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Zhang N, Zhang Z, Liu C, Xiong Z, Wei Y, Meng D, Zhan M, Li Z, Zhao Y, Teng L, Liu Z. Seasonal Diet Composition of Goitered Gazelle ( Gazella subgutturosa) in an Arid and Semi-Arid Region of Western China. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:663. [PMID: 38473048 DOI: 10.3390/ani14050663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2023] [Revised: 02/11/2024] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Global climate change, habitat fragmentation, and human interference have resulted in a significant, ongoing decline in the population of goitered gazelles. Effective conservation strategies require an understanding of resource requirements of threatened species, such as dietary needs. Therefore, we aimed to elucidate the food composition and seasonal dietary changes of goitered gazelles through microhistological analyses of fresh feces. Fabaceae (11.5%), Gramineae (9.4%), Chenopodiaceae (20.2%), Asteraceae (10.1%), and Rosaceae (19.5%) formed the primary dietary components of goitered gazelle. Additionally, Krascheninnikovia arborescens (13.4%) and Prunus sibirica (16.3%) were identified as the key forage plants. Forbs (50.4%) were the predominant plants for grazing throughout the year, particularly in the spring (72.9%). The proportion of trees in the diet was highest in the autumn (36.7%) and comparatively lower in other seasons. Furthermore, the proportions of shrubs (22.0%) and graminoids (14.8%) both reached their peaks in the winter. Our findings indicate that goitered gazelles strategically forage seasonally to cope with resource bottlenecks, enhancing their adaptability to arid and semi-arid habitats. Our study provides essential ecological information for the conservation of goitered gazelles and emphasizes the importance of dietary studies of species of ecological significance in environmentally sensitive areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nan Zhang
- College of Wildlife and Protected Areas, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Zhirong Zhang
- College of Wildlife and Protected Areas, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Chao Liu
- Luoshan National Nature Reserve Management Bureau of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Wuzhong 751999, China
| | - Zeqin Xiong
- Luoshan National Nature Reserve Management Bureau of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Wuzhong 751999, China
| | - Yaoyun Wei
- Luoshan National Nature Reserve Management Bureau of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Wuzhong 751999, China
| | - Dehuai Meng
- College of Wildlife and Protected Areas, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Meiling Zhan
- College of Wildlife and Protected Areas, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Zongzhi Li
- College of Wildlife and Protected Areas, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Yao Zhao
- College of Wildlife and Protected Areas, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Liwei Teng
- College of Wildlife and Protected Areas, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
- Key Laboratory of Conservation Biology, National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Zhensheng Liu
- College of Wildlife and Protected Areas, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
- Key Laboratory of Conservation Biology, National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Harbin 150040, China
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Ram M, Sahu A, Srivastava N, Chaudhary R, Jhala L. Diet composition of Asiatic lions in protected areas and multi-use land matrix. Journal of Vertebrate Biology 2023. [DOI: 10.25225/jvb.22065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/05/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Mohan Ram
- Wildlife Division, Sasan-Gir, Junagadh, Gujarat, India; e-mail: ,
| | | | - Nityanand Srivastava
- Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) & Chief Wildlife Warden, Gujarat State, Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India; e-mail:
| | - Rohit Chaudhary
- Department of Wildlife Sciences, College of Forestry, Navsari Agriculture University, Navsari, Gujarat, India; e-mail:
| | - Lahar Jhala
- Wildlife Division, Sasan-Gir, Junagadh, Gujarat, India; e-mail: ,
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Annear E, Minnie L, Andrew K, Kerley GIH. Can smaller predators expand their prey base through killing juveniles? The influence of prey demography and season on prey selection for cheetahs and lions. Oecologia 2023; 201:649-660. [PMID: 36869184 PMCID: PMC10038972 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-023-05335-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/05/2023]
Abstract
Smaller predators may overcome body size restrictions on their prey base by selecting for juveniles of larger prey species. However, traditional prey selection models ignore demographic classes within prey species. We refined these models for two predators with contrasting body sizes and hunting strategies, by including seasonal consumption and availability of prey demographic classes. We predicted that cheetahs would select for smaller neonate and juvenile prey especially of larger species, while lions would select for larger, adult prey. We further predicted seasonal diet shifts in cheetah, but not lion. We recorded species-specific demographic class prey use (kills) via direct observation and GPS cluster of cheetahs and lions fitted with GPS collars. Species-specific demographic class prey availability was estimated from monthly driven transects, and species-specific demographic class prey preferences were estimated. The availability of prey demographic classes varied seasonally. Cheetahs preferred neonates, juveniles, and sub-adults during the wet season, but adults and juveniles during the dry season. Lions preferred adult prey irrespective of season, with sub-adults, juveniles, and neonates killed relative to their abundance. This confirms that traditional prey preference models do not adequately account for demographic-specific prey preference. This is particularly important for smaller predators, like cheetahs, that focus on smaller prey but can expand their prey base by killing juveniles of larger species. For these smaller predators, prey availability will vary strongly seasonally, making them more vulnerable to processes that influence prey reproduction, like global change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleesha Annear
- Department of Zoology, Centre for African Conservation Ecology, Nelson Mandela University, Gqeberha, 6031, South Africa
| | - Liaan Minnie
- Department of Zoology, Centre for African Conservation Ecology, Nelson Mandela University, Gqeberha, 6031, South Africa
- School of Biology and Environmental Sciences, University of Mpumalanga, Mbombela, 1200, South Africa
| | - Kaeleah Andrew
- Department of Zoology, Centre for African Conservation Ecology, Nelson Mandela University, Gqeberha, 6031, South Africa
| | - Graham I H Kerley
- Department of Zoology, Centre for African Conservation Ecology, Nelson Mandela University, Gqeberha, 6031, South Africa.
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Everatt KT, Kokes R, Robinson H, Kerley GIH. Optimal foraging of lions at the human wildlands interface. Afr J Ecol 2023. [DOI: 10.1111/aje.13113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Kristoffer T. Everatt
- Department of Zoology, Center for African Conservation Ecology Nelson Mandela University Port Elizabeth South Africa
- Panthera New York New York USA
- Greater Limpopo Carnivore Programme Limpopo National Park Mozambique
| | - Rae Kokes
- Greater Limpopo Carnivore Programme Limpopo National Park Mozambique
| | - Hugh Robinson
- Department of Zoology, Center for African Conservation Ecology Nelson Mandela University Port Elizabeth South Africa
| | - Graham I. H. Kerley
- Department of Zoology, Center for African Conservation Ecology Nelson Mandela University Port Elizabeth South Africa
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Davies AB, Tambling CJ, Marneweck DG, Ranc N, Druce DJ, Cromsigt JPGM, le Roux E, Asner GP. Spatial heterogeneity facilitates carnivore coexistence. Ecology 2021; 102:e03319. [PMID: 33636010 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.3319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2020] [Revised: 11/25/2020] [Accepted: 12/06/2020] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Competitively dominant carnivore species can limit the population sizes and alter the behavior of inferior competitors. Established mechanisms that enable carnivore coexistence include spatial and temporal avoidance of dominant predator species by subordinates, and dietary niche separation. However, spatial heterogeneity across landscapes could provide inferior competitors with refuges in the form of areas with lower competitor density and/or locations that provide concealment from competitors. Here, we combine temporally overlapping telemetry data from dominant lions (Panthera leo) and subordinate African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus) with high-resolution remote sensing in an integrated step selection analysis to investigate how fine-scaled landscape heterogeneity might facilitate carnivore coexistence in South Africa's Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park, where both predators occur at exceptionally high densities. We ask whether the primary lion-avoidance strategy of wild dogs is spatial avoidance of lions or areas frequented by lions, or if wild dogs selectively use landscape features to avoid detection by lions. Within this framework, we also test whether wild dogs rely on proactive or reactive responses to lion risk. In contrast to previous studies finding strong spatial avoidance of lions by wild dogs, we found that the primary wild dog lion-avoidance strategy was to select landscape features that aid in avoidance of lion detection. This habitat selection was routinely used by wild dogs, and especially when in areas and during times of high lion-encounter risk, suggesting a proactive response to lion risk. Our findings suggest that spatial landscape heterogeneity could represent an alternative mechanism for carnivore coexistence, especially as ever-shrinking carnivore ranges force inferior competitors into increased contact with dominant species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew B Davies
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Craig J Tambling
- Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Fort Hare, Alice, South Africa
| | - David G Marneweck
- Eugène Marais Chair of Wildlife Management, Department of Zoology and Entomology, Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa.,Endangered Wildlife Trust, Johannesburg, South Africa.,Wildlife Ecology Lab, School of Natural Resource Management, Nelson Mandela University, Port Elizabeth, South Africa
| | - Nathan Ranc
- Environmental Studies Department, University of California-Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, USA
| | - Dave J Druce
- Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park, South Africa.,School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa
| | - Joris P G M Cromsigt
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umeå, Sweden.,Department of Zoology, Centre for African Conservation Ecology, Nelson Mandela University, Port Elizabeth, South Africa.,Faculty of Geosciences, Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Elizabeth le Roux
- Environmental Change Institute, School of Geography and the Environment, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Gregory P Asner
- Center for Global Discovery and Conservation Science, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
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Davies AB, Cromsigt JPGM, Tambling CJ, le Roux E, Vaughn N, Druce DJ, Marneweck DG, Asner GP. Environmental controls on African herbivore responses to landscapes of fear. OIKOS 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.07559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Andrew B. Davies
- Dept of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard Univ. Cambridge MA USA
- Center for Global Discovery and Conservation Science, Arizona State Univ. Tempe AZ USA
| | - Joris P. G. M. Cromsigt
- Dept of Wildlife, Fish and Environmental Studies, Swedish Univ. of Agricultural Sciences Umeå Sweden
- Dept of Zoology, Centre for African Conservation Ecology, Nelson Mandela Univ. Port Elizabeth South Africa
| | - Craig J. Tambling
- Dept of Zoology, Centre for African Conservation Ecology, Nelson Mandela Univ. Port Elizabeth South Africa
- Dept of Zoology and Entomology, Univ. of Fort Hare Alice South Africa
| | - Elizabeth le Roux
- Dept of Zoology, Centre for African Conservation Ecology, Nelson Mandela Univ. Port Elizabeth South Africa
| | - Nicholas Vaughn
- Center for Global Discovery and Conservation Science, Arizona State Univ. Tempe AZ USA
| | - Dave J. Druce
- Ecological Advice, Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife Hluhluwe‐iMfolozi Park South Africa
- School of Life Sciences, Univ. of KwaZulu‐Natal Pietermaritzburg South Africa
| | - David G. Marneweck
- Eugène Marais Chair of Wildlife Management, Mammal Research Inst., Dept of Zoology and Entomology, Univ. of Pretoria Pretoria South Africa
- Wildlife Ecology Lab, School of Natural Resource Management, Nelson Mandela Univ. Port Elizabeth South Africa
| | - Gregory P. Asner
- Center for Global Discovery and Conservation Science, Arizona State Univ. Tempe AZ USA
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