Table 1. Diet composition of pronghorn antelope in Idaho by plant DNA barcoding analysis.
| Birch Creek | Camas Prairie | Jarbidge | Little Wood | Pahsimeroi | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LG | EL | BS | LG | EL | BS | LG | EL | BS | LG | EL | BS | LG | EL | BS | ||||||||||||||
| 2018 | 2019 | 2018 | 2019 | 2018 | 2019 | 2019 | 2018 | 2019 | 2018 | 2019 | 2018 | 2019 | 2018 | 2019 | 2018 | 2019 | 2019 | 2018 | 2019 | 2018 | 2019 | 2018 | 2019 | 2018 | 2019 | 2018 | 2019 | |
| Total forbs: | 21.2 | 27.6 | 85.5 | 69.5 | 47.0 | 13.2 | 57.6 | 70.6 | 77.8 | 65.6 | 39.0 | 8.3 | 36.9 | 73.2 | 47.6 | 37.6 | 30.6 | 54.7 | 31.9 | 46.0 | 60.6 | 18.9 | 38.6 | 14.2 | 65.1 | 56.9 | 30.6 | 41.6 |
| Amsinckia | - | - | - | - | - | - | 0.2 | 2.3 | 0.2 | 0.4 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 0.2 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Bassia | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.7 | 1.6 | 0.4 | - | - | 0.6 | - | - | - | - | - | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.5 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 4.4 | 1.6 | 0.1 | 4.6 |
| Blitum | - | - | 8.0 | 1.2 | 0.1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 0.7 | - | - | - | 0.1 | 0.6 | - | - | - | - | 0.5 | - | - | - |
| Boykinia | 1.2 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.1 | - | - | 0.1 | - | - | - | - | 0.4 | 0.1 | - | - | - | - | 0.4 | - | - | - | - | 1.2 | - | 0.1 | - | - | - |
| Castilleja | - | - | 2.5 | 2.4 | 3.4 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 0.3 | 0.2 | - | - | - | 2.7 | 0.6 | - | 0.4 | - | - | - | 1.1 | - | - |
| Cerastium | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 6.1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Chenopodium | - | - | 0.3 | - | - | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.1 | - | - | - | - | 0.2 | - | - | - | - | 0.7 | 0.5 | - | - | - | 0.6 | 2.7 | - | 0.1 |
| Chrozophora | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 5.7 | - | - | - | - | 0.1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Chloropyron | - | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 6.2 | 0.2 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Comandra | - | 0.1 | 2.4 | 11.8 | 7.6 | 1.9 | - | 0.5 | - | - | - | - | 2.3 | 0.4 | 1.3 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 5.6 | - | - |
| Crepis | - | - | 0.1 | 0.4 | - | - | 0.1 | 0.3 | - | - | - | 0.1 | 6.9 | 0.3 | 1.9 | 0.1 | - | 1.4 | - | 0.6 | - | - | 0.3 | - | - | 0.1 | - | - |
| Descurainia | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 5.6 | 0.1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1.0 | - | - | - |
| Erigeron | - | - | 0.2 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 0.1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 0.1 | 0.6 | 3.5 | 9.5 | - | - |
| Eriogonum | 18.5 | 21.1 | 57.0 | 36.3 | 22.3 | 9.0 | 15.9 | 0.7 | 0.1 | - | - | 3.7 | 13.0 | 2.1 | 16.7 | 0.3 | 4.8 | 44.8 | 18.6 | 11.6 | 0.5 | 13.3 | 24.9 | 12.0 | 9.6 | 20.4 | 15.8 | 22.6 |
| Erodium | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 0.1 | 2.7 | - | - | - | 0.5 | 0.7 | - | - | - | - | 0.6 | - | - | - | - | 0.1 |
| Fallopia | - | - | - | 1.3 | - | 0.1 | 3.0 | 10.4 | 12.0 | 5.5 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.5 | 1.1 | - | 0.1 | - | 1.7 | 0.4 | 13.0 | 1.5 | 2.7 | 0.2 | - | 0.8 | - | - | 0.4 |
| Geum | - | 4.0 | 0.2 | 2.2 | 0.4 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 0.3 | 0.3 | - | 0.5 | - | - | 0.4 | 0.1 | - | - | - | 1.6 | - | - | - | - | - |
| Lappula | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 4.1 | - | - | 0.1 | - | - |
| Lapsana | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1.1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Penstemon | - | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 0.1 | - | - | - | - | - | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.2 | - | - | 0.1 | - | 0.1 | - | 0.1 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 0.6 | - | - | - |
| Phlox | 0.1 | 0.1 | - | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.3 | - | - | - | - | 1.0 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 0.1 | - | 0.2 | - | - | - | - | - | 0.1 | 0.4 | - | 0.1 | - | 0.1 |
| Plantago | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 0.5 | - | - | - | - | - | 4.3 | 0.8 |
| Polygonum | 0.9 | - | 1.1 | 0.9 | 3.4 | 0.5 | 14.6 | 37.6 | 51.7 | 51.8 | 30.7 | 1.0 | - | 26.1 | 2.0 | 27.1 | 6.7 | - | 2.8 | 2.0 | 39.3 | 0.6 | 0.4 | - | 15.7 | 1.3 | 4.6 | 11.7 |
| Potentilla | - | - | - | 4.4 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 2.1 | 0.6 | 1.3 | 0.1 | 0.1 | - | 1.3 | 4.0 | 0.2 | - | 0.1 | 0.1 | 1.1 | 0.3 | 6.1 | 0.4 | 0.1 | - | 0.4 | 0.1 | - | - |
| Sedum | - | 0.6 | 1.7 | 0.6 | 0.5 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 0.3 | 0.5 | - | - |
| Silene | - | 0.1 | 0.2 | - | 0.3 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 0.1 | 0.4 | - | - | - | - | 0.2 | - | - | 0.5 | - | 6.3 | 3.6 | 3.3 | 0.7 |
| Thlaspi | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 4.9 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Viola | - | - | 0.6 | 0.4 | - | - | 0.2 | - | - | - | - | - | 0.1 | - | - | - | - | 2.1 | 0.1 | 2.9 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Other forbs: | 0.2 | 0.9 | 8.5 | 4.4 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 19.9 | 16.0 | 11.8 | 7.1 | 7.5 | 0.6 | 0.9 | 25.0 | 21.9 | 9.0 | 17.6 | 1.6 | 5.4 | 11.9 | 6.7 | 1.2 | 2.3 | 0.3 | 19.9 | 9.7 | 1.7 | 0.1 |
| Total graminoids: | 53.4 | 57.0 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 3.2 | 8.4 | 5.2 | 0.3 | 0.6 | 1.1 | 0.1 | 79.9 | 36.8 | 0.3 | 2.0 | 1.8 | 1.1 | 26.3 | 1.4 | 2.1 | 6.7 | 0.5 | 34.4 | 51.6 | 0.9 | 3.6 | 8.7 | 15.2 |
| Bromus | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1.8 | 1.9 | - | 0.1 | - | 0.5 | - | - | - | - | - | 0.1 | 0.2 | - | - | - | - |
| Other graminoids: | 52.6 | 56.8 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 3.2 | 8.2 | 4.8 | 0.1 | 0.5 | 0.2 | - | 76.9 | 34.0 | 0.2 | 1.9 | 1.8 | 0.6 | 25.6 | 1.2 | 1.4 | 6.1 | 0.4 | 34.1 | 49.7 | 0.2 | 3.3 | 8.5 | 14.9 |
| Total legumes: | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.8 | 9.5 | 2.0 | 34.8 | 16.7 | 0.8 | 1.5 | 4.1 | 2.8 | 0.8 | 0.9 | 1.3 | 1.0 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 3.9 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 12.3 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 8.0 | 1.8 | 11.1 | 6.2 |
| Hedysarum | - | - | - | - | - | 3.8 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Lathyrus | - | - | - | - | - | - | 0.5 | - | - | - | - | - | 0.4 | - | - | - | - | 3.8 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Lotus | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 0.2 | 1.5 | 1.9 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Medicago | - | - | 0.1 | - | 0.6 | - | 0.7 | 0.3 | 0.9 | 2.5 | 0.8 | - | - | 0.4 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 0.1 | - | - | - | 5.8 | - | 0.4 | 0.2 | 5.4 | 1.0 | 6.9 | 5.4 |
| Onobrychis | - | 0.1 | - | 9.0 | - | 30.8 | 15.4 | - | - | - | - | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.7 | - | - | - | - | - | 0.6 | - | 0.5 | 0.1 | - | - | - | 1.7 | 0.2 |
| Pisum | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2.4 | - | - | - |
| Trifolium | - | - | - | 0.2 | 0.7 | - | - | 0.2 | 0.4 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 0.7 | 0.2 | 6.2 | 0.1 | - | - | - | - | 2.4 | 0.4 |
| Other legumes: | - | - | - | - | - | 0.1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 0.2 | - | - | - | 0.1 | - | 0.1 | 0.2 |
| Total shrubs: | 24.7 | 14.9 | 8.2 | 10.0 | 25.2 | 27.8 | 15.8 | 13.9 | 2.5 | 8.3 | 0.6 | 9.4 | 19.5 | 5.9 | 24.6 | 6.2 | 13.9 | 7.5 | 54.7 | 33.9 | 2.7 | 51.0 | 24.1 | 33.3 | 22.7 | 23.2 | 43.0 | 33.8 |
| Artemisia | 22.4 | 12.2 | 7.0 | 5.6 | 22.6 | 26.4 | 2.4 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 6.9 | 13.4 | 2.3 | 2.7 | 4.1 | 13.1 | 1.3 | 2.0 | 2.2 | 2.4 | 0.7 | 22.0 | 29.4 | 22.1 | 19.4 | 42.1 | 31.2 |
| Atriplex | 0.8 | 2.7 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.8 | 1.0 | - | - | 0.1 | 0.1 | - | 0.8 | 0.7 | 0.1 | - | 0.1 | 0.6 | - | - | - | - | - | 0.4 | 3.2 | - | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.3 |
| Cercidiphyllum | - | - | - | - | - | - | 0.1 | - | - | - | - | 1.2 | 2.7 | - | - | - | - | 5.6 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Juniperus | - | - | - | - | - | - | 0.1 | - | - | - | - | - | 2.3 | - | - | - | - | 0.2 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 0.1 | - | - | - |
| Pinus | 1.0 | - | 0.2 | 3.0 | 0.1 | - | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.9 | - | - | - | - | 0.1 | 1.3 | - | - | 0.1 | 0.5 | 2.8 | 0.1 | - | - | - | 0.2 | 1.8 | - | - |
| Purshia | - | - | - | - | - | 0.1 | 0.7 | 0.5 | - | - | 0.5 | - | 0.3 | 2.4 | 20.5 | 1.9 | - | 0.2 | 51.5 | 28.4 | - | 49.0 | - | - | - | - | 0.1 | 2.0 |
| Ribes | - | - | - | - | - | - | 7.4 | 0.3 | 0.1 | - | - | - | - | 0.1 | - | 0.1 | - | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 1.2 | 0.2 | - | 0.3 | - | 0.1 |
| Salix | - | - | - | - | 0.7 | - | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 1.8 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 0.1 | 0.2 | - | - | - | - | - | 0.1 | - | - |
| Other shrubs: | 0.1 | - | - | 0.4 | - | - | 4.0 | 12.0 | 0.9 | 6.0 | - | - | - | 0.1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1.0 | - | - | - | - | 0.3 | - |
| Other: | 0.6 | 0.3 | 5.2 | 10.7 | 22.2 | 15.7 | 4.7 | 14.4 | 17.3 | 20.9 | 57.5 | 1.0 | 5.5 | 19.3 | 24.8 | 54.1 | 53.2 | 7.6 | 11.2 | 17.0 | 17.8 | 29.0 | 2.4 | 0.6 | 3.2 | 14.5 | 6.4 | 3.1 |
| Asteraceae | 0.4 | 0.1 | 3.3 | 6.3 | 4.3 | 8.4 | 4.0 | 14.2 | 14.6 | 20.8 | 57.5 | 1.0 | 5.5 | 18.4 | 23.4 | 53.8 | 53.1 | 6.9 | 10.4 | 10.8 | 16.9 | 8.4 | 2.4 | 0.6 | 3.0 | 2.1 | 5.8 | 1.7 |
| Orobanchaceae | 0.2 | 0.2 | 1.5 | 1.7 | 17.5 | 0.8 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 0.6 | 0.1 | - | - | - | 0.3 | - | - | 0.1 | - | - | - | 2.3 | - | - |
| Rosaceae | - | - | 0.4 | 2.7 | 0.4 | 6.5 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 2.6 | - | - | - | - | 0.3 | 1.2 | 0.2 | - | 0.6 | 0.6 | 6.1 | 0.8 | 20.6 | - | - | 0.2 | 10.1 | 0.6 | 1.5 |
Relative proportions of protein intake of pronghorn antelope fecal samples from five subpopulations across three sampling periods (Late gestation [LG], Early lactation [EL], Breeding season [BS]), Idaho, USA. Percentage composition of each plant genus and ‘Other’ were summed across all samples per year and sampling period. Total percentage of each functional group was formed from the sum across all samples as a percentage of the total. Results are sorted in alphabetical order. Plant names are given as reported by the laboratory.