Dietary overlap of wild ungulate Cuvier�s gazelle with livestock (sheep and goats) in Djebel Messa�d Forest, Algeria

Benamor, Naceur; Bounaceur, Farid; Aulagnier, Stéphane

doi:10.15298/rusjtheriol.20.1.05

Cited by 4 publications

(4 citation statements)

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“…In contrast to DO and FI, FSs were relatively easy to find [21], but we obtained a very low identification success of species consumed, which was a handicap for the description of the foraging behaviour (i.e., for testing our hypothesis). This result contrasts with the FS analyses by Benamor et al [27,28], who obtained a higher identification success in FSs of Cuvier's gazelles in a Mediterranean population. The discrepancy may be partly explained by: (1) the large differences detected in the taxonomic composition of the diet between the Saharan and the Mediterranean studies [27], and/or (2) differences in the degree of field preservation of collected pellets.…”

Section: Limitations Of the Studycontrasting

confidence: 90%

“…For the analysis of FSs, we used microhistological techniques based on the analysis of the plant cuticles, following [46]. This technique is widely used to determine the diet of herbivorous mammals, e.g., [46][47][48], including our target species [27,28]. We added 1 g of faecal samples in 5 mL of HNO 3 , concentrated in test tubes, and this preparation was introduced in a hot water bath (80 • C) for 1 min.…”

Section: Faecal Cuticle Microhistological Analysis Of Fssmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Moreover, the tracked gazelles avoided some available grass species, even when these plants were growing after rainfall (the case of C. schoenanthus). Cuvier's gazelles had previously been considered as an intermediate feeder (i.e., browser-grazer) based on a study carried out in their Mediterranean range, where the diet is totally different from that of the Sahara, with Stipa tenacissima grass and the Artemisia herba-alba shrub as the predominant food items among the 29 species of consumed plants [27,28]. Therefore, this ungulate is an adaptable ruminant that switches its foraging behaviour according to plant availability, following a typical opportunistic feeding strategy [60,61].…”

Section: Feeding Strategymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, the current scientific knowledge on the diet of Cuvier's gazelle is very scarce. Only two studies on free-ranging gazelles have been published but restricted to the Mediterranean population of Djebel Messaâd Forest, Algeria [27,28], and another one has focused on a reintroduced group in a small fenced area in Tergou reserve, Morocco [29].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Feeding Ecology of the Cuvier’s Gazelle (Gazella cuvieri, Ogilby, 1841) in the Sahara Desert

Herrera-Sánchez

López

Rodríguez-Siles³

et al. 2023

Animals

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Knowledge of the feeding ecology of ungulates in arid biomes offers an interesting model for understanding the drought resistance of large desert-adapted herbivores, a crucial issue in the face of increasing desertification due to climate change. To assess the feeding ecology of the endangered Cuvier’s gazelle (Gazella cuvieri) in the Sahara desert, we used a multi-method approach combining faecal samples, direct observations, and the recording of indirect signs of feeding. We hypothesised that browser behaviour is the best foraging strategy for species living in hyper-arid environments, mainly due to long periods without grazing opportunities. Complementarily, we explored the effects of the main environmental descriptors (rainfalls and NDVI) on feeding patterns and diet quality. We found that Cuvier’s diets are based mainly on acacias (Vachellia tortilis, V. flava) and occasionally on the annual forb Anastatica hierochuntica. In total, eighteen species (five trees, nine shrubs, three herbs, and one grass) belonging to fifteen families were recorded. Our result confirmed the browsers’ characteristic of this species, reaffirming its ability to settle in a hostile environment. Acacias stand out as key species consumed at the southernmost limit of their range; hence, future conservation plans and strategies should take this into account for the survival of Cuvier’s gazelle in desert environments.

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