| Abstrakt: |
Simple Summary: To develop conservation programs for the taruka (Hippocamelus antisensis d'Orbigny), and to evaluate the impacts that this rare species of deer could have in agricultural areas of the Andean foothills of Tarapacá, we studied the composition of its diet, its relative diversity, and its quality in two contrasting seasons, the wet and the dry season. The main components of its diet were alfalfa, followed by herbaceous dicotyledons and shrub species from rangelands, with the presence of grasses and horticultural crop species being very scarce. The above generates a relatively low dietary diversity, with characteristic traits of a concentrate selector herbivore, which could represent a competitive disadvantage for this species. The quality of the diet was relatively stable; however, during the last stage of pregnancy and the beginning of lactation, protein intake, estimated through fecal nitrogen, could limit these processes. The success of conservation programs for the taruka (Hippocamelus antisensis d'Orbigny), an endemic and endangered deer, depends on many factors, highlighting anthropogenic and ecological effects. Among the latter, how this herbivore interacts with forage resources is important. The objective of the study was to describe the main attributes of the diet of this deer in rangelands adjacent to agricultural areas of the foothills of the Tarapacá Region, Chile. The botanical composition of the diet (BCD) was determined by microhistology of feces and fecal nitrogen (NF, %) was measured in two contrasting seasons (rainy summer and dry winter). From the BCD and FN, their relative diversity (J) and crude protein percentage were estimated. In the BCD, Medicago sativa dominated (27.6 ± 8.2% vs. 53.9 ± 9.2%, in rainy summer and dry end winter, respectively), followed by herbaceous dicots (46.2 ± 9.4% vs. 19.4 ± 8.7%) and shrubby species (21.5 ± 7.8% vs. 23.4 ± 7.0%), from rangelands. The contribution of grasses and graminoid species was low, not exceeding 3% and 0.4% of the diet, respectively, with no differences between seasons of the year. Intake of horticultural crop species was marginal (1.3 ± 1.3%), being detected only in the wet season. Diet relative diversity was higher during the wet period (0.75 ± 0.07) compared to the dry period (0.58 ± 0.06), since in the first period it was possible to find a greater number of palatable species. There were no significant differences in the FN attributed to the time of the year (average of 1.8 ± 0.19%), which indicates that the diet of this deer would be stable in terms of its protein quality. These FN levels estimate sufficient dietary protein content to satisfy maintenance and early pregnancy, but these could be limiting during late gestation and lactation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
