Seasonal pattern in browsing trees and shrubs by reintroduced Cuvier’s gazelles: a study in Morocco with management implications

Abstract

Cuvier’s gazelle ( Gazella cuvieri ) was reintroduced in Tergou reserve (TR) in 2018–2019 to help restore its population at the Moroccan Central Plateau. A study on browsing trees and shrubs was conducted in this reserve to identify (i) the seasonal pattern of this activity and (ii) the most solicited tree and shrub species. Here, we used six random 500-m transects to collect, each month and at each transect, the number of fresh browsing traces of each encountered tree and shrub species. We used principal component analysis (PCA) and linear regression model (LM) to test seasonal variation of the composition of trees and shrubs browsed. Our results showed that, in this reserve, Olea europaea , Quercus ilex , Cistus salviifolius , and Cistus creticus are mostly browsed during winter, whereas Tetraclinis articulata and Ruta angustifolia are mainly used during spring. This information is useful to the managers of the TR not only to consider the importance of the aforementioned trees and shrubs for reintroduced gazelles but also to take the necessary measures so that the forest stand of this reserve is maintained at an appropriate level. Thus, the pursuit of monitoring is necessary to understand the bio-ecology of this semi-captive population more deeply. For this reason, the TR remains a useful and appropriate reference framework offering the opportunity for consolidating and improving the knowledge on this vulnerable mammal species in the view of a future successful release in the wild.

Ruta angustifolia Pers. (Narrow-Leaved Fringed Rue): Pharmacological Properties and Phytochemical Profile

“…As a measure of precaution, it is not recommended to consume the fresh plant. R. angustifolia is seasonally browed by gazelles in Africa [ 123 ] but it is probably not safe for take by human, as it is the case for other rue species. The consumption of R. graveolens should be avoided during pregnancy, due to the risk of induced abortion [ 124 ] and the same recommendation can be drawn with R. angustifolia which has a quite closely similar phytochemical profile.…”

Nonadditive effects of two contrasting introduced herbivores on the reproduction of a pollination‐specialized palm

“…Other visitors were found within the inflorescences although very infrequently, thus we do not consider them as potential effective pollinators (see Appendix S1 : Table S1 ). To date, very few studies have reported herbivory on the dwarf palm, and all of them focus on vegetative tissues (e.g., Hanane & Amhaouch, 2021 ; Rivera Sánchez, 2014 ; Salinas & Guirado, 2002 ). In Mallorca, specifically, there is good evidence that goats not only act as seed dispersers of this palm (Muñoz‐Gallego et al, 2019 ) but also as herbivores, browsing on leaves (Rivera Sánchez, 2014 ) and inflorescences (R. Muñoz‐Gallego, personal observation; Figure 1b ).…”

Feeding Ecology of the Cuvier’s Gazelle (Gazella cuvieri, Ogilby, 1841) in the Sahara Desert

“…However, the current scientific knowledge on the diet of Cuvier's gazelle is very scarce. Only two studies on free-ranging gazelles have been published but restricted to the Mediterranean population of Djebel Messaâd Forest, Algeria [27,28], and another one has focused on a reintroduced group in a small fenced area in Tergou reserve, Morocco [29].…”