Kenya Long-term Exclosure Experiment (KLEE) dung count data

Starting in 2006, we have conducted biennial (roughly
March and October) dung surveys along six-4 m x100 m permanent transects within
each of the 18 KLEE plots and three control transects
outside of the KLEE plots. This Excel worksheet features dung count data
for each KLEE plot. Count data is broken down by herbivore species. To avoid
recounting the same dung piles during subsequent surveys, we crush all recorded
dung piles during each session. For animals that defecate in middens (such as
steinbuck and Grant's gazelle), we used the number of dung pellets and
differences in shape and color to estimate the number of separate defecation
events. Dung piles for all major herbivore species could be positively
identified to species in the field, with two exceptions. The dung of cattle and
buffalo could not be distinguished, and we lumped them. The dung of plains and
Grevy's zebras also could not be distinguished from each other; hence we
grouped them as “zebra”. However, plains zebra far outnumber Grevy’s, so
effectively we consider these to be plains zebra dung.

2006年起，我们在18个KLEE样地内的6条4米×100米永久样带以及KLEE样地外的3条对照样带中，每两年开展一次粪便调查（大致于每年3月和10月进行）。本Excel工作表包含各KLEE样地的粪便计数数据，统计维度按草食动物物种划分。为避免在后续调查中重复计数同一粪堆，我们会在每次调查过程中压碎所有已记录的粪堆。对于在固定粪场排便的动物（如山羚和格兰特瞪羚），我们通过粪粒数量以及形状和颜色的差异来估算独立排便事件的次数。除两种例外情况外，所有主要草食动物的粪便均可在野外准确鉴定至物种水平：其一为牛与水牛的粪便无法区分，故将二者合并统计；其二为平原斑马与格雷维斑马的粪便亦无法相互区分，因此将其归为"斑马"类群。不过平原斑马的数量远多于格雷维斑马，因此实际可将此类粪便认定为平原斑马粪便。