- Title
- Seasonal consumption of browse by the African buffalo (Syncerus caffer) in the Thicket Biome of South Africa
- Creator
- Watermeyer, Jessica P
- Creator
- Carroll, Sarah L
- Creator
- Parker, Daniel M
- Date Issued
- 2015
- Date
- 2015
- Type
- text
- Type
- article
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/10962/126096
- Identifier
- vital:35849
- Identifier
- https://doi.org/10.1111/aje.12214
- Description
- The African buffalo (Syncerus caffer Sparrman) is both morphologically and physiologically adapted for grazing (Prins, 1996). However, buffalo populations of the Eastern Cape, South Africa, are confined to reserves dominated by thicket vegetation where grass is sparse (Landman & Kerley, 2001; Tshabalala, Dube & Lent, 2009). Given that the nutritional value of grass deteriorates more rapidly than browse in nonproductive periods (Shipley, 1993), it has been hypothesized that buffalo increase their intake of browse during the dry season (Tshabalala, Dube & Lent, 2009). However, past studies contradict one another (de Graaf, Schulz & van der Walt, 1973; Landman & Kerley, 2001; Tshabalala, Dube & Lent, 2009). de Graaf, Schulz & van der Walt (1973) analysed the rumen contents of buffalo in the Addo Elephant National Park and suggested that buffalo should be considered browsers because of the high proportion of browse in rumen samples. However, their study was restricted to one site during a drought. Landman & Kerley (2001) later found the opposite (grass comprised ~72% of buffalo dung) and criticized the findings of de Graaf, Schulz amp; van der Walt (1973). However, their study was conducted after a period of exceptionally high rainfall. More recently, Tshabalala, Dube & Lent (2009) recorded significantly more browse in the diet of buffalo during the dry season (33%) than the wet season (28%) at the Great Fish River Nature Reserve. We test the assertion that buffalo increase their intake of browse during dry periods, at another site dominated by thicket. We describe the extent to which grass and browse were consumed by buffalo and whether the proportional occurrence changed monthly.
- Format
- 3 pages
- Format
- Language
- English
- Relation
- African Journal of Ecology
- Relation
- Watermeyer, J.P., Carroll, S.L. and Parker, D.M., 2015. Seasonal consumption of browse by the African buffalo (Syncerus caffer) in the Thicket Biome of South Africa. African Journal of Ecology, 53(4), pp.599-601
- Relation
- African Journal of Ecology volume 53 number 4 559 601 2015 0141-6707
- Rights
- African Journal of Ecology
- Rights
- Use of this resource is governed by the terms and conditions of the Wiley Online Permissions Statement (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/page/journal/13652028/homepage/permissions.html)
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Parker, Daniel M (Prof)
RU Department of Zoology and Entomology
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