Plant available moisture and plant available nutrients in soils influence forage quality and availability and subsequently affect reproductive performance in herbivores. However, the relationship of soil moisture, soil nutrients and woody forage with reproductive performance indicators is not well understood in mega-browsers yet these three are important in selecting suitable areas for conservation of mega-browsers. Here, the eastern black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis michaeli), a mega-browser, was studied in seven geographically distinct populations in Kenya to understand the relationships between its reproductive performance indicators and plant available moisture, plant available nutrients and woody cover. Reproductive parameters showed a complex relationship with plant available moisture and plant available nutrients. We found an increase in the predicted yearly percentage of females calving as plant available nutrients decreased in areas of high levels of plant available moisture but no relationship with plant available nutrients in areas of low plant available moisture. Age at first calving was earlier, inter-calving interval was longer and yearly percentage of females calving was higher at higher woody cover. Woody plant cover contributes positively to black rhino reproduction performance indicators, whereas plant available moisture and plant available nutrients add to the selection of conservation areas, in more subtle ways.

中文翻译：

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黑犀（Diceros bicornis michaeli）繁殖性能指标与植物有效水分、植物有效养分和木质覆盖的关系

土壤中的植物有效水分和植物有效养分会影响草料质量和可用性，进而影响食草动物的繁殖性能。然而，在大型浏览器中，土壤水分、土壤养分和木本牧草与繁殖性能指标的关系尚不清楚，但这三者对于选择适合大型浏览器的保护区域很重要。在这里，在肯尼亚的七个地理上不同的种群中对巨型浏览器东部黑犀牛 (Diceros bicornis michaeli) 进行了研究，以了解其繁殖性能指标与植物可用水分、植物可用养分和木本覆盖率之间的关系。繁殖参数显示出与植物有效水分和植物有效养分之间的复杂关系。我们发现，在植物有效水分含量高的地区，随着植物有效养分的减少，预计的雌性产犊率会增加，但在植物有效水分含量低的地区，与植物有效养分无关。第一次产犊的年龄更早，产犊间隔更长，并且在较高的木质覆盖下，雌性产犊的年百分比更高。木本植物覆盖对黑犀牛繁殖性能指标有积极贡献，而植物可用水分和植物可用养分以更微妙的方式增加了保护区的选择。第一次产犊的年龄更早，产犊间隔更长，并且在较高的木质覆盖下，雌性产犊的年百分比更高。木本植物覆盖对黑犀牛繁殖性能指标有积极贡献，而植物可用水分和植物可用养分以更微妙的方式增加了保护区的选择。第一次产犊的年龄更早，产犊间隔更长，并且在较高的木质覆盖下，雌性产犊的年百分比更高。木本植物覆盖对黑犀牛繁殖性能指标有积极贡献，而植物可用水分和植物可用养分以更微妙的方式增加了保护区的选择。