Estimating densities of large herbivores in tropical forests: Rigorous evaluation of a dung-based method.

ABSTRACT: When sighting-based surveys to estimate population densities of large herbivores in tropical dense forests are not practical or affordable, surveys that rely on animal dung are sometimes used. This study tested one such dung-based method by deriving population densities from observed dung densities of six large herbivores (chital, elephant, gaur, muntjac, sambar, and wild pig) in two habitats, dry deciduous forests (DDF) and moist deciduous forests (MDF), within Nagarahole National Park, southern India. Using the program DUNGSURV, dung pile counts, decay rates estimated from field experiments, and defecation rates derived from literature were analyzed together by a model that allows for random events affecting dung decay. Densities of chital were the highest, followed by sambar. Wild pig d

SUBMITTER: Ahrestani FS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6106164 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature