Food overlap between Mongolian gazelles and livestock in Omnogobi, southern Mongolia

• Published in: Ecological research Vol. 19; no. 4; pp. 455 - 460
• Main Authors: CAMPOS‐ARCEIZ, Ahimsa, TAKATSUKI, Seiki, LHAGVASUREN, Badamjav
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Melbourne, Australia Blackwell Science Pty 01.07.2004; Blackwell Publishing Ltd
• Subjects: Domestic animals; Feces; Fibers; food overlap; Goats; Horses; Livestock; Mongolia; Mongolian gazelle; overgrazing; Particle size; Plant reproduction; Sheep
• ISSN: 0912-3814; 1440-1703
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1440-1703.2004.00658.x

Botanical and particle size compositions of the feces of sympatric Mongolian gazelles, sheep/goats, and horses collected in southern Mongolia in autumn 2002 were analyzed. The botanical composition of Mongolian gazelles was similar to that of sheep/goats where dicotyledonous plants (64.6% for Mongolian gazelles, 65.6% for sheep/goats), particularly woody fibers were important (39.5% for Mongolian gazelles, 19.5% for sheep/goats). In contrast, horse feces were exclusively composed of graminoids (93.2%). Consequently, food overlap was great between Mongolian gazelles and sheep/goats (Pianka's index: 0.977) but was small between Mongolian gazelles and horses (0.437) and sheep/goats and horses (0.421). Particle size distributions were also similar between Mongolian gazelles and sheep/goats, whereas they were different between horses and Mongolian gazelles and horses and sheep/goats. These results support our expectation based on the Jarman‐Bell principle. Although interspecific competition cannot be inferred from a mere food overlap, our analyses suggest that sheep and goats are potential competitors for Mongolian gazelles. Therefore, the increase in the numbers of domestic sheep/goats might pose a risk for Mongolian gazelle populations.