Stable isotope evidence for nutritional stress, competition, and loss of functional habitat as factors limiting recovery of rare antelope in southern Africa
Saved in:
| Title: | Stable isotope evidence for nutritional stress, competition, and loss of functional habitat as factors limiting recovery of rare antelope in southern Africa |
|---|---|
| Authors: | Codron, D.1,2,3 darylcodron@gmail.com, Codron, J.2,3 jacquicodron@gmail.com, Lee-Thorp, J.A.4 J.A.Lee-thorp@Bradford.ac.uk, Sponheimer, M.5 matt.sponheimer@colorado.edu, Grant, C.C.6 rinag@sanparks.org, Brink, J.S.1,7 jbrink@nasmus.co.za |
| Source: | Journal of Arid Environments. Apr2009, Vol. 73 Issue 4/5, p449-457. 9p. |
| Subjects: | Antelopes, Habitats, Stable isotopes, Ecological heterogeneity |
| Abstract: | Abstract: A major focus in population ecology is understanding factors that limit rare species. We used stable isotope approaches to diet to determine whether remaining rare antelope populations in Kruger National Park (KNP), South Africa experience i) nutritional stress; ii) competition with sympatric bulk grazers; iii) reduced habitat heterogeneity. Rare species consumed near-pure C4 grass-based diets throughout the seasonal cycle, in contrast to field observations that reported significant levels of C3 consumption (browse) by these taxa. This finding, coupled with low faecal %N at the height of the dry season, may indicate nutritional stress, but recent isotopic studies of the same species elsewhere in Africa suggest that field observations overestimated levels of browse consumption. We find little evidence for diet niche overlap between rare antelope with bulk grazing species. This partitioning of resources (interpreted mainly as tall- versus short-grass grazing, respectively), is consistent with reported differences in observed diet, and comparative oral morphology. Last, we find less seasonal diet variations amongst bulk grazers feeding in rare antelope habitats compared with other landscapes. We propose that loss of functional heterogeneity, apparently brought about by high densities of artificial waterholes, limits recovery of diet- and habitat-selective rare antelope populations in KNP. [Copyright &y& Elsevier] |
| Copyright of Journal of Arid Environments is the property of Academic Press Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Engineering Source |
| FullText | Text: Availability: 0 |
|---|---|
| Header | DbId: egs DbLabel: Engineering Source An: 36893801 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
| IllustrationInfo | |
| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Stable isotope evidence for nutritional stress, competition, and loss of functional habitat as factors limiting recovery of rare antelope in southern Africa – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Codron%2C+D%2E%22">Codron, D.</searchLink><relatesTo>1,2,3</relatesTo><i> darylcodron@gmail.com</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Codron%2C+J%2E%22">Codron, J.</searchLink><relatesTo>2,3</relatesTo><i> jacquicodron@gmail.com</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Lee-Thorp%2C+J%2EA%2E%22">Lee-Thorp, J.A.</searchLink><relatesTo>4</relatesTo><i> J.A.Lee-thorp@Bradford.ac.uk</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sponheimer%2C+M%2E%22">Sponheimer, M.</searchLink><relatesTo>5</relatesTo><i> matt.sponheimer@colorado.edu</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Grant%2C+C%2EC%2E%22">Grant, C.C.</searchLink><relatesTo>6</relatesTo><i> rinag@sanparks.org</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Brink%2C+J%2ES%2E%22">Brink, J.S.</searchLink><relatesTo>1,7</relatesTo><i> jbrink@nasmus.co.za</i> – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Journal+of+Arid+Environments%22">Journal of Arid Environments</searchLink>. Apr2009, Vol. 73 Issue 4/5, p449-457. 9p. – Name: Subject Label: Subjects Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Antelopes%22">Antelopes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Habitats%22">Habitats</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Stable+isotopes%22">Stable isotopes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Ecological+heterogeneity%22">Ecological heterogeneity</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: Abstract: A major focus in population ecology is understanding factors that limit rare species. We used stable isotope approaches to diet to determine whether remaining rare antelope populations in Kruger National Park (KNP), South Africa experience i) nutritional stress; ii) competition with sympatric bulk grazers; iii) reduced habitat heterogeneity. Rare species consumed near-pure C4 grass-based diets throughout the seasonal cycle, in contrast to field observations that reported significant levels of C3 consumption (browse) by these taxa. This finding, coupled with low faecal %N at the height of the dry season, may indicate nutritional stress, but recent isotopic studies of the same species elsewhere in Africa suggest that field observations overestimated levels of browse consumption. We find little evidence for diet niche overlap between rare antelope with bulk grazing species. This partitioning of resources (interpreted mainly as tall- versus short-grass grazing, respectively), is consistent with reported differences in observed diet, and comparative oral morphology. Last, we find less seasonal diet variations amongst bulk grazers feeding in rare antelope habitats compared with other landscapes. We propose that loss of functional heterogeneity, apparently brought about by high densities of artificial waterholes, limits recovery of diet- and habitat-selective rare antelope populations in KNP. [Copyright &y& Elsevier] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of Journal of Arid Environments is the property of Academic Press Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
| PLink | https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=egs&AN=36893801 |
| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1016/j.jaridenv.2008.12.003 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 9 StartPage: 449 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Antelopes Type: general – SubjectFull: Habitats Type: general – SubjectFull: Stable isotopes Type: general – SubjectFull: Ecological heterogeneity Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Stable isotope evidence for nutritional stress, competition, and loss of functional habitat as factors limiting recovery of rare antelope in southern Africa Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Codron, D. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Codron, J. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Lee-Thorp, J.A. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Sponheimer, M. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Grant, C.C. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Brink, J.S. IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 04 Text: Apr2009 Type: published Y: 2009 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 01401963 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 73 – Type: issue Value: 4/5 Titles: – TitleFull: Journal of Arid Environments Type: main |
| ResultId | 1 |