How do different grazing species share grasslands without eating exactly the same plants?

Grazing species share grasslands by partitioning food resources, which minimizes competition and allows for the maximum use of environmental resources. This is achieved through several ecological mechanisms:1

• Dietary Specialization: Different species often favor specific plant types or parts of plants. For example, some species prefer tender grass blades, while others consume coarse grasses, leaves, or fruits.1
• Feeding Height and Location: Grazers often feed at different heights or in distinct micro-habitats, such as forest edges, open plains, or ravines.1
• Grazing Successions: Some species facilitate the feeding of others. For instance, on the Serengeti, wildebeests may graze on grass already cropped by zebras, leaving the vegetation in a state suitable for Thomson’s gazelles.1
• Behavioral Differences: Closely related species may occupy different areas or follow different movement patterns, such as sedentary versus cyclic migratory routes, to avoid direct competition for the same pasturage.1

These strategies ensure that food resources are effectively "parcelled out" among the various herbivores present in an ecosystem.1