Fig. 5: Diet diversity dynamics of black rhino and Grevy’s zebra across gradients of vegetation productivity and different relative abundances of important dietary plant families. | Communications Biology

Fig. 5: Diet diversity dynamics of black rhino and Grevy’s zebra across gradients of vegetation productivity and different relative abundances of important dietary plant families.

From: Linking diet switching to reproductive performance across populations of two critically endangered mammalian herbivores

Fig. 5: Diet diversity dynamics of black rhino and Grevy’s zebra across gradients of vegetation productivity and different relative abundances of important dietary plant families.

Black rhino dietary breadth (n = 214) (Shannon-Weaver diversity index) increased linearly with NDVI (a) and Grevy’s zebra dietary breadth (n = 154) increased slightly but also followed a negative quadratic with NDVI (f). Dietary breadth varied with relative abundances of dietary plants. Black rhino dietary breadth followed a negative quadratic with the proportion of Poaceae (b) in the diet and decreased and followed a negative quadratic with proportion of Fabaceae (c) and Ebenaceae (d) in the diet. e Box plot of black rhino dietary diversity across reserves. Grevy’s zebra dietary breadth increased, and followed a negative quadratic with proportion of Poaceae in the diet (g). h Box plot of zebra dietary diversity across reserves. Black lines represent least square line of best fit, and grey areas represents the 95% confidence interval. Dark blue represents samples taken on Lewa pre-rains, and light blue post-rains. Dark green represents samples taken on Mpala or Ol Jogi pre-rains, and light green post-rains. Dark purple represents samples taken on Ol Pejeta pre-rains, and light purple post-rains. Dark red represents samples taken on Westgate pre-rains, and orange post-rains.

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