Harvey Sky, N, Britnell, J, Antwis, R, Kartzinel, T, Rubenstein, D, Toye, P, Karani, B, Njeru, R, Hinchcliffe, D, Gaymer, J, Mutisya, S and Shultz, S (2024) Linking diet switching to reproductive performance across populations of two critically endangered mammalian herbivores. Communications Biology, 7 (1). p. 333. ISSN 2399-3642

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Abstract

Optimal foraging theory predicts that animals maximise energy intake by consuming the most valuable foods available. When resources are limited, they may include lower-quality fallback foods in their diets. As seasonal herbivore diet switching is understudied, we evaluate its extent and effects across three Kenyan reserves each for Critically Endangered eastern black rhino (Diceros bicornis michaeli) and Grevy's zebra (Equus grevyi), and its associations with habitat quality, microbiome variation, and reproductive performance. Black rhino diet breadth increases with vegetation productivity (NDVI), whereas zebra diet breadth peaks at intermediate NDVI. Black rhino diets associated with higher vegetation productivity have less acacia (Fabaceae: Vachellia and Senegalia spp.) and more grass suggesting that acacia are fallback foods, upending conventional assumptions. Larger dietary shifts are associated with longer calving intervals. Grevy's zebra diets in high rainfall areas are consistently grass-dominated, whereas in arid areas they primarily consume legumes during low vegetation productivity periods. Whilst microbiome composition between individuals is affected by the environment, and diet composition in black rhino, seasonal dietary shifts do not drive commensurate microbiome shifts. Documenting diet shifts across ecological gradients can increase the effectiveness of conservation by informing habitat suitability models and improving understanding of responses to resource limitation

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Animals; Equidae; Humans; Diet; Reproduction; Kenya; Herbivory; Humans; Animals; Kenya; Herbivory; Equidae; Reproduction; Diet
Subjects:	T Technology > TX Home economics > TX341 Nutrition. Foods and food supply Q Science > QH Natural history > QH301 Biology Q Science > QL Zoology S Agriculture > SF Animal culture
Divisions:	Biological & Environmental Sciences (from Sep 19)
Publisher:	Nature Research
SWORD Depositor:	A Symplectic
Date Deposited:	10 May 2024 08:32
Last Modified:	10 May 2024 08:32
DOI or ID number:	10.1038/s42003-024-05983-3
URI:	https://researchonline.ljmu.ac.uk/id/eprint/23220

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