Body size and digestive system shape resource selection by ungulates: A cross-taxa test of the forage maturation hypothesis

Saeideh Esmaeili; Brett R. Jesmer; Shannon E. Albeke; Ellen O. Aikens; Kathryn A. Schoenecker; Sarah R.B. King; Briana Abrahms; Bayarbaatar Buuveibaatar; Jeffrey L. Beck; Randall B. Boone; Francesca Cagnacci; Simon Chamaillé-Jammes; Buyanaa Chimeddorj; Paul C. Cross; Nandintsetseg Dejid; Jagdag Enkhbyar; Ilya R. Fischhoff; Adam T. Ford; Kate Jenks; Mahmoud Reza Hemami; Jacob D. Hennig; Takehiko Y. Ito; Petra Kaczensky; Matthew J. Kauffman; John D.C. Linnell; Badamjav Lkhagvasuren; John F. McEvoy; Joerg Melzheimer; Jerod A. Merkle; Thomas Mueller; Jeff Muntifering; Atle Mysterud; Kirk A. Olson; Manuela Panzacchi; John C. Payne; Luca Pedrotti; Geir R. Rauset; Daniel I. Rubenstein; Hall Sawyer; John D. Scasta; Johannes Signer; Melissa Songer; Jared A. Stabach; Seth Stapleton; Olav Strand; Siva R. Sundaresan; Dorj Usukhjargal; Ganbold Uuganbayar; John M. Fryxell; Jacob R. Goheen

doi:10.1111/ele.13848

Body size and digestive system shape resource selection by ungulates: A cross-taxa test of the forage maturation hypothesis

Saeideh Esmaeili, Brett R. Jesmer, Shannon E. Albeke, Ellen O. Aikens, Kathryn A. Schoenecker, Sarah R.B. King, Briana Abrahms, Bayarbaatar Buuveibaatar, Jeffrey L. Beck, Randall B. Boone, Francesca Cagnacci, Simon Chamaillé-Jammes, Buyanaa Chimeddorj, Paul C. Cross, Nandintsetseg Dejid, Jagdag Enkhbyar, Ilya R. Fischhoff, Adam T. Ford, Kate Jenks, Mahmoud Reza HemamiJacob D. Hennig, Takehiko Y. Ito, Petra Kaczensky, Matthew J. Kauffman, John D.C. Linnell, Badamjav Lkhagvasuren, John F. McEvoy, Joerg Melzheimer, Jerod A. Merkle, Thomas Mueller, Jeff Muntifering, Atle Mysterud, Kirk A. Olson, Manuela Panzacchi, John C. Payne, Luca Pedrotti, Geir R. Rauset, Daniel I. Rubenstein, Hall Sawyer, John D. Scasta, Johannes Signer, Melissa Songer, Jared A. Stabach, Seth Stapleton, Olav Strand, Siva R. Sundaresan, Dorj Usukhjargal, Ganbold Uuganbayar, John M. Fryxell, Jacob R. Goheen

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

24 Scopus citations

Abstract

The forage maturation hypothesis (FMH) states that energy intake for ungulates is maximised when forage biomass is at intermediate levels. Nevertheless, metabolic allometry and different digestive systems suggest that resource selection should vary across ungulate species. By combining GPS relocations with remotely sensed data on forage characteristics and surface water, we quantified the effect of body size and digestive system in determining movements of 30 populations of hindgut fermenters (equids) and ruminants across biomes. Selection for intermediate forage biomass was negatively related to body size, regardless of digestive system. Selection for proximity to surface water was stronger for equids relative to ruminants, regardless of body size. To be more generalisable, we suggest that the FMH explicitly incorporate contingencies in body size and digestive system, with small-bodied ruminants selecting more strongly for potential energy intake, and hindgut fermenters selecting more strongly for surface water.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	2178-2191
Number of pages	14
Journal	Ecology letters
Volume	24
Issue number	10
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/ele.13848
State	Published - Oct 2021

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics

Keywords

Equidae
forage biomass
hindgut fermentation
macroecology
ruminant
step-selection function
water requirements

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10.1111/ele.13848

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Esmaeili, S., Jesmer, B. R., Albeke, S. E., Aikens, E. O., Schoenecker, K. A., King, S. R. B., Abrahms, B., Buuveibaatar, B., Beck, J. L., Boone, R. B., Cagnacci, F., Chamaillé-Jammes, S., Chimeddorj, B., Cross, P. C., Dejid, N., Enkhbyar, J., Fischhoff, I. R., Ford, A. T., Jenks, K., ... Goheen, J. R. (2021). Body size and digestive system shape resource selection by ungulates: A cross-taxa test of the forage maturation hypothesis. Ecology letters, 24(10), 2178-2191. https://doi.org/10.1111/ele.13848

@article{7dfe4a8bce4a4ee6ab3da6ebc8fcc070,

title = "Body size and digestive system shape resource selection by ungulates: A cross-taxa test of the forage maturation hypothesis",

abstract = "The forage maturation hypothesis (FMH) states that energy intake for ungulates is maximised when forage biomass is at intermediate levels. Nevertheless, metabolic allometry and different digestive systems suggest that resource selection should vary across ungulate species. By combining GPS relocations with remotely sensed data on forage characteristics and surface water, we quantified the effect of body size and digestive system in determining movements of 30 populations of hindgut fermenters (equids) and ruminants across biomes. Selection for intermediate forage biomass was negatively related to body size, regardless of digestive system. Selection for proximity to surface water was stronger for equids relative to ruminants, regardless of body size. To be more generalisable, we suggest that the FMH explicitly incorporate contingencies in body size and digestive system, with small-bodied ruminants selecting more strongly for potential energy intake, and hindgut fermenters selecting more strongly for surface water.",

keywords = "Equidae, forage biomass, hindgut fermentation, macroecology, ruminant, step-selection function, water requirements",

author = "Saeideh Esmaeili and Jesmer, {Brett R.} and Albeke, {Shannon E.} and Aikens, {Ellen O.} and Schoenecker, {Kathryn A.} and King, {Sarah R.B.} and Briana Abrahms and Bayarbaatar Buuveibaatar and Beck, {Jeffrey L.} and Boone, {Randall B.} and Francesca Cagnacci and Simon Chamaill{\'e}-Jammes and Buyanaa Chimeddorj and Cross, {Paul C.} and Nandintsetseg Dejid and Jagdag Enkhbyar and Fischhoff, {Ilya R.} and Ford, {Adam T.} and Kate Jenks and Hemami, {Mahmoud Reza} and Hennig, {Jacob D.} and Ito, {Takehiko Y.} and Petra Kaczensky and Kauffman, {Matthew J.} and Linnell, {John D.C.} and Badamjav Lkhagvasuren and McEvoy, {John F.} and Joerg Melzheimer and Merkle, {Jerod A.} and Thomas Mueller and Jeff Muntifering and Atle Mysterud and Olson, {Kirk A.} and Manuela Panzacchi and Payne, {John C.} and Luca Pedrotti and Rauset, {Geir R.} and Rubenstein, {Daniel I.} and Hall Sawyer and Scasta, {John D.} and Johannes Signer and Melissa Songer and Stabach, {Jared A.} and Seth Stapleton and Olav Strand and Sundaresan, {Siva R.} and Dorj Usukhjargal and Ganbold Uuganbayar and Fryxell, {John M.} and Goheen, {Jacob R.}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2021 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.",

year = "2021",

month = oct,

doi = "10.1111/ele.13848",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "24",

pages = "2178--2191",

journal = "Ecology letters",

issn = "1461-023X",

publisher = "Wiley-Blackwell",

number = "10",

}

Esmaeili, S, Jesmer, BR, Albeke, SE, Aikens, EO, Schoenecker, KA, King, SRB, Abrahms, B, Buuveibaatar, B, Beck, JL, Boone, RB, Cagnacci, F, Chamaillé-Jammes, S, Chimeddorj, B, Cross, PC, Dejid, N, Enkhbyar, J, Fischhoff, IR, Ford, AT, Jenks, K, Hemami, MR, Hennig, JD, Ito, TY, Kaczensky, P, Kauffman, MJ, Linnell, JDC, Lkhagvasuren, B, McEvoy, JF, Melzheimer, J, Merkle, JA, Mueller, T, Muntifering, J, Mysterud, A, Olson, KA, Panzacchi, M, Payne, JC, Pedrotti, L, Rauset, GR, Rubenstein, DI, Sawyer, H, Scasta, JD, Signer, J, Songer, M, Stabach, JA, Stapleton, S, Strand, O, Sundaresan, SR, Usukhjargal, D, Uuganbayar, G, Fryxell, JM & Goheen, JR 2021, 'Body size and digestive system shape resource selection by ungulates: A cross-taxa test of the forage maturation hypothesis', Ecology letters, vol. 24, no. 10, pp. 2178-2191. https://doi.org/10.1111/ele.13848

TY - JOUR

T1 - Body size and digestive system shape resource selection by ungulates

T2 - A cross-taxa test of the forage maturation hypothesis

AU - Esmaeili, Saeideh

AU - Jesmer, Brett R.

AU - Albeke, Shannon E.

AU - Aikens, Ellen O.

AU - Schoenecker, Kathryn A.

AU - King, Sarah R.B.

AU - Abrahms, Briana

AU - Buuveibaatar, Bayarbaatar

AU - Beck, Jeffrey L.

AU - Boone, Randall B.

AU - Cagnacci, Francesca

AU - Chamaillé-Jammes, Simon

AU - Chimeddorj, Buyanaa

AU - Cross, Paul C.

AU - Dejid, Nandintsetseg

AU - Enkhbyar, Jagdag

AU - Fischhoff, Ilya R.

AU - Ford, Adam T.

AU - Jenks, Kate

AU - Hemami, Mahmoud Reza

AU - Hennig, Jacob D.

AU - Ito, Takehiko Y.

AU - Kaczensky, Petra

AU - Kauffman, Matthew J.

AU - Linnell, John D.C.

AU - Lkhagvasuren, Badamjav

AU - McEvoy, John F.

AU - Melzheimer, Joerg

AU - Merkle, Jerod A.

AU - Mueller, Thomas

AU - Muntifering, Jeff

AU - Mysterud, Atle

AU - Olson, Kirk A.

AU - Panzacchi, Manuela

AU - Payne, John C.

AU - Pedrotti, Luca

AU - Rauset, Geir R.

AU - Rubenstein, Daniel I.

AU - Sawyer, Hall

AU - Scasta, John D.

AU - Signer, Johannes

AU - Songer, Melissa

AU - Stabach, Jared A.

AU - Stapleton, Seth

AU - Strand, Olav

AU - Sundaresan, Siva R.

AU - Usukhjargal, Dorj

AU - Uuganbayar, Ganbold

AU - Fryxell, John M.

AU - Goheen, Jacob R.

PY - 2021/10

Y1 - 2021/10

N2 - The forage maturation hypothesis (FMH) states that energy intake for ungulates is maximised when forage biomass is at intermediate levels. Nevertheless, metabolic allometry and different digestive systems suggest that resource selection should vary across ungulate species. By combining GPS relocations with remotely sensed data on forage characteristics and surface water, we quantified the effect of body size and digestive system in determining movements of 30 populations of hindgut fermenters (equids) and ruminants across biomes. Selection for intermediate forage biomass was negatively related to body size, regardless of digestive system. Selection for proximity to surface water was stronger for equids relative to ruminants, regardless of body size. To be more generalisable, we suggest that the FMH explicitly incorporate contingencies in body size and digestive system, with small-bodied ruminants selecting more strongly for potential energy intake, and hindgut fermenters selecting more strongly for surface water.

AB - The forage maturation hypothesis (FMH) states that energy intake for ungulates is maximised when forage biomass is at intermediate levels. Nevertheless, metabolic allometry and different digestive systems suggest that resource selection should vary across ungulate species. By combining GPS relocations with remotely sensed data on forage characteristics and surface water, we quantified the effect of body size and digestive system in determining movements of 30 populations of hindgut fermenters (equids) and ruminants across biomes. Selection for intermediate forage biomass was negatively related to body size, regardless of digestive system. Selection for proximity to surface water was stronger for equids relative to ruminants, regardless of body size. To be more generalisable, we suggest that the FMH explicitly incorporate contingencies in body size and digestive system, with small-bodied ruminants selecting more strongly for potential energy intake, and hindgut fermenters selecting more strongly for surface water.

KW - Equidae

KW - forage biomass

KW - hindgut fermentation

KW - macroecology

KW - ruminant

KW - step-selection function

KW - water requirements

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85111694224&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85111694224&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1111/ele.13848

DO - 10.1111/ele.13848

M3 - Article

C2 - 34311513

AN - SCOPUS:85111694224

SN - 1461-023X

VL - 24

SP - 2178

EP - 2191

JO - Ecology letters

JF - Ecology letters

IS - 10

ER -

Body size and digestive system shape resource selection by ungulates: A cross-taxa test of the forage maturation hypothesis

Abstract

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Keywords

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