Seasonal Diet Composition of Goitered Gazelle (Gazella subgutturosa) in an Arid and Semi-Arid Region of Western China.

ABSTRACT: Global climate change, habitat fragmentation, and human interference have resulted in a significant, ongoing decline in the population of goitered gazelles. Effective conservation strategies require an understanding of resource requirements of threatened species, such as dietary needs. Therefore, we aimed to elucidate the food composition and seasonal dietary changes of goitered gazelles through microhistological analyses of fresh feces. Fabaceae (11.5%), Gramineae (9.4%), Chenopodiaceae (20.2%), Asteraceae (10.1%), and Rosaceae (19.5%) formed the primary dietary components of goitered gazelle. Additionally, Krascheninnikovia arborescens (13.4%) and Prunus sibirica (16.3%) were identified as the key forage plants. Forbs (50.4%) were the predominant plants for grazing througho

SUBMITTER: Zhang N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10931280 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature