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The Journal of applied ecology2016; 54(4); 1110-1119; doi: 10.1111/1365-2664.12825

Sequential stable isotope analysis reveals differences in multi-year dietary history of three sympatric equid species in SW Mongolia.

Abstract: 1. Competition among sympatric wild herbivores is reduced by different physiological, morphological, and behavioral traits resulting in different dietary niches. Wild equids are a rather uniform group of large herbivores which have dramatically declined in numbers and range. Correlative evidence suggests that pasture competition with livestock is one of the key factors for this decline, and the situation may be aggravated in areas where different equid species overlap. 2. The Dzungarian Gobi is currently the only place where two wild equid species coexist and share the range with the domesticated form of a third equid species. In the arid and winter cold Gobi, pasture productivity is low, highly seasonal, and wild equids additionally face increasing livestock densities. 3. We used stable isotope chronologies of tail hairs to draw inferences about multi-year diet seasonality, isotopic dietary niches, and physiological adaptations in the Asiatic wild ass (khulan), reintroduced Przewalski's horse, and domestic horse in the Mongolian part of the Dzungarian Gobi. 4. Our results showed that even in the arid Gobi, both horse species are predominantly grazers, whereas khulan are highly seasonal, switching from being grazers in summer to mixed feeders in winter. The isotopic dietary niches of the two horse species were almost identical, did not vary with season as in khulan, and were narrower than in the latter. Higher N values point towards higher water use efficiency in khulan, which may be one reason why they can exploit pastures further away from water. 5. : The high degree of isotopic dietary niche overlap in the two horses points towards a high potential for pasture competition during the critical nutritional bottleneck in winter and highlights the need to severely restrict grazing of domestic horses on the range of the Przewalski's horses. Khulan are less constrained by water and seem more flexible in their choice of diet or less successful in exploiting grass dominated habitats in winter due to human presence. Providing additional water sources could increase the competition between khulan and livestock, and should therefore be only done following careful consideration.
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Publication Date: 2016-11-17 PubMed ID: 28717255PubMed Central: PMC5510718DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.12825Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research investigates the dietary patterns of equids (a family that includes horses and donkeys) in the Dzungarian Gobi and how competition for family resources in this area could affect their populations. The study found that two species of horses have very similar dietary habits, leading to potential competition, while another species, the Asiatic wild ass, has different feeding cycles and conditions, suggesting that it may be better adapted to the environment.

Objective of the Research

  • The research aimed to explore how different equid species overlap in their dietary habits and how this could contribute to competition for resources, possibly leading to a decline in their populations.

Study Context and Importance

  • The research recognized that the competition among cohabitating herbivores can be minimized through various physiological, morphological, and behavioral traits which result in different dietary niches.
  • It highlighted the issue of the significant decline in the numbers and range of wild equids, postulating that competition with livestock for pastures could be a major factor.
  • Particular attention was given to the Dzungarian Gobi, an environment shared by two wild equid species and the domesticated form of a third equid species, under the harsh conditions of low, highly seasonal pasture productivity and increasing livestock densities.

Research Method and Findings

  • Stable isotope chronologies of tail hairs were used to infer multi-year dietary habits, isotopic dietary niches, and physiological adaptations of the species studied: the Asiatic wild ass (khulan), reintroduced Przewalski’s horse, and the domestic horse.
  • Both species of horses were found to be predominantly grazers, while the khulan varied seasonally between grazing and mixed feeding.
  • The dietary niches of the two horse species were almost identical and did not vary with the seasons like the khulan.
  • The research also suggested that khulan have a higher water use efficiency, which might enable them to exploit pastures further away from water sources.

Implications and Recommendations

  • The overlap in dietary niches between the two horse species indicates the potential for a high degree of competition for limited resources, particularly in the nutritionally critical winter season.
  • This findings highlight the need to regulate the grazing of domestic horses in the areas inhabited by Przewalski’s horses.
  • While the khulan appear to have more flexibility in their diet and seem less hindered by distance from water, providing additional water sources could inadvertently increase competition with livestock, and such measures should be implemented with careful consideration.

Cite This Article

APA
Burnik Šturm M, Ganbaatar O, Voigt CC, Kaczensky P. (2016). Sequential stable isotope analysis reveals differences in multi-year dietary history of three sympatric equid species in SW Mongolia. J Appl Ecol, 54(4), 1110-1119. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.12825

Publication

The Journal of applied ecology
ISSN: 0021-8901
NlmUniqueID: 0055203
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 54
Issue: 4
Pages: 1110-1119

Researcher Affiliations

Burnik Šturm, Martina
  • Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria.
Ganbaatar, Oyunsaikhan
  • Great Gobi B Strictly Protected Area Administration, Takhin Tal, Gobi Altai Province, Mongolia.
  • Department of Zoology, School of Biology and Biotechnology, National University of Mongolia, Ulan Bator, Mongolia.
Voigt, Christian C
  • Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin, Germany.
Kaczensky, Petra
  • Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria.

Grant Funding

  • P 24231 / Austrian Science Fund FWF

Conflict of Interest Statement

There is no conflict of interest.

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Citations

This article has been cited 8 times.
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