Correcting for Differential Digestibility in Microhistological Analyses Involving Common Coastal Forages of the Pacific Northwest
Citation
Leslie, D. M., Vavra, M., Starkey, E. E., & Slater, R. C. (1983). Correcting for differential digestibility in microhistological analyses involving common coastal forages of the Pacific northwest. Journal of Range Management, 36(6), 730-732.Publisher
Society for Range ManagementJournal
Journal of Range ManagementDOI
10.2307/3898197Additional Links
https://rangelands.org/Abstract
The accuracy of microhistological techniques to describe herbivore diets can be affected by differential digestibility of ingested forages. Correction factors were developed to adjust for those effects in 17 common forages of coastal, forested ranges of the Pacific Northwest. Two ferns, a moss and a sedge were overestimated by microhistological analysis in all seasons, while most shrubs, forbs and a grass were underestimated. Trees were not consistently over- or underestimated. Phenology significantly affected the degree of over- or underestimation of most forages. Failure to correct for differential digestibility will significantly bias results of microhistological techniques such as fecal analyses.Type
textArticle
Language
enISSN
0022-409Xae974a485f413a2113503eed53cd6c53
10.2307/3898197