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Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
agricultural and biological sciences
Morphological criteria to identify faecal pellets of sympatric ungulates in West African savanna and estimates of associated error
African Journal of Ecology, Volume 46, No. 4, Year 2008
Notification
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Description
Indirect surveys may prove to be useful tools in complementing classical direct counts when monitoring ungulate populations and may also promote better understanding of the precise structure and functioning of the rich ungulate communities of African savannas. However, the identification of faecal pellets can be difficult where several sympatric species occur. This study develops simple field criteria for distinguishing between pellets among ten sympatric West African ungulates. A discriminant analysis was performed, using the mean of measurements of pellet groups from different species to pinpoint and characterize the most useful morphological criteria for separation between them. The mean diameter of pellets within each pellet group proved to be the most valuable variable for species segregation, whilst the second axis separated species by mean indent depth. The pellet groups of six of the ten designated species could be identified with a minimum misclassification error. However, no simple morphological variables emerged to permit discrimination between hartebeest and topi, or between bushbuck and Bohor reedbuck pellets. Once pellet groups have been identified, their density and spatial distribution may provide useful information on the use of space and habitat of sympatric species, over given periods. © 2008 The Authors.
Authors & Co-Authors
Hibert, Fabrice
France, Paris
Cirad
Fritz, Hervé
France, Villeurbanne
Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1
Poilecot, Pierre
France, Paris
Cirad
Abdou, Hama Noma
Niger
Association Des Guides du Parc du w du Niger
Dulieu, Dominique
France, Paris
Cirad
Statistics
Citations: 5
Authors: 5
Affiliations: 3
Identifiers
Doi:
10.1111/j.1365-2028.2007.00889.x
ISSN:
01416707
e-ISSN:
13652028
Study Design
Cross Sectional Study