Rainfall patterns in the Kruger National Park

Gertenbach, W.P.D.

doi:10.4102/koedoe.v23i1.634

Cited by 94 publications

(65 citation statements)

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“…Meester (1963) suggests a distributional correlation with ~ 500 mm annual rainfall. The C. bicolor captures near Satara, which lies between the 500 and 550 mm annual rainfall isohyte (Gertenbach 1980), are consistent with…”

supporting

confidence: 72%

Observations on the post-natal development of the tiny musk shrew,Crocidura bicolor

Watson

1986

South African Journal of Zoology

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supporting

confidence: 72%

Observations on the post-natal development of the tiny musk shrew,Crocidura bicolor

Watson

1986

South African Journal of Zoology

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“…Table 1). It is comparable to BroadSclerophyll Arid Bushveld (Werger & Coetzee 1978) with an annual rainfall of 350-600 mm (Gertenbach 1980). The structure of this community varies according to geology-from tall woodland (on shale) to dwarf shrub (on basalt).…”

Section: Cissus Com Ifolia-colophosperm Um Mopane Vegetation Typementioning

confidence: 59%

A comparison of Mopaneveld vegetation in South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe

2003

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Data from fifteen phytosociological studies were merged and classified to describe and compare the vegetation of geo graphically separated and climatically different Mopanev eld types in South Africa. Namibia and Zimbabw e. Seven v egetation types and ten major plant communities were identified using TW INSPAN. Vegetation types were separated according to geo graphical regions. There were significant floristic affinities even though there w ere geological and climatic differences between the regions. Plant communities were described according to vegetation structure, habitat and floristic composition. Although environmental data were not adequate for a detailed ordination. DECORANA reflected the distribution of vegetation types and major plant communities along environmental gradients. Limitations of large phytosociological syntheses were also addressed. Species richness (alpha diversity) was calculated for each geographical region. The Musina (Messina) region north of the Soutpansberg. South Africa, has the highest species richness, and Kaokoland. Namibia, the lowest Due to irregular annual rainfall patterns in semi-arid Mopaneveld, it is suggested that variance in species richness is associated with temporal vegeta tion states induced by rainfall events. Species richness of Mopaneveld was further compared w ith other sav anna types.

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“…We used the data from these four stations to increase the accuracy of the average rainfall estimates. Analysis of long-term rainfall patterns in the KNP suggests an approximately 20-year oscillation, with 10 years of above-average annual rainfall and 10 years of below-average annual rainfall (Gertenbach 1980). Our study period corresponds to a below-average annual rainfall cycle, which included two years with the lowest recorded rainfall in the last century (Zambatis and Biggs 1995).…”

Section: Hypotheses: Response To Reduced Forage Quantitymentioning

confidence: 95%

Surface-Water Constraints on Herbivore Foraging in the Kruger National Park, South Africa

Redfern

Grant

Biggs

et al. 2003

Ecology

267

249

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Abstract. At a landscape scale, the combined influence of biotic and abiotic factors may determine the distribution patterns of large herbivores in African savanna ecosystems. Herbivores foraging in these ecosystems may become nutritionally stressed during an annual dry season when both forage quality and quantity are reduced. Additionally, the locations of water sources may impose a landscape-scale constraint on dry-season herbivore distributions. We used logistic regression to analyze 13 years of aerial census data collected in the Kruger National Park (KNP), South Africa, and evaluated hypotheses regarding the relative influences that surface water, forage quality, and forage quantity exert on the dryseason, landscape-scale distribution patterns of eight herbivore species. Hypotheses regarding the degree of correlation between species' distributions and distance to water were developed using previous observations of species' relative water dependence. We also developed hypotheses regarding species' responses to the trade-off that may occur between surface-water constraints and nutritional requirements when either forage quality or quantity is reduced. In general, we expect an increase in species' mean distance to water as a result of individuals mitigating limitations in nutritional requirements (i.e., intake quality or quantity) by foraging farther from water. Our analyses suggest that the trade-off between nutritional requirements and surface-water constraints that species face varies according to the species' water dependence, size, and gut morphology. Of the four grazers considered in our analyses, waterbuck distributions appear to be constrained primarily by surfacewater availability. Distributions of buffalo, a large ruminant grazer, suggest that individuals face a trade-off between nutritional requirements and surface-water constraints when forage quantity is reduced. Alternatively, distributions of wildebeest, a smaller ruminant grazer, suggest that individuals face this trade-off when access to high-quality forage is limited. In comparison to buffalo and wildebeest, the strength of this trade-off is moderate for zebra, a nonruminant similar in size to wildebeest, when either forage quality or quantity is reduced. Distribution patterns for browsers are characterized by a weak relationship with distance to water, as expected for these relatively water-independent species. Population densities relative to forage quality confound exploration of this trade-off for mixed feeders.

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Rainfall patterns in the Kruger National Park

Cited by 94 publications

References 0 publications

Observations on the post-natal development of the tiny musk shrew,Crocidura bicolor

Observations on the post-natal development of the tiny musk shrew,Crocidura bicolor

A comparison of Mopaneveld vegetation in South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe

Surface-Water Constraints on Herbivore Foraging in the Kruger National Park, South Africa

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