Contrasting capabilities of two ungulate species to cope with extremes of aridity

Boyers, M. , Parrini, F., Owen‑Smith, N., Erasmus, B. F. N. and Hetem, R. S. (2021) Contrasting capabilities of two ungulate species to cope with extremes of aridity. Scientific Reports, 11, 4216. (doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-83732-w) (PMID:33603115) (PMCID:PMC7893036)

Abstract

Southern Africa is expected to experience increased frequency and intensity of droughts through climate change, which will adversely affect mammalian herbivores. Using bio-loggers, we tested the expectation that wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus), a grazer with high water-dependence, would be more sensitive to drought conditions than the arid-adapted gemsbok (Oryx gazella gazella). The study, conducted in the Kalahari, encompassed two hot-dry seasons with similar ambient temperatures but differing rainfall patterns during the preceding wet season. In the drier year both ungulates selected similar cooler microclimates, but wildebeest travelled larger distances than gemsbok, presumably in search of water. Body temperatures in both species reached lower daily minimums and higher daily maximums in the drier season but daily fluctuations were wider in wildebeest than in gemsbok. Lower daily minimum body temperatures displayed by wildebeest suggest that wildebeest were under greater nutritional stress than gemsbok. Moving large distances when water is scarce may have compromised the energy balance of the water dependent wildebeest, a trade-off likely to be exacerbated with future climate change.

• Item Type: Articles
• Additional Information: This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of South Africa [Grant Number 80689 to R.S.H, 78826 to N.O.S.]; the Centre for African Ecology; and University of the Witwatersrand Faculty of Science Research Committee.
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Van Der Spuy, Dr Melinda
• Authors: Boyers, M., Parrini, F., Owen‑Smith, N., Erasmus, B. F. N., and Hetem, R. S.
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Biodiversity, One Health & Veterinary Medicine
• Journal Name: Scientific Reports
• Publisher: Nature Research
• ISSN: 2045-2322
• ISSN (Online): 2045-2322
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2021 The Author(s)
• First Published: First published in Scientific Reports 11(1):4216
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced under a Creative Commons license