Determinants of seasonal changes in availability of food patches for elephants (Loxodonta africana) in a semi-arid African savanna.

ABSTRACT: Loss of biodiversity caused by impact of elephants (Loxodonta africana) on African woodlands may require a management response, but any action should be based on an understanding of why elephants choose to utilise trees destructively. Comprehension of elephant feeding behaviour requires consideration of the relative value of the plant groups they may potentially consume. Profitability of available food is partly determined by the time to locate a food patch and, therefore, as a foundation for understanding the influence of food availability on diet selection, key controls on the density of grass, forb, and browse patches were investigated across space and time in a semi-arid African savanna. Density of food patches changed seasonally because plant life-forms required different volum

SUBMITTER: Clegg BW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5480392 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature