown bears' showed marked seasonality, characteristic feature bear populations relying on natural foods. Graminoids represented main during spring, while fleshy-fruited plants became more important from mid-summer. Fleshy-fruited were present 56% faeces entire activity period bears, revealing that fruits play pivotal role feeding bears. Two berry species, Vaccinium myrtillus Rubus idaeus, most frequently detected (in 42% 20% faeces, respectively). The consumption plants, berries, suggests that, despite high levels area, still key as seed dispersers. Management strategies focused an effective waste management, control picking, strict regulations about activities specific sensitive periods lack artificial provisioning crucial ensure dispersal processes associated other frugivores