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Effect of Trace Elements on Population Dynamics: Selenium Deficiency in Free‐Ranging Black‐Tailed Deer
Author(s) -
Flueck Werner T.
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.144
H-Index - 294
eISSN - 1939-9170
pISSN - 0012-9658
DOI - 10.2307/1941736
Subject(s) - selenium , odocoileus , biology , zoology , livestock , trace mineral , population , selenium deficiency , trace element , ecology , chemistry , endocrinology , demography , organic chemistry , sociology , catalase , oxidative stress , glutathione peroxidase
The effect of the trace element selenium on black—tailed deer (Odocoileus hemionus columbianus) was studied in northern California. The role of selenium was evaluated by supplementing free—ranging adult females with selenium, measuring fawn production before weaning, and comparing to unsupplemented controls. Whole blood selenium levels (mode = 24 mg/kg) of unsupplemented animals were low, and 95% of free—ranging deer had inadequate levels according to livestock standards. There were no differences in whole blood selenium levels among sexes, ages, or seasons. However, there were significant differences between spring blood samples over the years. Selenium supplements increased preweaning fawn survival from 0.32 fawns/female to 0.83 fawns/female. The assumption that free—ranging wild ruminants are not normally susceptible to trace mineral deficiencies because adaptations to deficiencies occur over geological time was not supported.