Adjacent pastoral areas support higher densities of wild ungulates during the wet season than the Lake Mburo National Park in Uganda

Rannestad, Ole Tobias; Danielsen, Torbjørn; Moe, Stein R.; Stokke, Sigbjørn

doi:10.1017/s0266467406003610

Cited by 50 publications

(61 citation statements)

References 36 publications

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“…As a result, medium herbivores had higher densities in the ranches in the wet season but higher densities in the reserve in the dry season. This pattern suggests that medium herbivores tend to utilize the ranches when water and short, nutritious grasses, created and maintained by heavy livestock grazing (Rannestad et al 2006), are widely available, enabling them to enhance their total protein consumption (McNaughton 1976). In addition, the short grasses also enhance visibility of predators, thus potentially lowering predation risk in the ranches than the reserve (Hopcraft et al 2005;Ogutu et al 2005).…”

Section: Medium Sized Herbivoresmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Extensive grasslands in the pastoral areas adjacent to the MMNR also provide wet season dispersal ranges for resident wildlife (Stelfox et al 1986). Yet, despite the significance of pastoral areas to wildlife, few studies have evaluated the relative impact of pastoralism versus protection on wildlife population density and demography in African savannas (Caro 1999a;Rannestad et al 2006;Wallgren et al 2009). Even fewer studies have investigated the impacts of pastoralism and protection on long-term comparative changes in density (Caro 1999b;Reid et al 2008).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Comparative changes in density and demography of large herbivores in the Masai Mara Reserve and its surrounding human-dominated pastoral ranches in Kenya

et al. 2012

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Wildlife habitats in pastoral lands adjoining protected areas in east African savannas are getting progressively degraded, fragmented and compressed by expanding human populations and intensification of land use. To understand the consequences of these influences on wildlife populations, we contrasted the density and demography of 13 wild and three domestic large herbivores between the Masai Mara National Reserve and the adjoining pastoral ranches using aerial surveys conducted in the wet and dry seasons during 1977-2010. Species of different body sizes and feeding styles had different densities between landscapes and seasons. Small-sized herbivores, requiring short, nutritious grasses, and browsers were more abundant in the ranches than the reserve in both seasons.Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (Medium-sized herbivores moved seasonally between landscapes. Larger-bodied herbivores, requiring bulk forage but less susceptible to predation, were more abundant in the reserve than the ranches. The proportions of newborn warthog (Phacochoerus africanus) and juvenile topi (Damaliscus korrigum) were higher in the ranches, with shorter grasses and lower predation risk than in the reserve. These results suggest that pastoral lands adjoining protected areas in African savannas are important as seasonal dispersal and breeding grounds for wild herbivores. However, human population growth and dramatic land use changes are progressively degrading wildlife habitats in pastoral areas, thus restricting the seasonal wildlife dispersal movements between the protected areas and adjoining pastoral lands. Conservation efforts should focus on (1) creating and maintaining functional heterogeneity in protected areas that mimic moderate pastoral grazing conditions to attract small and medium-bodied grazers and (2) securing dispersal areas, including corridors, to ensure continued seasonal large herbivore movements between protected and pastoral systems.

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Section: Medium Sized Herbivoresmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparative changes in density and demography of large herbivores in the Masai Mara Reserve and its surrounding human-dominated pastoral ranches in Kenya

et al. 2012

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“…Other common ungulates are eland (Taurotragus oryx), topi (Damascilus korrigum), waterbuck (Kobus ellipsiprymnus), bushbuck (Tragelaphus scriptus), warthog (Phacochoerus africanus) and the African buffalo (Syncerus caffer) (Rannestad et al 2006).…”

Section: Study Sitementioning

confidence: 99%

Mound building termites contribute to savanna vegetation heterogeneity

2009

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With biomass densities comparable to large ungulates and megaherbivores, termites play a key functional role in many tropical savanna ecosystems. This study focuses on vegetated termite mounds (termitaria) constructed by the Termitidae species Macrotermes herus. We studied how resource rich termitaria affect graminoid herbs (Poaceae and Cyperaceae), forbs and woody species composition and diversity. The density of termitaria explained 89% of the variation in dense thickets in the area. Fire tolerant Acacia species dominated the open savanna while fire sensitive species like Grewia spp. and the succulent Euphorbia candelabrum were restricted to termite mounds. Termitaria plots had four times the mean number of woody species and supported three times as many forb species as the adjacent savanna. For woody species, both the Shannon-Wiener index and the Shannon evenness index were higher on temitaria than on the savanna. There were no differences for graminoid herbs, except for the Shannon evenness index which was higher on termitaria. Our results indicate that graminoid herb richness peaks at lower productivity levels than trees and forbs in savanna ecosystems, as also recently found in temperate areas.

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“…Lake Mburo National Park has a biomass density of 86·64 kg ha −2 of wild large herbivores, comprising common species like impala, bushbuck Tragelaphus scriptus , zebra Equus burchelli , waterbuck Kobus ellipsiprymnus defassa, African buffalo Syncerus caffer and warthog Phacochoerus africanus (Rannestad et al . ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 97%

Effects of mammalian herbivores and termites on the performance of native and exotic plantation tree seedlings

Moe

Loe

Jessen

et al. 2015

Journal of Applied Ecology

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Summary Invasion of exotic species is a global challenge and the potential for adverse effects on local biodiversity is particularly high in protected areas. Protected African savanna areas support globally important biodiversity. At the same time, forest plantations are widespread throughout Africa and exotic tree species frequently invade natural areas. To evaluate the potential invasiveness of plant species, it is pertinent to know to what extent, if at all, consumption by native herbivore assemblages differentially affects exotic and indigenous plants. We studied how two globally widespread exotic trees Eucalyptus grandis and Grevillea robusta and two common indigenous trees Milicia excelsa and Maesopsis eminii responded to natural herbivory by large herbivores and termites. We experimentally exposed 720 tree seedlings to: (i) no large herbivores or termites; (ii) termites only; (iii) large herbivores only; and (iv) both large herbivores and termites. When exposed to large herbivores and termites, the total survival was much higher for the exotics with 45% (E. grandis) and 63% (G. robusta) compared to the indigenous species (both 20%). Exposure to large herbivores affected early seedling survival of natives more than the exotics. Apart from the indigenous M. excelsa, survival did not decrease when seedlings were exposed to termites. Large herbivores retarded seedling growth for all species. The exotic E. grandis was the only species capable of growth when exposed to large herbivores. Exposure to termites had only a small, but significant effect resulting in a 7% size difference in all species. Synthesis and applications. Our results highlight how browsing might, for some tree species, adversely affect native seedling survival and growth more than exotic species in protected African savanna. If exotic species are to be used in plantations, managers should consider planting tree species and varieties that are sensitive to ungulate browsing. This will not compromise economic gain because large herbivores are generally less common in plantations. Consequently, local ungulates could function as biological control agents outside plantations and reduce the potential risk of exotic plants proliferating in protected areas.

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Adjacent pastoral areas support higher densities of wild ungulates during the wet season than the Lake Mburo National Park in Uganda

Cited by 50 publications

References 36 publications

Comparative changes in density and demography of large herbivores in the Masai Mara Reserve and its surrounding human-dominated pastoral ranches in Kenya

Comparative changes in density and demography of large herbivores in the Masai Mara Reserve and its surrounding human-dominated pastoral ranches in Kenya

Mound building termites contribute to savanna vegetation heterogeneity

Effects of mammalian herbivores and termites on the performance of native and exotic plantation tree seedlings

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