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dc.contributor.authorTjelele, J.
dc.contributor.authorWard, D.
dc.contributor.authorDziba, L.
dc.date.accessioned2021-03-08T18:41:15Z
dc.date.available2021-03-08T18:41:15Z
dc.date.issued2014-07
dc.identifier.citationTjelele, J., Ward, D., & Dziba, L. (2014). Diet quality modifies germination of Dichrostachys cinerea and Acacia nilotica seeds fed to ruminants. Rangeland Ecology & Management, 67(4), 423–428.
dc.identifier.issn0022-409x
dc.identifier.doi10.2111/REM-D-13-00115.1
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10150/656992
dc.description.abstractThe pods of many woody plants form an important part of the diet of livestock during the dry season due to their high nutritive value. However, the dispersal of seeds that remain intact and can potentially germinate after excretion is of particular concern when animals consume seeds of encroaching or invasive woody plants. The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of animal species in two experiments (experiment 1: goats, sheep; experiment 2: goats, cattle), diet quality (Medicago sativa hay, Digitaria eriantha hay) and seed characteristics (size, hardness) on the effectiveness of animal seed dispersal and germination of Dichrostachys cinerea and Acacia nilotica seeds. Owing to a limitation on the availability of seeds, the two experiments were done separately at different times. Each animal in both experiments received 1 000 A. nilotica seeds and 1 000 D. cinerea seeds mixed with either a low-quality diet (D. eriantha hay) or a high-quality diet (M. sativa hay). In experiment 1, we found a significant interaction effect of animal species (goats, sheep), diet (high-quality hay, low-quality hay), and seed species (A. nilotica seeds, D. cinerea seeds) on germination (P < 0.0001). There was also a higher seed recovery (P < 0.009) when animals were offered high-quality hay (47.4% ± 4.65) compared to low-quality hay (30.2% ± 3.24). In experiment 2, animal species affected seed recovery (P < 0.0325; goats 32.0% ± 6.44; cattle 50.3% ± 4.27) and germination percentage (P < 0.055; goats 14.1% ± 1.48; cattle 9.3% ± 0.94). The diet quality fed to the animals may affect dispersal and germination. However, animal species and seed characteristics also had important effects on germination of D. cinerea and A. nilotica seeds. Thus, all three of these factors play a major role in dissemination of viable seeds. © 2014 The Society for Range Management.
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherSociety for Range Management
dc.relation.urlhttps://rangelands.org/
dc.rightsCopyright © Society for Range Management.
dc.rights.urihttp://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
dc.subjectAssociated diet quality
dc.subjectEndozoochory
dc.subjectGermination percentage
dc.subjectSeed characteristics
dc.subjectSeed dispersal
dc.subjectSeed viability
dc.subjectWoody plant encroachment
dc.titleDiet quality modifies germination of Dichrostachys cinerea and Acacia nilotica seeds fed to ruminants
dc.typeArticle
dc.typetext
dc.identifier.journalRangeland Ecology & Management
dc.description.collectioninformationThe Rangeland Ecology & Management archives are made available by the Society for Range Management and the University of Arizona Libraries. Contact lbry-journals@email.arizona.edu for further information.
dc.eprint.versionFinal published version
dc.source.journaltitleRangeland Ecology & Management
dc.source.volume67
dc.source.issue4
dc.source.beginpage423
dc.source.endpage428
refterms.dateFOA2021-03-08T18:41:15Z


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