Diet selection by roe deer Capreolus capreolus in Kielder Forest in relation to plant cover

Jong, C.B. de; Gill, Robin; Wieren, S.E. van; Burlton, F.W.E.

doi:10.1016/0378-1127(95)03622-9

Cited by 51 publications

(50 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…4), especially in periods with snow (Siuda et al, 1969;Henry, 1978a, b;Cederlund et al, 1980;Birkenstock & Maillard, 1989). In the growing season this component is shunned, except when no deciduous browse is available (Henry, 1978a;de Jong et al, 1995). The high proportion of coniferous browse in the winter diet may re¯ect the fact that it is the only food of high quality that is still available in large amounts.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impact of season, habitat and research techniques on diet composition of roe deer (Capreolus capreolus): a review

1999

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We summarize the information on the diet of roe deer Capreolus capreolus found in 33 European studies. After giving a short overview of the differences between the existing studies, we compare the information for each season. We submit the information, summarized in a matrix of 83 cases on 10 food groups, to a detrended correspondence analysis (DCA) and a two-way indicator species analysis (TWINSPAN). We calculate weighted averages grouping the information by season, habitat, research method and their crossproducts. The weighted averages are also used as input for a multivariate ratio analysis. Since the available food items dictate the possible diet composition we further investigate the in¯uence of the habitat on the reported food selection. The in¯uence of season on the diet composition is compared with the effect of the habitat, and other factors such as research method and geographical location of the study site. The review shows that there is relatively little seasonal variation in the diet composition, which is more closely correlated to the habitat than to the season.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impact of season, habitat and research techniques on diet composition of roe deer (Capreolus capreolus): a review

1999

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“…These were then measured using a grid of 0.01-mm 2 squares in the microscope eyepiece (De Jong et al 1995;2004) to find ingested plant species that comprised at least 5% of the total diet (Stewart 1967). Fragments smaller than 0.01 mm 2 were ignored, as identification of these is not conclusive for all species (Martin 1955).…”

Section: Diet Assessment: Microhistological Faecal Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

A comparison of faecal analysis with backtracking to determine the diet composition and species preference of the black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis minor)

et al. 2009

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The diet of black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis minor) was studied using backtracking and faecal analysis in South Africa. Both methods yielded different results, with a large bias for dominant species. Results of backtracking showed that the rhinos browsed on 80 plant species. Grasses comprised 4.5% of the diet in the faecal analysis, but were not recorded during the backtracking. The backtracking method, along with a measure of forage availability, was used to identify two groups of plant species, those species taken in a higher proportion than available in the field and those taken in a lower proportion. Chemical analyses showed that these two species groups were similar in in vitro digestibility, macro-elements and fibre constituents. Mean bite size and species contribution to the diet were not correlated with any of the forage quality parameters, indicating that rhinos were not maximising nutrient intake or minimising fibre intake of these consumed plant species.

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“…Diet composition and diet quality of the different herbivores were assessed from dung samples (De Jong et al 1995. Dung samples of seven wild herbivore species (Western kob Kobus kob, Western hartebeest Alcelaphus buselaphus major, Defassa waterbuck Kobus ellipsiprymnus defassa, roan Hippotragus equinus, buffalo Syncerus caffer, hippopotamus Hippopotamus amphibius and one unidentified species) and one domesticated species (Zebu cattle Bos indicus Linn.)…”

Section: Dung Collection and Samplingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…From every mixed sample ten random grab samples were examined by light microscopy and measured by using a grid of 0.01-mm 2 squares in the microscope eyepiece. At least 100 fragments of cuticle or epidermis were identified by comparison with photomicrographs of epidermal material in a reference collection, as detailed elsewhere (De Jong et al 1995. Over 60 species of food plant, mostly grass species occurring in the region, were sampled for reference slides.…”

Section: Diet Compositionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Diet composition was based on microhistological examination of herbivore droppings (De Jong et al 1995. Microhistological examination provides an estimate of the ingested biomass per plant taxon, based on the assumption that the surface/dry matter ratio of leaves is more or less constant in different species (Cid & Brizuela 1990, Sparks & Malechek 1968, Stewart 1967.…”

Section: Diet Compositionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Resource partitioning among African savanna herbivores in North Cameroon: the importance of diet composition, food quality and body mass

et al. 2011

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Abstract:The relationship between herbivore diet quality, and diet composition (the range of food plants consumed) and body mass on resource partitioning of herbivores remains the subject of an ongoing scientific debate. In this study we investigated the importance of diet composition and diet quality on resource partitioning among eight species of savanna herbivore in north Cameroon, with different body mass. Dung samples of four to seven wild herbivore and one domesticated species were collected in the field during the dry and wet period. Diet composition was based on microhistological examination of herbivore droppings, epidermis fragments were identified to genus or family level. In addition, the quality of the faecal droppings was determined in terms of phosphorus, nitrogen and fibre concentrations. The results showed that there was no significant correlation between body mass and (differences in) diet composition for wet and dry season. When all species are considered, only significant relationships are found by the Spearman rank correlation analyses during the wet season between body mass and phosphorus and nitrogen, but this relationship did not exist during the dry season. When the analyses focuses on ruminants only (thus leaving out hippo), none of the relationships between body mass and diet quality was significant in either season. During the dry season the proportion of graminoids ranged between 10% (small unidentified herbivore species) to 90% (hippopotamus), during the wet season this proportion ranged from 60% (zebu) to 90% (hippopotamus). All species but zebu had more graminoids in their dung during wet season compared with dry season. However all species but hartebeest had more graminoids old stems in their dung during the dry season, compared with the wet season. The niche breadth for food categories consumed by kob (0.300), hippo (0.090), hartebeest (0.350), roan (0.510) and zebu (0.300) was much greater in the dry season than in the wet season for kob (0.120), hippo (0.020), hartebeest (0.190), roan (0.090) and zebu (0.200). When looking at grass taxa consumed, the niche breadth of kob (0.220), hartebeest (0.140), and roan (0.250) was also greater in the dry season when compared with the wet season for kob (0.050), hartebeest (0.120) and roan (0.120). The opposite was found for zebu and hippo. Comparison of the species' diet compositions with randomized data showed that dietary overlap between different herbivore species was much higher than what would be expected on the basis of chance, demonstrating surprisingly limited niche separation between species. This offers potential for competition, but it is more likely that the high niche overlap indicates absence of competition, due to low herbivore densities and abundant food resources, permitting species to share non-limiting resources. With increasing herbivore densities and subsequent increasing scarcity of resources, the relationship between diet quality and body mass in combination with increased niche separation is expected to become mor...

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Diet selection by roe deer Capreolus capreolus in Kielder Forest in relation to plant cover

Cited by 51 publications

References 13 publications

Impact of season, habitat and research techniques on diet composition of roe deer (Capreolus capreolus): a review

Impact of season, habitat and research techniques on diet composition of roe deer (Capreolus capreolus): a review

A comparison of faecal analysis with backtracking to determine the diet composition and species preference of the black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis minor)

Resource partitioning among African savanna herbivores in North Cameroon: the importance of diet composition, food quality and body mass

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