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Table 9 Mean ± SE percent occurrence in spring–autumn diets of elk and cattle by forage class, 2004–2006

From: Herbivory of sympatric elk and cattle on Lincoln National Forest, south-central New Mexico

Class

Species

Elk

Cattle

2004

2005

2006

Mean

2004

2005

2006

Mean

Shrubs

Acer glabrum leaf

3.2

1.5

1.0

1.9 ± 0.7

–

–

–

0

Holodiscus dumosis, leaf

2.3

0.5

0.3

1.1 ± 0.6

–

–

–

0

Quercus spp. leaf

24.8

30.6

20.2

25.2 ± 3.0

6.5

2.9

9.3

6.2 ± 1.9

Salix spp. leaf

17.4

13.9

7.1

12.8 ± 3.0

–

–

–

0

Salix spp. stem

1.9

0.9

1.7

1.5 ± 0.3

–

–

–

0

Symphoricarpos rotundifolius leaf

2.4

0.7

0.8

1.3 ± 0.5

–

–

–

0

TOTAL

55.2

51.5

34.2

46.9 ± 6.5A

7.4

4.3

10.7

7.5 ± 1.8B

Conifer

TOTAL

0.2

1.1

1.1

0.8 ± 0.3

0.1

0.4

0.5

0.3 ± 0.1

Forbs

Achillea millefolium

0.8

1.1

1.7

1.2 ± 0.3

0.8

1.8

1.8

1.5 ± 0.3

Erigeron spp.

1.8

1.4

0.7

1.3 ± 0.3

–

–

–

0.1 ± 0.1

Geranium spp.

1.7

1.0

0.5

1.0 ± 0.3

–

–

–

0.6 ± 0.4

TOTAL

8.2

11.5

7.8

9.1 ± 1.2A

6.5

6.5

6.8

6.6 ± 0.1B

Grass

Agropyron spp.

1.6

0.7

1.8

1.4 ± 0.3

17.2

12.1

11.5

13.6 ± 1.8

Agrostis spp.

–

–

–

0.7 ± 0.5

5.4

4.9

5.4

5.2 ± 0.2

Bouteloua spp.

–

–

–

0

4.3

1.8

1.0

2.4 ± 1.0

Bromus spp.

5.1

7.3

13.6

8.7 ± 2.5

5.6

8.4

6.9

6.9 ± 0.8

Dactylis glomerata

–

-

-

0.8 ± 0.2

0.8

1.2

1.3

1.1 ± 0.2

Agropyron trachycaulum

0.0

0.9

3.7

1.5 ± 1.1

–

–

–

0.7 ± 0.1

Muhlenbergia spp.

–

–

–

0.9 ± 0.2

7.3

3.9

5.0

5.4 ± 1.0

Oryzopsis spp.

–

–

–

0

2.2

0.5

0.7

1.1 ± 0.5

Poa fendleriana

–

–

–

–

1.9

1.7

0.4

1.3 ± 0.5

Poa pratensis

–

–

–

–

21.2

30.7

29.2

27.0 ± 3.0

Poa spp.

20.4

16.7

24.1

20.4 ± 2.1

23.1

32.4

29.6

28.3 ± 2.8

Stipa spp.

1.6

0.6

1.2

1.1 ± 0.3

5.6

7.5

7.0

6.7 ± 0.6

TOTAL

32.2

29.8

49.5

37.2 ± 6.2A

75.0

77.1

72.2

74.8 ± 1.4B

Sedge/Rush

Carex spp.

4.3

4.9

5.7

5.0 ± 0.4

10.6

10.3

7.6

9.5 ± 0.9

TOTAL

4.3

4.9

5.7

5.0 ± 0.4A

10.9

11.5

9.6

10.6 ± 0.6B

  1. Also presented are species comprising > 1.0 % of either elk or cattle diets averaged over years
  2. Class TOTALS not sharing a letter differ between species (P > 0.90)