Linking diet switching to reproductive performance across populations of two critically endangered mammalian herbivores

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cg.authorship.typesCGIAR and developing country instituteen
cg.authorship.typesCGIAR and advanced research instituteen
cg.contributor.affiliationUniversity of Manchesteren
cg.contributor.affiliationNorth of England Zoological Society, United Kingdomen
cg.contributor.affiliationUniversity of Salforden
cg.contributor.affiliationBrown Universityen
cg.contributor.affiliationPrinceton Universityen
cg.contributor.affiliationInternational Livestock Research Instituteen
cg.contributor.affiliationLiverpool John Moores Universityen
cg.contributor.affiliationOl Jogi Ltd., Kenyaen
cg.contributor.affiliationOl Pejeta Conservancy, Kenyaen
cg.contributor.donorNERC Manchester & Liverpool Doctoral Training Programmeen
cg.contributor.donorChester Zoo’s Conservation Scholars and Fellows Programmeen
cg.contributor.donorInternational Rhino Foundationen
cg.contributor.donorRoyal Society University Research Fellowshipen
cg.creator.identifierPhilip Toye: 0000-0002-7100-2789
cg.creator.identifierRegina Njeru: 0000-0001-9828-2621
cg.howPublishedFormally Publisheden
cg.identifier.doihttps://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-024-05983-3en
cg.isijournalISI Journalen
cg.issn2399-3642en
cg.issue1en
cg.journalCommunications Biologen
cg.reviewStatusPeer Reviewen
cg.subject.ilriANIMAL BREEDINGen
cg.subject.ilriGENETICSen
cg.volume7en
dc.contributor.authorHarvey Sky, N.en
dc.contributor.authorBritnell, J.en
dc.contributor.authorAntwis, R.en
dc.contributor.authorKartzine, T.en
dc.contributor.authorRubenstein, D.en
dc.contributor.authorToye, Philip G.en
dc.contributor.authorKarani, Benedict E.en
dc.contributor.authorNjeru, Reginaen
dc.contributor.authorHinchcliffe, D.en
dc.contributor.authorGaymer, J.en
dc.contributor.authorMutisya, S.en
dc.contributor.authorShultz, S.en
dc.date.accessioned2024-07-02T04:30:07Zen
dc.date.available2024-07-02T04:30:07Zen
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10568/148828
dc.titleLinking diet switching to reproductive performance across populations of two critically endangered mammalian herbivoresen
dcterms.abstractOptimal 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.en
dcterms.accessRightsOpen Access
dcterms.audienceScientistsen
dcterms.available2024-03-15
dcterms.bibliographicCitationHarvey Sky, N., Britnell, J., Antwis, R., Kartzine, 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 7:333.en
dcterms.issued2024
dcterms.languageen
dcterms.licenseCC-BY-4.0
dcterms.publisherSpringeren
dcterms.subjectanimal breedingen
dcterms.subjectgeneticsen
dcterms.typeJournal Article

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