Food habits of wildebeest, zebra, hartebeest and cattle in kenya masailand
TL;DR: A comparison of techniques for determining the food selectivity indicates that faecal and stomach-content analyses provide similar results when the diets are almost entirely grass, even though statistical differences are demonstrated.
Abstract: Summary
A study was conducted of grass selectivity shown by four herbivores on open range lands of Kenya Masailand. At four seasons over one year, wildebeest, zebra and kongoni (Coke's hartebeest) were taken. Stomach materials and faeces were sampled from each animal. Faecal samples were collected from cattle that had been grazing in the same area. Simultaneously, vegetation availability assessments were made.
A comparison of techniques for determining the food selectivity indicates that faecal and stomach-content analyses provide similar results when the diets are almost entirely grass.
The selectivity exhibited by the four herbivores was determined by faecal analyses. Three grass species were preponderant in all diets as well as in the available menu. In comparing the selectivity shown for the three dominant grasses there is a high degree of similarity even though statistical differences are demonstrated. All animals favoured Themeda triandra over Pennisetum mezianum and Digitaria macroblephara. Kongoni displayed the highest degree of selectivity and cattle and zebra had the greatest similarity in diets. Each animal species had a wide spectrum of grasses in their diets: these contained a greater number of species during the drier seasons than during the rainy seasons.
Wild animals had a greater diet variation between seasons than did cattle, the diet of the latter remaining much more consistent than the combination of available grasses.
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TL;DR: This isotope enrichment factor applies to a wide variety of ruminant mammals, and can be used to track changes in the isotopic composition of the atmosphere, determine the fraction of C3 or C4 biomass in diets of modern or fossil mammals, distinguish between mammals using different subpathways of C4 photosynthesis, and identify those mammals whose diet is derived from closed-canopy habitats.
Abstract: The isotope enrichment ɛ* of 13C between tooth enamel of large ruminant mammals and their diet is 14.1 ± 0.5‰. This value was obtained by analyzing both the dental enamel of a variety of wild and captive mammals and the vegetation that comprised their foodstuffs. This isotope enrichment factor applies to a wide variety of ruminant mammals. Non-ruminant ungulates have a similar isotope enrichment, although our data cannot determine if it is significantly different. We also found a 13C isotope enrichment ɛ* of 3.1 ± 0.7‰ for horn relative to diet, and 11.1 ± 0.8‰ for enamel relative to horn for ruminant mammals. Tooth enamel is a faithful recorder of diet. Its isotopic composition can be used to track changes in the isotopic composition of the atmosphere, determine the fraction of C3 or C4 biomass in diets of modern or fossil mammals, distinguish between mammals using different subpathways of C4 photosynthesis,and identify those mammals whose diet is derived from closed-canopy habitats.
894 citations
Cites background or result from "Food habits of wildebeest, zebra, h..."
...For example, Casebeer and Koss (1970) report that zebras consume on the order of 5±15% forbs and herbs; therefore, they are not a good choice to determine the isotope fractionation factor in wild populations in mixed C3/C4 ecosystems....
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...Wildebeest and hartebeest are considered to be hypergrazers and have <2% browse in their diet (Lamprey 1963; Casebeer and Koss 1970; Hofmann and Stewart 1972), likewise the African bualo (McNaughton and Georgiadis 1986)....
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...Wildebeest and hartebeest are considered to be hypergrazers and have <2% browse in their diet (Lamprey 1963; Casebeer and Koss 1970; Hofmann and Stewart 1972), likewise the African bu alo (McNaughton and Georgiadis 1986)....
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...For example, the zebra (E. burchelli) is a grazer according to Lamprey (1963) with about 10% browse in its diet, yet Casebeer and Koss (1970) did not ®nd any browse in the stomach contents of zebra....
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...Casebeer and Koss (1970) studied wildebeest diets by examining stomach contents and feces and found that it consisted of >97% grass....
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TL;DR: In this paper, a generalized model was developed for the prediction of animal body water and phosphate δ18O to incorporate these factors quantitatively, and a moderate dependence of animal ǫ on humidity is predicted for drought-tolerant animals, and the correlation between humidity and North American deer bone composition as corrected for local meteoric water is predicted within the scatter of the data.
587 citations
TL;DR: The stable carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios of bone collagen have been used to trace diet and habitat selection of the larger mammals of East Africa and provide a quantitative approach to assessing long-term habitat and diet selection and the role of resource partitioning in animal community structure.
Abstract: The stable carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios of bone collagen have been used to trace diet and habitat selection of the larger mammals of East Africa. 238 individuals of 43 species from montane forests and grasslands in Kenya and Tanzania have been analyzed. The results show that carbon isotopes discriminate between (1) grazers and browsers in savanna grasslands, (2) forest floor and savanna grassland herbivores and (3) forest floor and forest canopy species. Nitrogen isotopes discriminate between (4) carnivores and herbivores, (5) forest and savanna grassland herbivores, and (6) water-dependent and drought-tolerant herbivores. This technique provides a quantitative approach to assessing long-term habitat and diet selection and the role of resource partitioning in animal community structure.
549 citations
Cites background from "Food habits of wildebeest, zebra, h..."
...Cattle observed in the Rift Valley directly south of the Naivasha survey area have the least variable diets among the grazers, as they feed on a limited range of grass species and are relatively unresponsive to seasonal changes in the availability of other palatable species (Casebeer and Koss 1970)....
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TL;DR: Procedures used for estimating the botanical composition of the range herbivore's diet include diet observation, utilization techniques, fistula sampling, and fecal analysis, with the latter emphasizing the more recent information.
Abstract: Procedures used for estimating the botanical composition of the range herbivore's diet include diet observation, utilization techniques, fistula sampling, and fecal analysis. Each of these procedures has important limitations. Direct observation requires minimal time and equipment inputs but accuracy and precision are a problem, particularly with wild animals. Utilization studies are generally unsuitable when plants are actively growing and more than one herbivore is using the area under study. Fistula methods are accurate but are difficult to use with wild animals. In addition they are costly and require considerable time. The esophageal fistula is preferable to the rumen fistula because it provides more accurate information and requires less labor. Stomach analysis involves animal sacrifice and, therefore, is generally restricted to wild animals with large populations. However, trocar sampling of the rumen contents is a new method that avoids this problem. Fecal analysis has been used extensively in recent years to evaluate diet botanical composition of wild herbivores. This procedure gives good precision but accuracy is a problem because of differential digestion between plant species. Techniques are available that can be used to reduce this source of error. Microhistological analysis has become the most widely used method for quantifying botanical composition of masticated forage or fecal material. Recent studies show microhistological analysis can give an accurate representation of percent diet botanical composition by weight if observers use had compounded diets to check their accuracy. A new procedure, infrared spectrophotometry, may have considerable potential for evaluating herbivore diet botanical composition of fistula or fecal samples. In the past 30 years considerable information has been collected by various methods on the botanical composition of the grazing animal's diet. A comprehensive review of these studies is provided by Van Dyne et al. (1980). Knowledge of range herbivore food habits is essential for efficient range management. This information is required for optimal forage allocation to different types of herbivores, selecting types of grazing animals compatible with the forage resource, selecting speciesfor reseedingdeteriorated ranges, predicting the outcome of overgrazing by different animals, identifying new species on which to base management, and determining the suitability of exotic animals for a particular range type. Presently knowledge of range herbivore food habits is far from complete, and much more information will be needed in the future if range management effectiveness is to be improved. In the last few years the information on methodology for studying range herbivore food habits has substantially increased. Procedures used to evaluate the botanical composition of the grazing animals' diet have included direct observation of the animal, utilization techniques, stomach analysis, fecal analysis and fistula techniques. The Jerry L. Holechek and Rex D. Pieper are assistant professorand professor of range science, Department of Animal and Range Sciences. New Mexico State University, Las Cruces 88003. Martin Vavra is associate professor of range nutrition, Oregon State University. Eastern Oregon Agricultural Research Center, Union 97883. This report is Journal Article 781. Agr. Exp. Sta., New Mexico State University, Las Cruces 88003. Manuscript received June 27, 1980. purpose of this review was to consider these procedures emphasizing the more recent information. Utilization Techniques Utilization is one of the oldest approaches used to evaluate the grazing animal's diet. The advantages of this approach include speed and the fact it provides information on where and to what degree a range is being used. When a forage species was used and how often a forage species was used are questions that this approach will not answer. A serious problem with any utilization technique is that large scale losses of plant parts from weathering, trampling and animals other than those of interest can greatly confound results (Cook and Stoddart 1953). Further when forage is actively growing, regrowth after defoliation can make accurate estimates of utilization difficult to obtain. Studies comparing utilization data with fistula samples have shown lack of agreement between the two procedures (Lesperance et al. 1 960b, Ridley et al. 1963, Conner et al. 1963, Laycock et al. 1972, McInnis 1977). Data from these studies and Cook and Stoddart (1953) indicate that when forage is actively growing and/or use is by more than one herbivore, any utilization technique has severe limitations. Under these conditions other procedures in most cases should be selected for determination of diet botanical composition. Reviews of the various utilization techniques for estimating diets of grazing animals are given by Smith et al. (1962) and Martin ( 1970). Edlefsen et al. ( 1960) provide a description of these procedures. Approaches to utilization have involved evaluating differences between grazed and ungrazed plots; evaluating differences before and after grazing; measurement: correlation and regression of factors related to utilization; and general observations and comparisons with predetermined standards of use. The most commonly used methods have been the ocular estimate method of Reid and Pickford (1941) and caged plots. Visual appraisals of forage species use are compared to known values of hand clipped plants with the ocular estimate methods. Caged plot methods involve comparing the amount of herbage present inside a cage with that outside. The major problem with this procedure is that microclimate can be changed by the use of cages (Grelen 1967, Owensby 1969). However, Heady (1957) found these changes were relatively small when open-mesh wire cages were used on annual range in California. Laycock et al. (1972) reported that the caged plot method gave results that were less consistent with data from esophageally fistulated sheep than the ocular estimate method. Direct Observation of the Animal A widely used procedure in past and present studies of herbivore diet botanical composition is direct observation of the grazing animal. Information on this procedure is reviewed by Bjugstad et al. (1970), Theurer (1970), and Theurer et al. (1976). Simplicity, minor equipment requirements and ease of use are major advantages of direct observation. Difficulty in species identification and quantification of how much of a plant was consumed are important problems associated with the procedure. JOURNAL OF RANGE MANAGEMENT 35(3), May 1982 309 This content downloaded from 157.55.39.180 on Mon, 25 Apr 2016 07:07:24 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms Quantitative information from direct observation has been obtained from the bite-count and feeding minutes approaches. When the feeding minutes approach is employed, time spent grazing each species is quantified and assumed to be proportional to the importance of the species in the diet (Bjugstad et al. 1970). The bite-count procedure differs in that number of bites taken from each species, rather than the length of grazing time, is recorded (Reppert 1960). Free et al. (1971) modified the bite-count approach by quantifying the weight per bite of primary forage species in the diet. Species data were then converted to relative percentages by weight. Regelin et al. (1974) reported small differences between percentage of bites and percentage weight converted from bites for several forage species consumed by cattle. Wild animals are often difficult to locate and approach closely enough for accurate observation. These problems are reduced or eliminated with tame animals. However, only one animal can be observed at a particular time even with tame animals. In addition it may be difficult to differentiate between mere nibbling and active grazing (Bjugstad et al. 1970). There are other problems associated with using tame animals. Diet selection is a complex behavioral act that is influenced by several factors (Krueger et al. 1974). Physiological condition, degree of hunger, topography, other animals present and past grazing experience all influence which and how much of individual plant species are consumed. The previously mentioned factors can be severely altered by using artificially reared and maintained animals. Two studies have shown that results from direct observation of tame animals were consistent with data from esophageally fistulated animals (Free et al. 1971, Sanders et al. 1980). However, Sanders et al. (1980) reported that direct observation was not practical for use on large brush infested pastures with rough terrain. Data from rumen fistula samples and direct observation differed considerably in a study conducted by Galt et al. ( 1969) in
394 citations
Cites background from "Food habits of wildebeest, zebra, h..."
...Although certain species were consistently either under-or-over-estimated depending on the animal and season, Casebeer and Koss ( 1970) claimed close similarity between stomach contents and fecal material of wildebeest, zebra, and cattle....
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TL;DR: In this article, carbon, oxygen and strontium isotope ratios in domestic bovid tooth enamel were analyzed for evidence of seasonal mobility between the coast and the hinterland by Khoekhoe pastoralists in the southwestern Cape of South Africa.
368 citations
References
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TL;DR: The microscopic technique reported in this paper would be an accurate means of determining the dry-weight composition of stomach samples, esophageal samples, rumen samples, and clipped herbage.
Abstract: Percent composition by dry weight was accurately estimated for 15 mixtures of plants that are found in the diets of some herbivores. The mixtures were sampled by recording the frequency of occurrence of each species in 100 microscope fields using 125power magnification, converting frequency to density, and calculating relative density as an estimate of percent composition by dry weight. Dry weight percentages were predicted directly from relative density. The microscopic technique reported in this paper would be an accurate means of determining the dry-weight composition of stomach samples, esophageal samples, rumen samples, and clipped herbage.
648 citations
TL;DR: The ecological separation of 14 common ungulate species living in close contact with each other in a Tanganyika game reserve is shown to be achieved by six different factors - the occupation of different vegetation types and broad habitats, the selection of different types of food and the influence of animals on the habitats and on other species.
Abstract: Summary
The ecological separation of 14 common ungulate species living in close contact with each other in a Tanganyika game reserve is shown to be achieved by six different factors:
1. the occupation of different vegetation types and broad habitats;
2. the selection of different types of food;
3. the occupation of different areas at the same season;
4. the occupation of the same area at different seasons;
5. the use of different feeding levels in the vegetation;
6. the occupation of different dry season refuges in the Masai area when the competition for food is greatest (zebra and wildebeest).
Habitat preferences are indicated by the frequency distribution of each species along the central of three 8,000 yard parallel transect paths which were traversed nearly daily for four years. Characteristic patterns of frequency are apparent for each of the species in the vegetation zones represented in the transect area. Certain species show a tendency, sometimes strong, to concentrate along the boundaries between adjoining vegetation zones and in the ecotones between the zones. This is ascribed to a greater diversity of food, availability of shelter from the sun and/or greater protection from predators.
Records of the animal species eating particular plant species are shown and (qualified in the light of other observations) used to deduce food preferences. The species are classified broadly into grass-eaters, browsers and mixed feeders (grass and browse). In the case of the three common grass-eaters, buffalo, wildebeest and zebra, a percentage analysis of the grass species eaten indicates that little differential preference is shown but that they take the palatable grasses largely in proportion to the frequency in which they occur in the habitats most used by the ungulate concerned. Buffalo are separated by their preference for denser vegetation. Wildebeest and zebra largely overlap ecologically in all respects except that the bulk of the populations of each species move to different dry season areas. Those species which are able to live without drinking free water, notably impala and Grant's gazelle, are able to make use of wild areas of waterless country when the animals requiring water are forced to move into dry season concentration areas near water.
The influence of the animals on the habitats and on other species is discussed and instances are given of species helping to shape the habitat to the advantage of both themselves and other species. Elephants are the main habitat modifiers and their capacity to improve water supplies and change the vegetation, and their facilitation of the feeding of other species is described. The formation of mixed herds is interpreted as being protective to one or both species concerned and is a further important facilitation. Little or no hindrance of one ungulate species by another was seen although herbivores show antagonistic behaviour towards carnivores smaller than themselves.
325 citations
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TL;DR: A technique is described that is being used in diet studies in kangaroos and wallabies based on the identification of the epidermis of leaves and stems of plants recovered in faeces, which indicates there is a determinable relation in each species of plant between the surface area and dry weight of its ~oliage.
Abstract: A technique is described that is being used in diet studies in kangaroos and wallabies. It is based on the identification of the epidermis of leaves and stems of plants recovered in faeces. Data obtained with it are qualitative and quantitative because (1) there is little or no digestion of epidermis that is encased in cutin, (2) epi. dermis is usually identifiable to species under low·power miscroscope, and (3) there is a determinable relation in each species of plant between the surface area and dry weight of its ~oliage.
194 citations
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