Brief communication A Comparison of digestive Tract Morphology in muskoxen and caribou from
muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus) and caribou (Rangifer tarandus subspp.) coexist, there is a potential for overlap in foraging, particularly at high population densities (Vincent & Gunn, 1981; Staaland & Riis Olesen, 1992). The potential for competition should be greatest in winter, when plant se...
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| Format: | Text |
| Language: | English |
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| Online Access: | http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.613.9453 http://septentrio.uit.no/index.php/rangifer/article/download/379/368/ |
| Summary: | muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus) and caribou (Rangifer tarandus subspp.) coexist, there is a potential for overlap in foraging, particularly at high population densities (Vincent & Gunn, 1981; Staaland & Riis Olesen, 1992). The potential for competition should be greatest in winter, when plant senescence and snow cover restrict foraging choices. To date, studies of food habits in sympatric caribou and muskoxen generally have provided little evidence of competition (Wilkinson et al.,V9l6; Thomas & Edmonds, 1984). The numbers of caribou and mus-koxen on Victoria Island, Northwest Territories increased from 1970 to 1990 (Gunn, 1990) and the two species have been observed in relatively close proximity (1-2 km) near Cambridge Bay at the southern end of the island. Based on their digestive anatomy, ruminant species have been classified along a grazer-intermediate feeder-concentrate selector continuum (Hofmann, 1989). Grazers are identified by relatively large rumens and omasa and relatively small hindguts (caecum+large intestine), while concentrate selectors tend to have relatively small rumens and omasa and more pronounced |
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