Diet selection of African elephant over time shows changing optimization currency

Multiple factors determine diet selection of herbivores. However, in many diet studies selection of single nutrients is studied or optimization models are developed using only one currency. In this paper, we use linear programming to explain diet selection by African elephant based on plant availabi...

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Veröffentlicht in:Oikos Jg. 121; H. 12; S. 2110 - 2120
Hauptverfasser: Pretorius, Y., Stigter, J. D., de Boer, W. F., van Wieren, S. E., de Jong, C. B., de Knegt, H. J., Grant, C. C., Heitkönig, I., Knox, N., Kohi, E., Mwakiwa, E., Peel, M. J. S., Skidmore, A. K., Slotow, R., van der Waal, C., van Langevelde, F., Prins, H. H. T.
Format: Journal Article
Sprache:Englisch
Veröffentlicht: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.12.2012
Blackwell Publishing
Blackwell
Schlagworte:
Animal and plant ecology
Animal, plant and microbial ecology
Animals
Autoecology
Biological and medical sciences
complexity
Diet
diet study techniques
Dry season
Elephantidae
Elephants
energy
energy costs
energy requirements
Feeding preferences
food
foods
Forage
Foraging
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
General aspects
geometrical approach
Herbivores
linear programming
Loxodonta africana
mammalian herbivores
national-park
Nitrogen
Nutrient availability
Nutrient content
nutrient deficiencies
Nutrient deficiency
Nutrients
Nutritional requirements
Optimization techniques
phosphorus
Plants
quality
Rainy season
Rainy seasons
reproduction
seasonal variation
Seasons
Surface water
Surface water availability
terrestrial
trees
Water availability
wet season
Proboscidea
Vertebrata
Mammalia
Diet
Loxodonta africana
Ungulata
Optimization
ISSN:0030-1299, 1600-0706
Online-Zugang:Volltext
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Zusammenfassung:Multiple factors determine diet selection of herbivores. However, in many diet studies selection of single nutrients is studied or optimization models are developed using only one currency. In this paper, we use linear programming to explain diet selection by African elephant based on plant availability and nutrient and deterrent content over time. Our results indicate that elephant at our study area maximized intake of phosphorus throughout the year, possibly in response to the deficiency of this nutrient in the region. After adjusting the model to incorporate the effects of this deficiency, elephant were found to maximize nitrogen intake during the wet season and energy during the dry season. We reason that the increased energy requirements during the dry season can be explained by seasonal changes in water availability and forage abundance. As forage abundance decrease into the dry season, elephant struggle to satisfy their large absolute food requirements. Adding to this restriction is the simultaneous decrease in plant and surface water availability, which force the elephant to seek out scarce surface water sources at high energy costs. During the wet season when food becomes more abundant and energy requirements are satisfied easier, elephant aim to maximize nitrogen intake for growth and reproduction. Our study contributes to the emerging theory on understanding foraging for multiple resources.
Bibliographie:ArticleID:OIK19680
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ISSN:0030-1299
1600-0706
DOI:10.1111/j.1600-0706.2012.19680.x