Comparison Of Nutritional Adaption Strategies Of Tibetan Red Deer And Northeast Red Deer

Cervus elaphus, a precious economic animal under the second rate national protection, is found in Eurasia, North America and Africa and in Northeast, north, northwest and southwest and some other places in China. The study area is in Natural Reserves of Tibet and Inner Mongolia. From August 2014 to January 2015, trips there for the sample collection of the Cervus elaphus have been made, mainly studied on food composition, nutrient of plant as food, selection of food and so on. The results of the study will provide basic data for the scientific protection and management of Cervus elaphus in Tibet and Inner Mongolia.The results of this study as follows:1. With survey of literature and microcopy analysis to excrement of Cervus elaphus in Tibet and Inner Mongolia, it is found that in Green Grass Period in Tibet, there is 37 kinds of plants for food, belonging to 20 families,28 genera. Among these plants, there are 11 species of woody plants,26 kinds of herbaceous plants, accounted for 29.73% and 70.27% of the total number of plants for food of Cervus elaphus in Tibet. In Inner Mongolia, there is 28 kinds of plants for food, belonging to 15 families,27 genera. Among these plants, there are 16 species of woody plants,12 kinds of herbaceous plants, accounted for 57.14% and 42.86% of the total number of plants for food of Cervus elaphus in Inner Mongolia.Considering data from two study areas, we also found that, plants for food of Cervus elaphus mainly in the 7 families(more than 3 species), they are Asteraceae (8 genus,12 species), Gramineae (7 genus,9 species), Rosaceae (4 genus,7 species), Leguminosae (3 genus, 6 species), Ericaceae (2 genus,3 species), Caprifoliaceae (2 genus,3 species), Labiatae (3 genus,3 species). Which account for 28.0% in the plants for food of Cervus elaphus families. 29 genera,43species in total, account for 60.42 and 66.15 in the plants for food genera and species.2. Microscopy analysis of excrement of Cervus elaphus in Tibet and Inner Mongolia shows that, for Cervus elaphus in Tibit, there are 4 kinds of plants with RD>5, they are Astragalus strictus, Leontopodium pusillum, Heteropappus semiprostratus, Salix xizangensis, 20 kinds of plants with 1<RD<5,they are Kobresia littledalei, Polygonum macrophyllum), Potentilla parvifolia, Kobresia tibetica, Onosma waddellii, Festuca ovina, Caragana versicolor, Polygonum tortuosum, Astragalus monticola, Caragana spinifera, Dolomiaea calophylla, Artemisia minor, Typhonium alpinum, Artemisia wellbyi, Ligularia rumicifolia, Stipa subsessiliflora, Caragana erinacea, Potentilla supina, Artemisia demissa, Potentilla gracillima, both total they account for 93.10% in plants for food of Cervus elaphus in Tibet, and they are main food of it.For Cervus elaphus in Inner Mongolia, there are 3 kinds of plants with RD>5, they are Salix matsudana Koidz, Corylus heterophylla, Armeniaca sibirica,20 kinds of plants with 1<RD<5, too, they are Lespedeza bicolor, Rhododendron dauricum, Ulmus pumila, Ostryopsis davidiana, Potentilla chinensis, Serratula centauroides, Viburnum mongolicum, Fraxinus mandschurica, Acer mono, Leonurus Artemisia, Lonicera maackii, Quercus mongolica, Artemisia brachyloba, Ledum palustre, Philadelphus schrenkii Rupr, Betula platyphylla, both total they account for 97.86% in plants for food of Cervus elaphus in Inner Mongolia, and they are main food of it.3. Analysis of factors which associate with feeding of Cervus elaphus in the two areas, it shows that, food selection of Cervus elaphus is determined by effects of many factors, not by a single factor, it also shows that food selection is a Complex process.From the analysis of plants for food nutrients and composition of Cervus elaphus in the tow areas, we found that whether in Tibet or Inner Mongolia, crude protein, energy and cellulose are mainly factors that impact deeding of Cervus elaphus. Moreover, plant secondary compounds and palatability are also factors that impact it.