ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Distribution Characteristics of Selenium
Nutrition on the Natural Habitat
of Przewalski’s Gazelle
More details
Hide details
1
State Engineering Technology Institute for Karst Desertification Control, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang, China
2
School of Life Science and Engineering, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang, China
3
World Bank Poverty Alleviation Project Office in Guizhou, Southwest China, Guiyang, China
Submission date: 2018-12-18
Final revision date: 2019-02-15
Acceptance date: 2019-02-24
Online publication date: 2019-09-18
Publication date: 2019-10-23
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2020;29(1):67-77
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
Selenium is an essential mineral nutrient for animal growth. Previous studies have shown a serious
imbalance in selenium distribution in the habitat of Przewalski’s gazelle (Procapra przewalskii). In order
to provide new ideas for wildlife conservation, we studied the distribution characteristics of selenium
nutrition in the natural habitat of Przewalski’s gazelle in the Qinghai Lake watershed. The results showed
that the average selenium content of mixed pasture in the Hudong area was the lowest, and was seriously
selenium deficient; the upper reaches of the Buha River showed subclinical selenium deficiency; and
the average selenium content of mixed pasture in Bird Island Reserve was the highest. Among soil
layers, contents of total and water-soluble selenium were highest in surface soil, and selenium content
decreased gradually with soil depth. Among soil types, the total selenium content was highest in boggy
soil and lowest in gray cinnamon soil; the water-soluble selenium content was highest in boggy soil and
lowest in alpine scrub meadow soil. Among grassland types, selenium content was highest in mixed
forage of Achnatherum splendens grassland and lowest in mixed forage of Artemisia frigida grassland.
The selenium content in mixed forage showed obvious seasonality, being highest at the seedling stage
and lowest at the growing stage. Among forage species, Clematis tangutica, Artemisia desertorum and
Achnatherum splendens were the main high-selenium plants, with the selenium content the highest
for Achnatherum splendens. Poa pratensis, Elymus nutans and Thermopsis lanceolata were the main
selenium-deficient plants, and selenium content was lowest in Thermopsis lanceolata.