Geophagic behavior in the mountain goat (<i>Oreamnos</i><i>americanus</i>): support for meeting metabolic demands

Slabach, Brittany L.; Corey, Tyler B.; Aprille, June R.; Starks, Philip T.; Dane, Benjamin

doi:10.1139/cjz-2015-0067

Cited by 12 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 39 publications

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“…We found high elemental concentrations of Na and Mg at the mineral lick and Na, Ca, P, Zn and Cu in the highway ditches along the TCH, common elements mountain goats are known to seek out (White 1983, Poole et al 2010, Slabach et al 2015. The requirements for these minerals Figure 5.…”

Section: Soil Characteristicsmentioning

confidence: 90%

“…Mountain goats are exposed to significant risks when using these sites, indicative of the importance of these mineral resources. We predict that the soils consumed at the mineral licks will be high in minerals mountain goats have been shown to seek at other mineral lick study areas such as sodium (Na), calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P) and magnesium (Mg) (Kreulen 1985, Ayotte et al 2006, Slabach et al 2015.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Animals often travel long distances outside their usual habitat to visit specific mineral licks (Rice 2010, Link et al 2011). The benefits of geophagy are still uncertain, but may include 1) detoxification of secondary plant compounds; 2) alleviation of gastrointestinal stress; and 3) nutrient supplementation to meet metabolic demands (Jones and Hanson 1985, Kreulen 1985, Ayotte et al 2006, 2008, Slabach et al 2015).…”

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confidence: 99%

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Patterns of decadal, seasonal and daily visitation to mineral licks, a critical resource hotspot for mountain goats Oreamnos americanus in the Rocky Mountains

2020

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Concentrated resources or hotspots, within an individual's usual home range may be strong determinates of movement behavior. We evaluated the patterns of mineral lick use by a population of mountain goats Oreamnos americanus displaying high site fidelity at two mineral licks along the Trans‐Canada Highway in the Rocky Mountains, British Columbia, Canada. Access to these mineral licks was characterized by deliberate and repetitive movements into marginal habitat. We describe the patterns of mineral lick use over decadal, seasonal and daily periods by using dendrochronological analysis of trampling scars along mountain goat trails, movements determined from GPS collar locations, and camera traps placed along trails and at mineral licks, respectively. Our findings suggest that mountain goats have strong trans‐generational behavioral traditions and that they predictably access mineral licks using the same trails, seasons and daily patterns. Differences in the patterns of mineral lick visitation between males and females may be related to reproductive and nutritional status, while their nocturnal use appears to be a response to disturbance at the mineral licks. Understanding how animals adjust their behavior in response to highly localized resource hotspots outside their usual home range can provide valuable information for the management of these critical habitat features and the wider conservation of mountain goat populations.

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Section: Soil Characteristicsmentioning

confidence: 90%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Patterns of decadal, seasonal and daily visitation to mineral licks, a critical resource hotspot for mountain goats Oreamnos americanus in the Rocky Mountains

2020

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“…All North American ungulate species have been observed to seek out salt licks (here defined as sites of salt-seeking behaviour involving deliberate ingestion of naturally occurring sodium-rich deposits), particularly in the spring and summer months linked to changes in forage profile, lactation and metabolic demands (e.g. Ayotte et al, 2006Ayotte et al, , 2008Slabach et al, 2015).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Seasonal sodium deficiency and consequent salt-seeking behaviour can also significantly influence ungulate movements and seasonal distribution (Heimer, 1973;Simmons, 1982;Slabach et al, 2015;Watts & Schemnitz, 1985). Close to oceanic coastlines, wideranging ungulates may obtain sodium via consumption of algae (e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Non‐random distribution of ungulate salt licks relative to distance from North American oceanic margins

Maro

Dudley

2022

Journal of Biogeography

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Aim: Terrestrial deposition of aerosol marine sodium declines with distance from coastlines. Salt deprivation in vertebrate herbivores and salt-seeking behaviours should hence increase with distance inland. We analyse published geospatial data on ungulate-patronized salt licks to test whether they are non-randomly distributed relative to distance from oceans and elevation.Location:Canada, Alaska and the contiguous United States.Taxon:Cetartiodactyla (even-toed ungulates).Methods:We determined the land area and median elevation of 100 km increments from the North American coast. The null model of the expected number of licks within each interval was determined by the ratio of the interval's land area to the total land area, multiplied by the total number of licks. We asked whether the number of licks further from coastlines was significantly higher than chance. We also assessed whether licks occur disproportionately at higher elevations, comparing the median elevation of observed licks to the median elevation within each interval.Results:We found a strong positive relationship between salt lick patronage by ungulates and distance from the coast. Licks occurred significantly less often within, and more often beyond, 500 km inland, and at significantly higher elevations than would be expected by chance.Mainconclusions:These findings indicate that the patronage of salt licks is constrained geographically, and that the foraging behaviour of ungulates and other phytophagous vertebrate taxa may be influenced over large spatial scales by sodium availability. Saltseeking behaviour varies on a wide biogeographical scale across North America, with concomitant implications for vertebrate herbivore behaviour and ecology.

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Geophagy among nonhuman primates: A systematic review of current knowledge and suggestions for future directions

Pebsworth

Huffman

Lambert

et al. 2018

American J Phys Anthropol

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ObjectivesGeophagy, the intentional consumption of earth, is widely practiced among humans and other mammals, but its causes are not well understood. Given the growing number of reports of geophagy among nonhuman primates (NHP), we sought to (1) advance and codify our understanding of the patterns and functional and evolutionary significance of geophagy among NHP and (2) provide a research agenda for a more unified approach to its study.MethodsWe systematically reviewed all available literature on NHP geophagy, extracted available data on taxa, geography, climate, diet, sex, age‐class, reproductive status, and the characteristics of the earth. We used these data to evaluate three major hypotheses about geophagy, that it is protective, provides mineral supplementation, and is nonadaptive.ResultsWe identified 287 accounts of geophagy among 136 species, adding 79 new primate species to the list of those considered in prior reviews. Nineteen percent of species were in the suborder Strepsirrhini, while 81% were in the suborder Haplorrhini. There were reports of geophagy from 9 of the 17 families and 39 of the 76 genera currently recognized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.DiscussionThe limited evidence suggests that geophagy is adaptive, and provides protection and mineral supplementation. We specify the behavioral, dietary, and soil data required to more rigorously investigate these hypotheses across representative species of all taxonomic groups, geographical regions, and dietary classification. Given the plausibility of geophagy for maintaining the health of both wild and captive populations, we urge further study and conservation of geophagy sites.

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Geophagic behavior in the mountain goat (Oreamnosamericanus): support for meeting metabolic demands

Cited by 12 publications

References 39 publications

Patterns of decadal, seasonal and daily visitation to mineral licks, a critical resource hotspot for mountain goats Oreamnos americanus in the Rocky Mountains

Patterns of decadal, seasonal and daily visitation to mineral licks, a critical resource hotspot for mountain goats Oreamnos americanus in the Rocky Mountains

Non‐random distribution of ungulate salt licks relative to distance from North American oceanic margins

Geophagy among nonhuman primates: A systematic review of current knowledge and suggestions for future directions

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