Consumption rates of desert grassland herbivores

TitleConsumption rates of desert grassland herbivores
Publication TypeConference Proceedings
Year of Publication1981
AuthorsPieper, Rex D.
EditorSmith A, Hays V.W.
Conference NameProceedings of the XIV International Grassland Congress
Number of Volumespp
Pagination465-467.
Date PublishedJune 15-24, 1981
PublisherWestview Press
Conference LocationLexington, Kentucky, U.S.A.
Call Number00622
Keywordsabstract, abstracts, conference, conference proceedings, conferences, grassland, herbivores, consumption rates, herbivores,consumption rates, proceeding, proceedings
AbstractStudies were conducted on a desert grassland range in southern New Mexico for 3 years to determine relative consumption rates of the main herbivores utilizing these range areas. Consumption by all herbivores averaged less than 5% of the above-ground net primary productivity for the 3 years of the study. Highest consumption rates among the herbivore groups were for cattle, which consumed an average of 4.3 g/m2 during the study. Consumption by rodents was fairly high during the first year of the study when rodent densities were high but declined during the second and third years in response to declines in rodent densities. In contrast, invertebrate consumption was highest during the third year of the study and actually exceeded that of rodents.
URLNMSU, Branson Library, S401 In85p 14th 1981
Custom 1Boulder, Colorado