EFFECT OF PRECIPITATION OVER PRODUCTIVITY OF THE TAMAULIPAN THORNSCRUB AVAILABLE FOR Odocoileus virginianus

Abstract

The effect of precipitation on productivity of the tamaulipan thornscrub in an area of Nuevo León, México, was evaluated, with the goal of estimating the biomass related with food for Ododoileus virginianus. Samples were performed in different strata of the vegetation using quadrants distributed randomly during the four seasons of the year in 2012. With the data obtained, the carrying capacity was calculated. Results indicated that the highest biomass production in dry mass available for O. virginianus, estimated at 1.051 ton ha^-1, was recorded for spring, while a decrease close to 50 % was recorded for summer and fall (0.67 and 0.61 ton ha^-1, respectively), and of up to a third (0.37 ton ha^-1) for winter. This was attributed to its relation with precipitation in the study zone, determining that the animal load capacity estimated is of one deer per 2.8 ha^-1 in spring, one deer every 4.4 ha^-1 and 4.8 ha^-1 in summer and fall, respectively, and 8 ha^-1 in winter.