The Origin and Extent of Nutrient-Enriched Patches within a Nutrient-Poor Savanna in South Africa

Blackmore, Andrew; Mentis, M.T.; Scholes, R. J.

doi:10.2307/2845378

Cited by 104 publications

(103 citation statements)

References 4 publications

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“…Wild herbivore biomass is also strongly affected by large-scale variation in geology and soil nutrient availability (Bell, 1982;Fritz and Duncan, 1994). Furthermore, spatial heterogeneity in soil and plant nutrients in African rangelands can strongly influence the distribution of wild herbivores at multiple spatial scales (McNaughton, 1988(McNaughton, , 1990Blackmore et al, 1990;Ben-Shahar and Coe, 1992;Murray, 1995;Muchiru et al, 2008). Natural sources of soil nutrient heterogeneity include termites Fox-Dobbs et al, 2010) and tree canopies (Riginos et al, 2009).…”

Section: Livestock Management and Nutrient Heterogeneitymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Recently abandoned boma sites in East Africa support unique herbaceous plant communities with nutrient enrichment both in soils and grasses (Stelfox, 1986;Augustine, 2003a;Treydte et al, 2006;Muchiru et al, 2009). Studies in South Africa even suggest that plant communities on abandoned sites of human occupation can persist in a nutrient-enriched state for centuries (Blackmore et al, 1990).…”

Section: Livestock Management and Nutrient Heterogeneitymentioning

confidence: 99%

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Pathways for Positive Cattle–Wildlife Interactions in Semiarid Rangelands

Augustine¹,

Veblen²,

Goheen³

et al. 2011

Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology

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ABSTRACT. Livestock-wildlife interactions in rangelands are often viewed in terms of competition, but livestock and native ungulates can also benefit each other through longterm modifications of rangeland habitats. Here we synthesize research on rangelands in central Laikipia focusing on two types of cattle-wildlife interactions that have implications for their long-term coexistence. The first interaction occurs via redistribution of soil nutrients within the ecosystem, which is a consequence of the use of bomas (temporary corrals) to manage livestock. Our studies on two different soil types show that rotational boma management creates hectare-scale patches in the landscape that are enriched in soil and plant nutrients and persist for decades to centuries. In both of the predominant soil types in Laikipia, forage phosphorus content is low relative to ungulate demands during peak lactation. Nutrient-rich boma sites (hereafter referred to as glades) provide a key wet-season forage resource of nutritional sufficiency for lactation. Our studies further show that a wide range of native ungulates selectively use glades relative to surrounding nutrient-poor habitats. Impala (Aepyceros melampus) in particular show intensive use of glades on sandy soils and are rare in portions of the landscape lacking glades. A second important pathway for cattle-wildlife interaction occurs through the influence of native browsing ungulates on woody vegetation. Shrub and tree cover has been increasing in Laikipia over the past century, followed by increases in native browsers in recent decades on ranches where wildlife are allowed to coexist with cattle. Our exclosure experiments in central Laikipia indicate that native browsers suppress shrub encroachment on both dominant soil types. However, the strength of browser effects are three to seven times greater on sandy soils, where two browsers, dik-dik and elephants, are both abundant, compared to heavy clay soils, where elephants are the only dominant browser. In the clay soils, native browsers still exert a significant influence on dynamics of the dominant tree, Acacia drepanolobium, and suppress encroachment by subdominant shrub species. Browser effects on woody vegetation likely enhance forage production for cattle and maintain open habitats favored by native grazers for predator avoidance. Taken together, our studies indicate that boma rotation and browser control of shrub encroachment are key interaction pathways that promote cattle-wildlife coexistence in the Ewaso ecosystem.

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Section: Livestock Management and Nutrient Heterogeneitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Livestock Management and Nutrient Heterogeneitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Pathways for Positive Cattle–Wildlife Interactions in Semiarid Rangelands

Augustine¹,

Veblen²,

Goheen³

et al. 2011

Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Glades in the Ewaso ecosystem persist for at least four decades and could potentially persist for centuries, as reported for nutrient-enriched patches in a southern African savanna (Blackmore et al, 1990). During 1961-2000 at MRC, bomas in the red sands habitat were abandoned at a mean rate of 1.15 per year, while long-term glades (i.e., those present in 1961) were invaded by Pennisetum at a rate of only 0.08 per year (Augustine, 2003a).…”

Section: Long-term Glade Persistencementioning

confidence: 59%

“…Wild herbivore biomass is also strongly affected by large-scale variation in geology and soil nutrient availability (Bell, 1982;Fritz and Duncan, 1994). Furthermore, spatial heterogeneity in soil and plant nutrients in African rangelands can strongly influence the distribution of wild herbivores at multiple spatial scales (McNaughton, 1988(McNaughton, , 1990Blackmore et al, 1990;Ben-Shahar and Coe, 1992;Murray, 1995;. Natural sources of soil nutrient heterogeneity include termites Fox-Dobbs et al, 2010) and tree canopies ).…”

Section: Livestock Management and Nutrient Heterogeneitymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Recently abandoned boma sites in East Africa support unique herbaceous plant communities with nutrient enrichment both in soils and grasses Augustine, 2003a;Treydte et al, 2006;. Studies in South Africa even suggest that plant communities on abandoned sites of human occupation can persist in a nutrient-enriched state for centuries (Blackmore et al, 1990).…”

Section: Livestock Management and Nutrient Heterogeneitymentioning

confidence: 99%

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