Geochemistry of mineral licks at Loskop Dam Nature Reserve, Mpumalanga, South Africa

dc.contributor.authorStephenson, J.D.
dc.contributor.authorMills, A.
dc.contributor.authorEksteen, J.J.
dc.contributor.authorMilewski, A.V.
dc.contributor.authorMyburgh, Jan G.
dc.date.accessioned2011-02-10T06:51:27Z
dc.date.available2011-02-10T06:51:27Z
dc.date.issued2011
dc.description.abstractAlthough numerous hypotheses have been proposed to explain geophagy, the primary driver of this behaviour remains elusive. Supplementation of scarce nutrients is one commonly cited explanation. We examined the element concentration of three licks relative to adjacent topsoils to infer the possible reasons for geophagy at Loskop Dam Nature Reserve. Lick samples had greater concentrations of B, Co, Zn, Se, Mo and Mn (Loskop Main Lick); Cu (Klopperskloof Lick); and Na (Klopperskloof Lick and Rhenosterhoek Lick) than those of adjacent topsoil. We suggest that supplementation with all or some of these nutrients is a likely driver of geophagy in this fenced reserve, with different licks providing herbivores with different suites of nutrients.en
dc.identifier.citationStephenson, JD, Mills, A, Eksteen, JJ, Milewski, AV & Myburgh, JG 2011, 'Geochemistry of mineral licks at Loskop Dam Nature Reserve, Mpumalanga, South Africa', Environmental Geochemistry and Health, vol. 33, no. 1, pp. 49-53. doi:10.1007/s10653-010-9313-y [http://www.springerlink.com/content/100162/]en
dc.identifier.issn0269-4042
dc.identifier.other10.1007/s10653-010-9313-y
dc.identifier.other35321482200
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/2263/15854
dc.language.isoenen
dc.publisherSpringeren
dc.rights© Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2010. The original publication is available at www.springerlink.comen
dc.subjectGeophagyen
dc.subjectNutrient supplementationen
dc.subjectNutritionen
dc.subjectSeleniumen
dc.subjectSodiumen
dc.subject.lcshGeochemistry -- South Africaen
dc.subject.lcshMineralogical chemistryen
dc.titleGeochemistry of mineral licks at Loskop Dam Nature Reserve, Mpumalanga, South Africaen
dc.typePostprint Articleen

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