Impact of African elephants on Baikiaea plurijuga woodland around natural and artificial watering points in northern Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe

Mukwashi, Kanisios; Gandiwa, Edson; Kativu, Shakkie

doi:10.6088/ijes.00202030022

Cited by 10 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 40 publications

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“…B. plurijuga has been identified as an important species for conservation, being attractive for selective logging due to its large stature [49,50]. The woodlands created by B. plurijuga are also an important habitat for elephants (Loxodonta africana) [51,52], with Bicuar National Park and Mupa National Park being key refugia for this animal in the Huíla plateau region. The second woodland type, dominated by Brachystegia tamarindoides and Ochna pulchra represents a form of small stature woodland with a shrubby understorey and sparse canopy trees, which commonly occurs as a result of repeated disturbance by fire, or poor soil structure [53].…”

Section: Delineation Of Woodland Types Within Bicuar National Parkmentioning

confidence: 99%

Diversity and Structure of an Arid Woodland in Southwest Angola, with Comparison to the Wider Miombo Ecoregion

et al. 2020

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Seasonally dry woodlands are the dominant land cover across southern Africa. They are biodiverse, structurally complex, and important for ecosystem service provision. Species composition and structure vary across the region producing a diverse array of woodland types. The woodlands of the Huíla plateau in southwest Angola represent the extreme southwestern extent of the miombo ecoregion and are markedly drier than other woodlands within this ecoregion. They remain understudied, however, compared to woodlands further east in the miombo ecoregion. We aimed to elucidate further the tree diversity found within southwestern Angolan woodlands by conducting a plot-based study in Bicuar National Park, comparing tree species composition and woodland structure with similar plots in Tanzania, Mozambique, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. We found Bicuar National Park had comparatively low tree species diversity, but contained 27 tree species not found in other plots. Plots in Bicuar had low basal area, excepting plots dominated by Baikiaea plurijuga. In a comparison of plots in intact vegetation with areas previously disturbed by shifting-cultivation agriculture, we found species diversity was marginally higher in disturbed plots. Bicuar National Park remains an important woodland refuge in Angola, with an uncommon mosaic of woodland types within a small area. While we highlight wide variation in species composition and woodland structure across the miombo ecoregion, plot-based studies with more dense sampling across the ecoregion are clearly needed to more broadly understand regional variation in vegetation diversity, composition and structure.

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Section: Delineation Of Woodland Types Within Bicuar National Parkmentioning

confidence: 99%

Diversity and Structure of an Arid Woodland in Southwest Angola, with Comparison to the Wider Miombo Ecoregion

et al. 2020

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“…Rainfall discharge caused the re-suspension of silt molecules in the water. In HNP, the increase in turbidity seems to be related to the increase in mega-fauna activity around the remaining water bodies during the dry season (Chamaille-Jammes et al, 2007;Mukwashi et al, 2012). In addition to fouling with faeces and urine, domestic and wild fauna may also induce bioturbation, which results in organic matter and sediment re-suspension, and reduces water clarity.…”

Section: Discussonmentioning

confidence: 99%

Driving factors of temporary and permanent shallow lakes in and around Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe

Msiteli-Shumba

Kativu

Utete

et al. 2018

WSA

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Small aquatic ecosystems in semi-arid environments are characterised by strong seasonal water level fluctuations. In addition, land use as well as artificial pumping of groundwater to maintain water resources throughout the dry season may affect the functioning of aquatic ecosystems. In this study, we investigated pans situated in and around Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe, where certain waterholes are artificially maintained during the dry season for conservation purposes. We monitored 30 temporary and permanent waterholes for 7 months across the wet and dry seasons in 2013, and analysed them for standard parameters to investigate seasonal variations, assess the effects of land use and pumping on lake functioning, and determine the driving factors of these aquatic systems. Results show an increase in conductivity, hardness, and turbidity when temporary pans dry up and permanent ones are filled with groundwater. Prominent parameters explaining the diversity of aquatic ecosystems are water hardness, conductivity, turbidity, and the presence of vegetation. Seasonality differences in certain parameters suggest the influence of water level fluctuations associated with rainfall, evaporation, and pumping activities. Further, the distinction between turbid pans and those with clear water and vegetation suggests the alternative functioning of pans. Land use had no significant effects, while the effects of pumping are discussed. In times of water scarcity, animals gather around artificially maintained waterholes and foul water with faeces and urine, thus inducing water eutrophication.

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“…In a study on the impact of African elephants on Baikiaea plurijuga woodland around natural and artificial watering points in Northern Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe Mukwashi et al [32] aimed to assess the relationship between elephant induced damage to Baikiaea plurijuga dominated woody vegetation with distance from artificial and natural watering points. The study also aimed to compare and establish structural and compositional changes to B. plurijuga-dominated vegetation in elephant occupancy zones at both artificial and natural watering points.…”

Section: Effects Of Elephant Damage On Abundance and Structure Of Woomentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Elephant damage was characterized by breaking of branches and stems, uprooting, pushing over and scarring (bark striping) of woody species [28]. The damage scoring was determined by the form of damage and intensity [32]. The number of dead elephant induced trees was also recorded [30].…”

Section: Elephant Damagementioning

confidence: 99%

Influence of Soil Drainage and Elephant (Loxodonta africana) Damage on Abundance and Structure of Colophospermum mopane in Central Mana Pools National Park Zimbabwe

Moses¹,

Simbarashe²,

Farai³

2017

Poult Fish Wildl Sci

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A study on the influence of soil drainage and elephant damage on the abundance and structure of Colophospermum mopane was carried out in Central Mana Pools National Park (MPNP) Zimbabwe. Data were collected in AprilMay 2013. The stratified random sampling method was employed. The study area was stratified according to soil drainage. Three strata were established namely; well drained, moderately drained and poorly drained soils. Ten plots were sampled in each strata and a total of 30 plots were sampled to determine the abundance and structure of C. mopane in Central MPNP. Results from One way ANOVA showed significant differences in tree height, basal area, tree canopy volume, shrub canopy volume, sapling density, tree density, number of stems per tree and damaged trees density (P˂0.05). There was no significant difference in the number of dead trees across the three strata (P˃0.05). Moderately drained soil had the highest number of undamaged trees (n=91; 42%), saplings and stems per tree. Well drained soils had the highest number of damaged live trees (n=112; 51%) and poorly drained soils had the highest number of dead trees (n=60; 51%). There were significant differences in damage (P˂0.001). Regression analysis showed a negative relationship between elephant density and damaged trees density (R 2 =0.03; P˃0.05), however, there was a positive relationship between elephant density and dead trees (R 2 =0.3865; P˂0.05). Results from this study suggest that soil properties as well as elephant damage have an influence on the abundance and structure of C. mopane, therefore the need for constant monitoring of this tree species. Influence of Soil

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Impact of African elephants on Baikiaea plurijuga woodland around natural and artificial watering points in northern Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe

Cited by 10 publications

References 40 publications

Diversity and Structure of an Arid Woodland in Southwest Angola, with Comparison to the Wider Miombo Ecoregion

Diversity and Structure of an Arid Woodland in Southwest Angola, with Comparison to the Wider Miombo Ecoregion

Driving factors of temporary and permanent shallow lakes in and around Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe

Influence of Soil Drainage and Elephant (Loxodonta africana) Damage on Abundance and Structure of Colophospermum mopane in Central Mana Pools National Park Zimbabwe

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