Table 4 Distribution of sample sizes and sampling dates from across the three diet regimes.

From: Diet and gut microbiome enterotype are associated at the population level in African buffalo

Capture number

Month/Year

Supplementary feed

Mean NDVI

Diet regime

Number of fecal samples

1

February 2014

None

0.64

Green vegetation

25

2

June 2014

None

0.40

Restricted

30

3

August 2014

None

0.29

Restricted

30

4

October 2014

None

0.28

Restricted

28

5

December 2014

Started introducing feed

0.25

Restricted

31

6

February 2015

Fed

0.47

Hay

22

7

June 2015

Fed

0.32

Hay

37

8

August 2015

Fed

0.27

Hay

31

9

December 2015

Fed

0.25

Hay

37

10

February 2016

Fed

0.25

Hay

32

11

June 2016

Reduced feed

0.25

Restricted

20

12

August 2016

Reduced feed

0.24

Restricted

36

13

October 2016

Reduced feed

0.23

Restricted

30

14

December 2016

None

0.21

Green vegetation (224.6 mm rainfall, not reflected in NDVI)

22

15

February 2017

None

0.70

Green vegetation

15

  1. Each individual was sampled only once at each capture period. All samples were used for alpha and beta diversity analysis and envfit analysis. Only samples that were accompanied by complete covariate datasets were included in the CCA. Normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) was summarized as mean NDVI values for the MODIS pixels overlapping the boma during the time period most closely preceding the capture. Dietary regime was classified as “restricted” if NDVI was <0.5 and little or no supplementary feed was provided, with the exception of December 2016, which had exceptionally high rainfall and abundant new vegetation growth that was not reflected in NDVI measurements. Dietary regime was classified as “hay” if abundant supplementary feed was provided (see the “Methods” section) and as green vegetation otherwise.