Tragelaphus strepsiceros browse during the dry season in the mopani veld of Limpopo Province, South Africa.

Autor: Makhado, Rudzani, Potgieter, Martin, Luus-Powell, Wilmien, Cooper, Susan, Oppong, Charles, Kopij, Grzegorz, Mutisi, Charles, Makhabu, Shimane
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Zdroj: Transactions of the Royal Society of South Africa; Feb2016, Vol. 71 Issue 1, p17-21, 5p
Abstrakt: Colophospermum mopane, commonly known as mopane, provides essential browse to the greater kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros), especially during the dry season. This study uses analysis of rumen-contents to quantify the use ofC. mopaneand other plants browsed by the greater kudu in the dry season. The study was conducted at the Sandown Game Farm, Musina Local Municipality, Limpopo Province of South Africa. Rumen samples were collected from three male and two female greater kudu culled in June 2014 and statistically analysed using t-Test: Paired Two Sample for Means and Pearson Correlation Coefficient analysis. Findings show thatC. mopanecontributed the most (47%) to the diet of the greater kudu during the dry season. Other important browse plants wereDichrostachys cineria(30%),Commiphora edulis(12%),Grewia bicolor(6%) andCombretum apiculatum(5%), with the contribution ofT. prunioidesandG. flavato the diet being insignificant. The plant parts mostly browsed were leaves, which contributed 75% to the diet. The remaining 25% of the diet consisted of pods and seeds. Gender differences in diet selection were observed. The diet of the female greater kudu consisted mainly ofC. mopane(71%) andD. cineria(22%). The diets of the male greater kudu contained lessC. mopane(33%), similar proportions ofD. cineria(31%) and other browse species. Implications for the management and conservation of the greater kudu in the mopani veld are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Databáze: Complementary Index
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