Abstract: The goitred gazelle (Gazella subgutturosa) is endangered in China. This endangered status is due to the habitat loss and poaching. In order to document the characteristics of the foraging habitat of goitred gazelle, food habitat use by goitred gazelles was studied in eastern Junggar Basin, Xinjiang, China in May and September from 2001 to 2003. Two vegetation types were found there, distributed from south to north: (a) Anabasis salsa- Artemisia sp, (b) Stipa glareosa -Kochia prostrata. The piles of fresh feces and the tracks of gazelle were used as an index to indicate the intensity of use by gazelles in an area. At all feeding sites, a 10 m×10 m (100 m²) sampling quadrat was established at the center of the site, this was compared to a similar-sized quadrat randomly located 500 m away from feeding sites elsewhere in the study area. Variables recorded in the quadrat were total plant species richness, shrub species richness, herb species richness, vegetative cover, vegetative height, and plant phenology. Mann-Whitney U-tests and principal component analysis (PCA) were used for multivariate analysis of variables. In the southern portion of the study area, gazelles prefer shrub patches, which occur in the wadis and depressions with a greater percentage vegetative cover, plant species richness and vegetative height. The PCA analysis showed that plant species richness and vegetative cover are possibly the most important factors determining the foraging habitat use of goitred gazelle in the southern portion of the study area. In the shrub patchs, the goitred gazelle selected the succulent leaves of Corydalis glaucescens in order to get necessary water. In the northern portion of the study area, gazelles prefer the relatively well-vegetated consolidated and semi-consolidated dunes, which have a greater percentage vegetative cover, plant species richness, and vegetative height. On the sand dunes, Ephedra distachya, Kochia prostrata and Ceratoides lateens were browsed by gazelles. The PCA analysis showed that the coverage of Ephedra distachya, Kochia prostrat and Atraphaxis sp, and plant species richness are possibly the most important factors determining the foraging habitat use of goitred gazelle in the northern portion of the study area.

Key words: Food habitat, Coitred gzel1e(Gazella subgutturosa sairensis), Peincipal component analysis

摘要： 2001-2003年5月和9月，通过野外直接观察采样的方法，我们对新疆准噶尔盆地东部木垒地区鹅喉羚的采食地进行了研究。在研究区南部，分布着以盐生假木贼和篙为主的低矮小半灌木，其间散布有木本猪毛菜和驼绒藜为优势种的条块状高灌丛。鹅喉羚多在灌丛块中采食。Mann-Whitney U检验表明，采食地内的植物种数、植被盖度和植被高度都显著高于对照地中相应成分。主成分分析表明，影响鹅喉羚采食地选择的主要环境因子是植物种数和植被盖度。在研究区北部，分布着以沙生针茅和木地肤为主的植被，其间散布有固定和半固定沙丘。沙丘上各种灌木发育较好，鹅喉羚多在沙丘上觅食。Mann-Whitney U检验表明，采食地内的植物种数、植被盖度、植被高度，以及蛇麻黄、木地肤和驼绒藜的盖度都显著高于对照地中相应成分。主成分分析表明，影响鹅喉羚采食地选择的主要环境因子是蛇麻黄、木地肤、扁果木蓼盖度和植物种数。

关键词: 鹅喉羚, 采食地, 主成分分析