Are mouflon Ovis gmelini musimon really grazers? A review of variation in diet composition

Abstract

We reviewed data on the diets of mouflon (Mediterranean island populations Ovis gmelini musimon and introduced hybridized populations Ovis gmelini musimon × Ovis sp.) from 33 field studies (comprising 51 independent data points suitable for analysis) to detect general patterns in the botanical composition of the diet and identify ecological factors explaining its variation. We expected mouflon, generally classified as grazers, to include botanical entities other than grass in their diet, especially when they are forced to do so by low resource availability, and in certain seasons. Diet composition was investigated based on samples of rumen content and faeces. We combined these data with environmental characteristics at each site using a co‐inertia analysis. As expected, grass often constituted the highest proportion in the diet (in 28 of the 51 data points) and represented on average 35% (range = 0–91%) of mouflon diet, confirming the importance of this food for the species. However, referring strictly to commonly used thresholds (>75% or >90%) shows that the classification of mouflon as grazers could be questioned. Indeed, forbs and shrubs constituted 24% (range: 0–93%) and 16% (range: 0–55%) of their diet, respectively, so that mouflon should at least be considered as variable grazers. Forbs represented a high percentage of the overall diet in the Kerguelen Archipelago, southern Indian Ocean (autumn and winter: 73%) and Teide National Park, Canary Islands, Spain (autumn and winter: 83%), whereas shrubs represented a high proportion of the overall diet in Mediterranean areas (19%). Diet composition varied with spatio‐temporal variation in forage availability (documented as habitat related or seasonal variation), confirming that mouflon are able to feed on a large variety of plants. Further investigations concerning both digestive morphology and consequences of the inclusion of browse in the diet on population dynamics of mouflon are needed to understand the persistence of this species over a wide range of habitats despite a potential mismatch between its digestive ability and its observed diet.

Coupling scale-specific habitat selection and activity reveals sex-specific food/cover trade-offs in a large herbivore

“…These grass-rich areas provided abundant food for mouflon (Brachypodium sylvaticum, Festuca rubra, Festuca paniculata, Festuca ovina, Carex sp. ; Baudi ere, 1970;Cransac, Valet, Cugnasse, & Rech, 1997;Marchand et al, 2013). As elevation decreased and slope increased, heather moorlands tended to be replaced by encroaching broom (Cytisus oromediterraneus, Cytisus scoparius) and fern, Pteridium aquilinum, moorlands, providing less favourable foraging conditions for mouflon (Baudi ere, 1970;Cazau, Garel, & Maillard, 2011).…”

“…Villages and hamlets were grouped in the 'other' category, which was excluded from analyses since it represented a tiny percentage of the available areas (on average 0.8%, range 0.01e1.8%). The expected benefits of each habitat type in terms of food and perceived predation risk are based on previous knowledge of wild sheep requirements (Cransac, Valet, et al, 1997;Geist, 1971;Marchand et al, 2013;Risenhoover & Bailey, 1985;Risenhoover, Bailey, & Wakelyn, 1988;Wakelyn, 1987) and average slope, visibility (*considered to be null in forested areas; see Benoist et al, 2013 for details) and distance to areas of low perceived predation (steep slope, i.e. !30 ).…”

Intra- and Interspecific Differences in Diet Quality and Composition in a Large Herbivore Community

“…Additionally, our study provides new empirical data on wild ungulate diet and especially, on sources of variation of diet characteristics, which are valuable for meta-analyses (e.g. [15], [33]) and inter-specific comparisons aimed at linking morpho-physiology to trophic ecology (e.g. [34]).…”

From steps to home range formation: species‐specific movement upscaling among sympatric ungulates

“…typical of searching stages) than chamois (mixed feeder; Bertolino, Von Hardenberg & Ribetto ) or mouflon (mainly feeding on grasses; Marchand et al . ; Fig. a).…”