scholarly journals Habitat utilisation by Cape mountain zebras in the Mountain Zebra National Park, South Africa

Koedoe ◽  
1995 ◽  
Vol 38 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Winkler ◽  
N. Owen-Smith
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Seasonal Variations ◽  
Seasonal Cycle ◽  
National Park ◽  
Annual Rainfall ◽  
Seasonal Patterns ◽  
Wet Season ◽  
Vegetation Community ◽  
Grassland Vegetation ◽  
Vegetation Communities

This study investigated the seasonal patterns of vegetation community use by the Cape mountain zebra within the Mountain Zebra National Park over one seasonal cycle. Day-time censuses revealed that the zebras utilised all the different vegetation commu- nities that were defined in the park, with the exception of the riparian bush community. Year-round the zebras made greatest use of the grassland vegetation communities, together with those shrubland and dwarf shrubland communities that offered high grass biomasses. Selectivity for vegetation communities was greatest during the wet season, when the zebras favoured those grassland communities on the plateaus over other vegetation communities on the mountain slopes and in the ravines. During the dry season the zebras showed a greater diversity in their use of vegetation communities, and made greater use of those vegetation communities on the mountain slopes and in the ravines. The results suggest that the seasonal variations in vegetation community use by the zebras were in response to changes in the annual rainfall pattern.

scholarly journals Vegetation change (1988–2010) in Camdeboo National Park (South Africa), using fixed-point photo monitoring: The role of herbivory and climate

Koedoe ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 55 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mmoto L. Masubelele ◽  
Michael T. Hoffman ◽  
William Bond ◽  
Peter Burdett
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Fixed Point ◽  
National Parks ◽  
Vegetation Cover ◽  
National Park ◽  
Vegetation Change ◽  
Growth Form ◽  
Annual Rainfall ◽  
Management Interventions

Fixed-point photo monitoring supplemented by animal census data and climate monitoring potential has never been explored as a long-term monitoring tool for studying vegetation change in the arid and semi-arid national parks of South Africa. The long-term (1988–2010), fixed-point monitoring dataset developed for the Camdeboo National Park, therefore, provides an important opportunity to do this. Using a quantitative estimate of the change in vegetation and growth form cover in 1152 fixed-point photographs, as well as series of step-point vegetation surveys at each photo monitoring site, this study documented the extent of vegetation change in the park in response to key climate drivers, such as rainfall, as well as land use drivers such as herbivory by indigenous ungulates. We demonstrated the varied response of vegetation cover within three main growth forms (grasses, dwarf shrubs [< 1 m] and tall shrubs [> 1 m]) in three different vegetation units and landforms (slopes, plains, rivers) within the Camdeboo National Park since 1988. Sites within Albany Thicket and Dwarf Shrublands showed the least change in vegetation cover, whilst Azonal vegetation and Grassy Dwarf Shrublands were more dynamic. Abiotic factors such as drought and flooding, total annual rainfall and rainfall seasonality appeared to have the greatest influence on growth form cover as assessed from the fixed-point photographs. Herbivory appeared not to have had a noticeable impact on the vegetation of the Camdeboo National Park as far as could be determined from the rather coarse approach used in this analysis and herbivore densities remained relatively low over the study duration.Conservation implications: We provided an historical assessment of the pattern of vegetation and climatic trends that can help evaluate many of South African National Parks’ biodiversity monitoring programmes, especially relating to habitat change. It will help arid parks in assessing the trajectories of vegetation in response to herbivory, climate and management interventions.

scholarly journals Numerical Assessments of Leaf Area Index in Tropical Savanna Rangelands, South Africa Using Landsat 8 OLI Derived Metrics and In-Situ Measurements

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 829 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy Dube ◽  
Santa Pandit ◽  
Cletah Shoko ◽  
Abel Ramoelo ◽  
Dominic Mazvimavi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Leaf Area Index ◽  
Leaf Area ◽  
National Park ◽  
Dry Season ◽  
Kruger National Park ◽  
Landsat 8 ◽  
Tropical Savanna ◽  
Wet Season ◽  
Area Index

Knowledge on rangeland condition, productivity patterns and possible thresholds of potential concern, as well as the escalation of risks in the face of climate change and variability over savanna grasslands is essential for wildlife/livestock management purposes. The estimation of leaf area index (LAI) in tropical savanna ecosystems is therefore fundamental for the proper planning and management of this natural capital. In this study, we assess the spatio-temporal seasonal LAI dynamics (dry and wet seasons) as a proxy for rangeland condition and productivity in the Kruger National Park (KNP), South Africa. The 30 m Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI) spectral bands, derived vegetation indices and a non-parametric approach (i.e., random forest, RF) were used to assess dry and wet season LAI condition and variability in the KNP. The results showed that RF optimization enhanced the model performance in estimating LAI. Moderately high accuracies were observed for the dry season (R2 of 0.63–0.72 and average RMSE of 0.60 m2/m2) and wet season (0.62–0.63 and 0.79 m2/m2). Derived thematic maps demonstrated that the park had high LAI estimates during the wet season when compared to the dry season. On average, LAI estimates ranged between 3 and 7 m2/m2 during the wet season, whereas for the dry season most parts of the park had LAI estimates ranging between 0.00 and 3.5 m2/m2. The findings indicate that Kruger National Park had high levels of productivity during the wet season monitoring period. Overall, this work shows the unique potential of Landsat 8-derived metrics in assessing LAI as a proxy for tropical savanna rangelands productivity. The result is relevant for wildlife management and habitat assessment and monitoring.

scholarly journals The contribution of fire research to fire management: a critical review of a long-term experiment in the Kruger National Park, South Africa

2007 ◽  
Vol 16 (5) ◽  
pp. 519 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian W. van Wilgen ◽  
Navashni Govender ◽  
Harry C. Biggs
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
National Park ◽  
Fire Management ◽  
Basic Research ◽  
Kruger National Park ◽  
Management Policy ◽  
Wet Season ◽  
Long Term Experiment ◽  
Faunal Communities

The present paper reviews a long-term fire experiment in the Kruger National Park, South Africa, established in 1954 to support fire management. The paper’s goals are: (1) to assess learning, with a focus on relevance for fire management; (2) to examine how findings influenced changes in fire management; and (3) to reflect on the experiment’s future. Results show that fire treatments affected vegetation structure and biomass more than species composition. Effects on vegetation were most marked in extreme treatments (annual burning, burning in the summer wet season, or long periods of fire exclusion), and were greater in areas of higher rainfall. Faunal communities and soil physiology were largely unaffected by fire. Since the inception of the experiment, paradigms in savanna ecology have changed to encompass heterogeneity and variability. The design of the experiment, reflecting the understanding of the 1950s, does not cater for variability, and as a result, the experiment had little direct influence on changes in management policy. Notwithstanding this, managers accept that basic research influences the understanding of fundamental ecosystem function, and they recognise that it promotes appropriate adaptive management by contributing to predictive understanding. This has been a major reason for maintaining the experiment for over 50 years.

scholarly journals Social and Seasonal Factors Contribute to Shifts in Male African Elephant (Loxodonta africana) Foraging and Activity Patterns in Kruger National Park, South Africa

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 3070
Author(s):  
Kara du du Plessis ◽  
Stefanie Birgit Ganswindt ◽  
Henk Bertschinger ◽  
Bruce Crossey ◽  
Michelle Deborah Henley ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
National Park ◽  
Foraging Behaviour ◽  
Activity Patterns ◽  
Loxodonta Africana ◽  
Time Of Day ◽  
Kruger National Park ◽  
Wet Season ◽  
Mixed Effect ◽  
Seasonal Factors

African savannah elephants (Loxodonta africana) are well-known as ecosystem engineers with the ability to modify vegetation structure. The present study aimed to examine how male elephant foraging behaviour is affected across (a) season (wet versus dry); (b) time of day (before or after noon); (c) presence or absence of other elephants; and (d) reproductive state (musth versus no musth). Six radio-collared adult elephant bulls were observed twice per week from June 2007–June 2008 in Kruger National Park (KNP), South Africa. Using generalized linear mixed effect modeling, results indicate that elephant bulls graze more during the wet season and browse more during the dry season. To potentially offset the costs associated with thermoregulation during the heat of the day, KNP elephants spent more time foraging during the morning, and more time resting during the afternoon. Male elephants also foraged significantly less when they were associated with females compared to when they were alone or with other males. This is likely due to male–female associations formed mainly for reproductive purposes, thus impeding on male foraging behaviours. In contrast, the condition of musth, defined by the presence of related physical signs, had no significant effect on foraging behaviour.

scholarly journals Online appendix 1:Vegetation change (1988–2010) in Camdeboo National Park (South Africa), using fixed-point photo monitoring: The role of herbivory and climate

Koedoe ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 55 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mmoto L. Masubelele ◽  
Michael T. Hoffman ◽  
William Bond ◽  
Peter Burdett
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Fixed Point ◽  
National Parks ◽  
Vegetation Cover ◽  
National Park ◽  
Vegetation Change ◽  
Growth Form ◽  
Annual Rainfall ◽  
Management Interventions

Fixed-point photo monitoring supplemented by animal census data and climate monitoring potential has never been explored as a long-term monitoring tool for studying vegetation change in the arid and semi-arid national parks of South Africa. The long-term (1988–2010), fixed-point monitoring dataset developed for the Camdeboo National Park, therefore, provides an important opportunity to do this. Using a quantitative estimate of the change in vegetation and growth form cover in 1152 fixed-point photographs, as well as series of step-point vegetation surveys at each photo monitoring site, this study documented the extent of vegetation change in the park in response to key climate drivers, such as rainfall, as well as land use drivers such as herbivory by indigenous ungulates. We demonstrated the varied response of vegetation cover within three main growth forms (grasses, dwarf shrubs [< 1 m] and tall shrubs [> 1 m]) in three different vegetation units and landforms (slopes, plains, rivers) within the Camdeboo National Park since 1988. Sites within Albany Thicket and Dwarf Shrublands showed the least change in vegetation cover, whilst Azonal vegetation and Grassy Dwarf Shrublands were more dynamic. Abiotic factors such as drought and flooding, total annual rainfall and rainfall seasonality appeared to have the greatest influence on growth form cover as assessed from the fixed-point photographs. Herbivory appeared not to have had a noticeable impact on the vegetation of the Camdeboo National Park as far as could be determined from the rather coarse approach used in this analysis and herbivore densities remained relatively low over the study duration.Conservation implications: We provided an historical assessment of the pattern of vegetation and climatic trends that can help evaluate many of South African National Parks’ biodiversity monitoring programmes, especially relating to habitat change. It will help arid parks in assessing the trajectories of vegetation in response to herbivory, climate and management interventions.

scholarly journals The composition of mixed-species foraging flocks of birds in Kruger National Park, South Africa

Koedoe ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 58 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Guy Hausler ◽  
Kerry Slater
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
National Park ◽  
Kruger National Park ◽  
Wet Season ◽  
Mixed Species ◽  
Habitat Types ◽  
Species Pairs ◽  
Avian Biodiversity ◽  
Terrestrial Habitats ◽  
Number Of Individuals

Mixed-species foraging flocks (MSFFs) of birds can be defined as aggregations of more than two species that actively initiate and continue their association while foraging, without being drawn to a single resource. MSFFs have been well documented for terrestrial habitats globally, but rarely in southern Africa. This study describes the composition of MSFFs in two habitat types (Acacia and Combretum) within the southern Kruger National Park, South Africa during the late dry season. Thirty-one MSFFs were recorded in each of the two habitat types, with 1251 individuals of 74 different species being observed. We found that compared to Combretum, (mean: 10.7 ± 5.2 s.d.) Acacia had significantly more individuals per MSFFs (mean: 21.5 ± 12.6 s.d.) and more species per MSFF (Acacia mean: 8.7 ± 3.5 s.d.; Combretum mean: 5.9 ± 1.7 s.d.). The mean number of individuals per species per 31 MSFFs was 9.3 (± 4.5 s.d.) and 7.6 (± 5.6 s.d.) in the Acacia and Combretum habitat types respectively. The most frequently occurring species in both habitat types was the Fork-tailed Drongo (Dicrurus adsimilis). There was a significant association between certain species pairs in both habitats. Future studies in this area could be done to investigate the reasons behind the differences in MSFF sizes and species numbers between habitats. The season during which this study was performed excluded all summer migrants and a similar investigation in the wet season may reveal a different MSFF composition.Conservation implications: Understanding the dynamics and compositions of MSFFs, could form a valuable component of avian biodiversity monitoring both in and outside of protected areas. Within a given area, changes in the composition and behaviour of MSFFs over time could potentially be used as early indicator of threats to biodiversity.Keywords: avian; habitat; savanna

scholarly journals An update on the distribution of Glossina (tsetse flies) at the wildlife-human-livestock interface of Akagera National Park, Rwanda

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard S. Gashururu ◽  
Samuel M. Githigia ◽  
Methode N. Gasana ◽  
Richard Habimana ◽  
Ndichu Maingi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
National Park ◽  
Control Strategies ◽  
Glossina Pallidipes ◽  
Distribution Patterns ◽  
Tsetse Flies ◽  
Wet Season ◽  
Chi Square ◽  
Large Numbers ◽  
Surrounding Areas ◽  
Biconical Traps

Abstract Background Glossina (tsetse flies) biologically transmit trypanosomes that infect both humans and animals. Knowledge of their distribution patterns is a key element to better understand the transmission dynamics of trypanosomosis. Tsetse distribution in Rwanda has not been well enough documented, and little is known on their current distribution. This study determined the current spatial distribution, abundance, diversity, and seasonal variations of tsetse flies in and around the Akagera National Park. Methods A longitudinal stratified sampling following the seasons was used. Biconical traps were deployed in 55 sites for 6 consecutive days of each study month from May 2018 to June 2019 and emptied every 48 h. Flies were identified using FAO keys, and the number of flies per trap day (FTD) was used to determine the apparent density. Pearson chi-square (χ2) and parametrical tests (t-test and ANOVA) were used to determine the variations between the variables. The significance (p < 0.05) at 95% confidence interval was considered. Logistic regression was used to determine the association between tsetse occurrence and the associated predictors. Results A total of 39,516 tsetse flies were collected, of which 73.4 and 26.6% were from inside Akagera NP and the interface area, respectively. Female flies accounted for 61.3 while 38.7% were males. Two species were identified, i.e. G. pallidipes [n = 29,121, 7.4 flies/trap/day (FTD)] and G. morsitans centralis (n = 10,395; 2.6 FTD). The statistical difference in numbers was significant between the two species (p = 0.000). The flies were more abundant during the wet season (15.8 FTD) than the dry season (4.2 FTD). Large numbers of flies were trapped around the swamp areas (69.1 FTD) inside the park and in Nyagatare District (11.2 FTD) at the interface. Glossina morsitans was 0.218 times less likely to occur outside the park. The chance of co-existing between the two species reduced outside the protected area (0.021 times). Conclusions The occurrence of Glossina seems to be limited to the protected Akagera NP and a narrow band of its surrounding areas. This finding will be crucial to design appropriate control strategies. Glossina pallidipes was found in higher numbers and therefore is conceivably the most important vector of trypanosomosis. Regional coordinated control and regular monitoring of Glossina distribution are recommended. Graphic Abstract

Occupancy of two forest specialist birds in the Southern Mistbelt Forests of KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape, South Africa

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-16
Author(s):  
S. THOBEKA GUMEDE ◽  
DAVID A. EHLERS SMITH ◽  
YVETTE C. EHLERS SMITH ◽  
SAMUKELISIWE P. NGCOBO ◽  
MBALENHLE T. SOSIBO ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Camera Trap ◽  
Habitat Requirements ◽  
Stem Density ◽  
Grass Cover ◽  
Eastern Cape ◽  
Wet Season ◽  
Mature Trees ◽  
Natural Habitats ◽  
Kwazulu Natal

Summary Establishing the specific habitat requirements of forest specialists in fragmented natural habitats is vital for their conservation. We used camera-trap surveys and microhabitat-scale covariates to assess the habitat requirements, probability of occupancy and detection of two terrestrial forest specialist species, the Orange Ground-thrush Geokichla gurneyi and the Lemon Dove Aplopelia larvata during the breeding and non-breeding seasons of 2018–2019 in selected Southern Mistbelt Forests of KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape, South Africa. A series of camera-trap surveys over 21 days were conducted in conjunction with surveys of microhabitat structural covariates. During the wet season, percentage of leaf litter cover, short grass cover, short herb cover, tall herb cover and saplings 0–2 m, stem density of trees 6–10 m and trees 16–20 m were significant structural covariates for influencing Lemon Dove occupancy. In the dry season, stem density of 2–5 m and 10–15 m trees, percentage tall herb cover, short herb cover and 0–2 m saplings were significant covariates influencing Lemon Dove occupancy. Stem density of trees 2–5 m and 11–15 m, percentage of short grass cover and short herb cover were important site covariates influencing Orange Ground-thrush occupancy in the wet season. Our study highlighted the importance of a diverse habitat structure for both forest species. A high density of tall/mature trees was an essential microhabitat covariate, particularly for sufficient cover and food for these ground-dwelling birds. Avian forest specialists play a vital role in providing ecosystem services perpetuating forest habitat functioning. Conservation of the natural heterogeneity of their habitat is integral to management plans to prevent the decline of such species.

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