Tieszen Larry L, Hein Dennis, Qvortrup Svend A, Troughton John H, Imbamba Simeon K
Department of Biology, Augustana College, 57102, Sioux Falls, SD, USA.
, Lundhojvej 15, 8680, Ry, Denmark.
Oecologia. 1979 Jan;37(3):351-359. doi: 10.1007/BF00347911.
The quantitative plant species composition of the rumen contents of a large number of individuals from eight East African herbivores was determined by direct visual analysis. All plant species were classified as either C or C, and an estimated δC for the rumen sample was calculated. This estimated value was compared to a measured value determined directly from rumen subsample. The two methods of determining quantitative C and C composition differed by less than 1%, and the isotopic analysis has the advantage of being rapid and totally objective.The isotopic analysis allowed us to differentiate between grazers and browsers and to determine the quantitative dependence of each animal on C and C photosynthetic types. Kongoni, wildebeest, cattle, and sheep were nearly pure grazers on the Athi Kapiti Plains; and the Grant's gazelle were predominantly browsers. Thompson's gazelle, goast and impala were intermediate. The species most dependent upon browse showed a marked and rapid shift to grass within a few days following rain. This isotopic method may have general utility in the study of East African ecology.
通过直接视觉分析确定了来自八种东非食草动物的大量个体瘤胃内容物的定量植物物种组成。所有植物物种都被归类为C3或C4，并计算了瘤胃样本的估计δC值。将该估计值与直接从瘤胃子样本确定的测量值进行比较。两种确定C3和C4组成定量的方法差异小于1%，同位素分析具有快速且完全客观的优点。同位素分析使我们能够区分食草动物和食叶动物，并确定每种动物对C3和C4光合类型的定量依赖性。在阿西-卡皮蒂平原上，角马、牛羚、牛和绵羊几乎是纯粹的食草动物；格兰特瞪羚主要是食叶动物。汤氏瞪羚、山羊和黑斑羚则处于中间状态。最依赖树叶的物种在雨后几天内迅速明显地转向吃草。这种同位素方法在东非生态学研究中可能具有普遍用途。
