Food Habits and Ecological Relationships of Elk to Other Herbivores in Wind Cave National Park

摘要

Elk (Cervus elaphus) range use and competition with three ungulates were studied in Wind Cave National Park, June 1976-August 1977. Available forage (kg/ha) midsummer 1977 was 934 on shallow sites, 863 silty, 890 clayey, 1,536 overflow, 1,391 stony hills, 326 pine-juniper (Pinus ponderosa-Juniperus scopulorum), 150 pine. Graminoids comprised the most forage on upland prairie and pine sites; shrubs were important on overflow and pine-juniper sites. At 92 feeding sites, 27,606 instances of use by elk were recorded. Cow and bull groups had similar food habits only in summer and winter. Segregation between elk bull groups and mixed groups was distinct.