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Mukeka JM, Ogutu JO, Kanga E, Piepho HP, Røskaft E. Long-term trends in elephant mortality and their causes in Kenya. FRONTIERS IN CONSERVATION SCIENCE 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fcosc.2022.975682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
High mortality poses a serious threat to sustainable conservation of the African elephant (Loxodonta africana). Using detected carcass data collected by the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) during 1992-2017, we analyze temporal and spatial variation in elephant mortality in Kenya. We investigate the major mortality causes and means used to kill elephants, carcass category, tusk recovery status, variation in mortality with elephant age and sex classes, differences between inside and outside protected areas (PAs), the Proportion of Illegally Killed Elephants (PIKE) and the overall mortality rate (MR — the number of dead/number of live elephants in a given year). In total 9,182 elephant deaths were recorded during the 26 years. Elephant mortality increased over time and was attributed primarily to natural (33.1%) and human-related causes, particularly ivory poaching (31.5%) and human-elephant conflicts (19.9%). Elephant mortality varied across Kenya’s 47 counties in correspondence with variation in elephant population size and was the highest in the leading elephant range counties of Taita Taveta, Laikipia, Samburu and Meru. Mortality was higher for males and adults and outside the protected areas. Most elephant carcasses had tusks (75.1%) but a few did not (12.5%). Yearly PIKE values peaked in 2012, the year with the highest poaching levels in Kenya during 1992-2017. MR increased throughout 1992-2017. Temporal variation in elephant mortality probability was significantly influenced by human and livestock population densities, average annual maximum temperature and total annual rainfall and the strength of these influences varied across the seven leading elephant range counties of Kenya. Natural processes are increasingly contributing to elephant mortality likely due to climate change and the associated food and water stress, exacerbated by contracting range. Enhancing anti-poaching and strategies for mitigating climate change impacts and human-elephant conflict and reducing range contraction while sustaining habitat connectivity can help reduce mortality and promote elephant conservation. Strengthening enforcement of international wildlife laws can further reduce illegal trade in tusks and killing of elephants.
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Giliba RA, Fust P, Kiffner C, Loos J. Multiple anthropogenic pressures challenge the effectiveness of protected areas in western Tanzania. CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/csp2.12684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Richard A. Giliba
- Institute of Ecology Leuphana University Lüneburg Lüneburg Germany
- School of Life Sciences and Bio‐Engineering The Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology Arusha Tanzania
| | - Pascal Fust
- Institute of Ecology Leuphana University Lüneburg Lüneburg Germany
| | - Christian Kiffner
- Center for Wildlife Management Studies The School for Field Studies Karatu Tanzania
- Junior Research Group Human‐Wildlife Conflict & Coexistence; Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF) Research Area Land use and Governance Müncheberg Germany
| | - Jacqueline Loos
- Institute of Ecology Leuphana University Lüneburg Lüneburg Germany
- Social‐Ecological Systems Institute Leuphana University Lüneburg Lüneburg Germany
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Rastogi S, Chanchani P, Sankaran M, Warrier R. Grasslands half‐full: investigating drivers of spatial heterogeneity in ungulate occurrence in Indian Terai. J Zool (1987) 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- S. Rastogi
- Post‐Graduate Program in Wildlife Biology and Conservation National Centre for Biological Sciences Bangalore Karnataka India
| | - P. Chanchani
- World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) New Delhi India
| | - M. Sankaran
- Ecology and Evolution National Centre for Biological Sciences Bangalore Karnataka India
- School of Biology University of Leeds Leeds UK
| | - R. Warrier
- School of Global Environmental Sustainability Colorado State University Fort Collins Colorado USA
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Omondi GP, Obanda V, VanderWaal K, Deen J, Travis DA. Animal movement in a pastoralist population in the Maasai Mara Ecosystem in Kenya and implications for pathogen spread and control. Prev Vet Med 2021; 188:105259. [PMID: 33453561 DOI: 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2021.105259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2020] [Revised: 12/28/2020] [Accepted: 12/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Livestock movements are important drivers for infectious disease transmission. However, paucity of such data in pastoralist communities in rangeland ecosystems limits our understanding of their dynamics and hampers disease surveillance and control. The aim of this study was to investigate animal movement networks in a pastoralist community in Kenya, and assess network-based strategies for disease control. We used network analysis to characterize five types of between-village animal movement networks. We then evaluated implications of these networks for disease spread and control by quantifying topological changes in the network associated with targeted and random removal of nodes. To construct these networks, data were collected using standardized questionnaires (N = 165 households) from communities living within the Maasai Mara Ecosystem in southwestern Kenya. Our analyses show that the Maasai Mara National Reserve (MMNR), a protected wildlife area, was critical for maintaining village connectivity in the agistment network (dry season grazing), with MMNR-adjacent villages being highly utilized during the dry season. In terms of disease dynamics, the network-based basic reproduction number, R0, was sufficient to allow disease invasion in all the five networks, and removal of villages based on degree or betweenness was not efficient in reducing R0. However, we show that villages with high degree or betweenness may play an important role in maintaining network connectivity, which may not be captured by assessment of R0 alone. Such villages may function as potential "firebreaks." For example, targeted removal of highly connected village nodes was more effective at fragmenting each network than random removal of nodes, indicating that network-based targeting of interventions such as vaccination could potentially disrupt transmission pathways in the ecosystem. In conclusion, this work shows that animal movements have the potential to shape patterns of disease transmission in this ecosystem, with targeted interventions being a practical and efficient measure for disease control.
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Affiliation(s)
- George P Omondi
- Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, United States; Ahadi Veterinary Resource Center, P.O. Box 51002, 00200, Nairobi, Kenya.
| | - Vincent Obanda
- Ahadi Veterinary Resource Center, P.O. Box 51002, 00200, Nairobi, Kenya; Veterinary Services Department, Kenya Wildlife Service, P.O. Box 40241, 00100, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Kimberly VanderWaal
- Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, United States
| | - John Deen
- Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, United States
| | - Dominic A Travis
- Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, United States
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Kiffner C, Kioko J, Baylis J, Beckwith C, Brunner C, Burns C, Chavez‐Molina V, Cotton S, Glazik L, Loftis E, Moran M, O'Neill C, Theisinger O, Kissui B. Long-term persistence of wildlife populations in a pastoral area. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:10000-10016. [PMID: 33005359 PMCID: PMC7520174 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2020] [Revised: 07/18/2020] [Accepted: 07/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Facilitating coexistence between people and wildlife is a major conservation challenge in East Africa. Some conservation models aim to balance the needs of people and wildlife, but the effectiveness of these models is rarely assessed. Using a case-study approach, we assessed the ecological performance of a pastoral area in northern Tanzania (Manyara Ranch) and established a long-term wildlife population monitoring program (carried out intermittently from 2003 to 2008 and regularly from 2011 to 2019) embedded in a distance sampling framework. By comparing density estimates of the road transect-based long-term monitoring to estimates derived from systematically distributed transects, we found that the bias associated with nonrandom placement of transects was nonsignificant. Overall, cattle and sheep and goat reached the greatest densities and several wildlife species occurred at densities similar (zebra, wildebeest, waterbuck, Kirk's dik-dik) or possibly even greater (giraffe, eland, lesser kudu, Grant's gazelle, Thomson's gazelle) than in adjacent national parks in the same ecosystem. Generalized linear mixed models suggested that most wildlife species (8 out of 14) reached greatest densities during the dry season, that wildlife population densities either remained constant or increased over the 17-year period, and that herbivorous livestock species remained constant, while domestic dog population decreased over time. Cross-species correlations did not provide evidence for interference competition between grazing or mixed livestock species and wildlife species but indicate possible negative relationships between domestic dog and warthog populations. Overall, wildlife and livestock populations in Manyara Ranch appear to coexist over the 17-year span. Most likely, this is facilitated by existing connectivity to adjacent protected areas, effective anti-poaching efforts, spatio-temporal grazing restrictions, favorable environmental conditions of the ranch, and spatial heterogeneity of surface water and habitats. This long-term case study illustrates the potential of rangelands to simultaneously support wildlife conservation and human livelihood goals if livestock grazing is restricted in space, time, and numbers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Kiffner
- Center for Wildlife Management StudiesThe School For Field StudiesKaratuTanzania
| | - John Kioko
- Center for Wildlife Management StudiesThe School For Field StudiesKaratuTanzania
| | - Jack Baylis
- Department of Environmental Studies and SciencesSanta Clara UniversitySanta ClaraCAUSA
| | | | - Craig Brunner
- Psychology DepartmentWhitman CollegeWalla WallaWAUSA
| | - Christine Burns
- Department of Environmental ScienceDickinson CollegeCarlislePAUSA
| | | | - Sara Cotton
- Neuroscience and Behavior DepartmentVassar CollegePoughkeepsieNYUSA
| | - Laura Glazik
- Department of Animal ScienceUniversity of Illinois, Urbana‐ChampaignChampaignILUSA
| | - Ellen Loftis
- Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural ResourcesUniversity of VermontBurlingtonVTUSA
| | - Megan Moran
- Biology DepartmentCollege of the Holy CrossWorcesterMAUSA
| | - Caitlin O'Neill
- Department of BiologySt. Mary's College of MarylandSt. Mary's CityMDUSA
| | - Ole Theisinger
- Center for Wildlife Management StudiesThe School For Field StudiesKaratuTanzania
| | - Bernard Kissui
- Center for Wildlife Management StudiesThe School For Field StudiesKaratuTanzania
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Consolee KT, Gao C, Vitekere K, Li C, Yan H, Jiang G. Human-Leopard Conflict: An Emerging Issue of North China Leopard Conservation in Tieqiaoshan Provincial Nature Reserve in Shanxi Province, China. Animals (Basel) 2020; 10:ani10060996. [PMID: 32517372 PMCID: PMC7341223 DOI: 10.3390/ani10060996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2020] [Revised: 05/29/2020] [Accepted: 06/03/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary One of the main conservation issues, both locally and globally, is the issue of human-wildlife conflict. Losses of livestock due to predation by carnivores such as leopards has become a common problem. Residents share negative attitudes toward leopards due to conflicts over the depredation of livestock. Using data obtained from League Cat Forest Department records, and standardized, structured and semi-structured questionnaires, we found that the north China leopard was in serious conflict with the locals, causing them personal economic losses. Residents noted that the species was very dangerous to their livestock, causing them economic loss, and wanted to reduce or even eliminate it from their area. Abstract Livestock depredation by large carnivores is a conventional human–wildlife conflict, both at the local and regional level. Many species of wildlife have become endangered because of this conflict. In this study, an investigation of livestock depredation was conducted for the north China leopard in and around Tieqiaoshan Provincial Nature Reserve in Shanxi Province between 2015 and 2018. Data were obtained from League Cat Forest Department records. Additionally, standardized, structured, and semi-structured questionnaires were used to collect data with the help of reserve field staff. The results show that there was a significant difference (p = 0.015) in livestock depredation in various seasons of the year; the highest depredation was recorded in spring, followed by summer. A significant difference (p = 0.02) was observed between cattle and other livestock species, showing that more cattle were killed by the north China leopard. Most of the livestock depredation occurred during late morning and evening, likely because the leopards are crepuscular. Residents in and around the reserve suffered a high economic loss, ranging between RMB 5000 and 10,000 (USD 706.76–1413.53) per year in terms of the estimated market price of the killed livestock. The attitudes of residents towards the north China leopard vary according to the economic activities of the locals, with about 76% of the livestock keepers reporting that the leopard is “very dangerous” and 8% of the arable farmers in and around the reserve indicating that leopard is “very dangerous.” We recommend that a system with local participants would ensure more effective management of human-north China leopard conflict, as it would allow local communities to take greater responsibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kahindo Tulizo Consolee
- College of Wildlife and Natural Protected Areas, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China; (K.T.C.); (C.G.); (K.V.); (C.L.)
| | - Chunyv Gao
- College of Wildlife and Natural Protected Areas, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China; (K.T.C.); (C.G.); (K.V.); (C.L.)
| | - Kasereka Vitekere
- College of Wildlife and Natural Protected Areas, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China; (K.T.C.); (C.G.); (K.V.); (C.L.)
| | - Chunshi Li
- College of Wildlife and Natural Protected Areas, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China; (K.T.C.); (C.G.); (K.V.); (C.L.)
| | - Hua Yan
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Silviculture, Protection and Utilization, Guangdong Academy of Forestry, Guangzhou 510520, China
- Correspondence: (H.Y.); (G.J.); Tel.: +86-02087031245 (H.Y.); +86-45182190279 (G.J.)
| | - Guangshun Jiang
- College of Wildlife and Natural Protected Areas, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China; (K.T.C.); (C.G.); (K.V.); (C.L.)
- Correspondence: (H.Y.); (G.J.); Tel.: +86-02087031245 (H.Y.); +86-45182190279 (G.J.)
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Mayengo G, Piel AK, Treydte AC. The importance of nutrient hotspots for grazing ungulates in a Miombo ecosystem, Tanzania. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0230192. [PMID: 32226036 PMCID: PMC7105114 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0230192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2019] [Accepted: 02/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
While movement patterns of grazing ungulates are strongly dependent on forage quality their use of nutrient hotspots such as termite mounds or grazing lawns has rarely been quantified, especially in savanna ecosystems where soil-nutrient quality is low. Additionally, few experiments have been conducted to determine the role of termite mound- and grazing lawn-derived soils in improving forage quality in the field. We studied wild ungulate grazing activities around ten termite mounds, six grazing lawns and their respective control sites in a Miombo system of Issa Valley, western Tanzania, in the same system. We used indirect observations (i.e., dung, tracks) to identify seasonal and spatial variations in habitat use of various wild mammalian grazers. Grazer visitation rates were nine and three times higher on termite mounds and grazing lawns, respectively, compared to control sites. During the rainy season, termite mounds were more frequently used than grazing lawns while the latter were used more often during the dry season. In an additional pot experiment with soils derived from different areas, we found that Cynodon dactylon in termite mound-derived soils had twice as high Nitrogen and Phosphorous contents and biomass compared to grasses planted in grazing lawn soils and control site soils. We highlight that both termite mounds and grazing lawns play a significant role in influencing seasonal nutrient dynamics, forage nutrient quality, habitat selectivity, and, hence, grazing activities and movement patterns of wild ungulate grazers in savannas. We conclude that termite mounds and grazing lawns are important for habitat heterogeneity in otherwise nutrient–poor savanna systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriel Mayengo
- Department of Sustainable Agriculture, Biodiversity Conservation and Ecosystems Management, The Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology, Arusha, Tanzania
- Department of Wildlife Management, College of African Wildlife Management, Mweka, Moshi, Tanzania
- * E-mail: ,
| | - Alex K. Piel
- School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Anna C. Treydte
- Department of Sustainable Agriculture, Biodiversity Conservation and Ecosystems Management, The Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology, Arusha, Tanzania
- Agroecology in the Tropics and Subtropics, Hans Ruthenberg Institute, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany
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Mandinyenya B, Monks N, Mundy PJ, Sebata A, Chirima A. Habitat choices of African buffalo (Syncerus caffer) and plains zebra (Equus quagga) in a heterogeneous protected area. WILDLIFE RESEARCH 2020. [DOI: 10.1071/wr18201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
ContextAn understanding of large herbivore habitat choices in heterogeneous African protected areas is important for the better management of these key ecosystems.
AimsTo determine habitat use of African buffalo (Syncerus caffer) and plains zebra (Equus quagga) in a heterogeneous protected area.
MethodsZambezi National Park (ZNP), Zimbabwe, was divided into five vegetation types using an unsupervised classification on a Landsat satellite image that was classified into five land cover classes, using the K-means classification algorithm. African buffalo and plains zebra densities were then determined in each vegetation type using road transect surveys monthly between January 2013 and December 2015. Normalised difference vegetation index (NDVI), grass biomass, grass height and grass quality (nitrogen, calcium, phosphorus and acid detergent fibre content) were determined in each vegetation type during the wet (November to April) and dry (August to October) seasons to establish their quality as habitats for African buffalo and plains zebra.
Key resultsBoth African buffalo and plains zebra mostly foraged in mixed and grassland areas, and avoided Zambezi teak vegetation type. Zambezi teak vegetation type had high NDVI due to the dense tree cover. Both African buffalo and plains zebra preferred vegetation types with intermediate grass biomass (approximately 300gm−2) and grass height (approximately 16cm). Grass nutritive value (in terms of nitrogen, phosphorus and acid detergent fibre) declined from wet to dry season in all vegetation types.
ConclusionsAfrican buffalo and plains zebra in the ZNP confined their habitat use mostly to two vegetation types (mixed and grassland), which together covered 25% of the protected area.
ImplicationsTeak (Baikiaea plurijuga) vegetation, which accounted for about 60% of the ZNP, was avoided by both African buffalo and plains zebra, suggesting that a significant part of the protected area was not used by the two herbivores.
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Meise K, Franks DW, Bro-Jørgensen J. Alarm communication networks as a driver of community structure in African savannah herbivores. Ecol Lett 2019; 23:293-304. [PMID: 31775182 PMCID: PMC6973068 DOI: 10.1111/ele.13432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2019] [Revised: 08/12/2019] [Accepted: 08/29/2019] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Social information networks have the potential to shape the spatial structure of ecological communities by promoting the formation of mixed‐species groups. However, what actually drives social affinity between species in the wild will depend on the characteristics of the species available to group. Here we first present an agent‐based model that predicts trait‐related survival benefits from mixed‐species group formation in a multi‐species community and we then test the model predictions in a community‐wide field study of African savannah herbivores using multi‐layered network analysis. We reveal benefits from information transfer about predators as a key determinant of mixed‐species group formation, and that dilution benefits alone are not enough to explain patterns in interspecific sociality. The findings highlight the limitations of classical ecological approaches focusing only on direct trophic interactions when analysing community structure and suggest that declines in species occupying central social network positions, such as key informants, can have significant repercussions throughout communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristine Meise
- Mammalian Behaviour and Evolution Group, Department of Evolution, Ecology and Behaviour, Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Neston, CH64 7TE, UK.,Department of Biology, University of York, York, YO10 5DD, UK
| | - Daniel W Franks
- Department of Biology, University of York, York, YO10 5DD, UK.,Department of Computer Science, University of York, York, YO10 5GH, UK
| | - Jakob Bro-Jørgensen
- Mammalian Behaviour and Evolution Group, Department of Evolution, Ecology and Behaviour, Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Neston, CH64 7TE, UK
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Green DS, Zipkin EF, Incorvaia DC, Holekamp KE. Long-term ecological changes influence herbivore diversity and abundance inside a protected area in the Mara-Serengeti ecosystem. Glob Ecol Conserv 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2019.e00697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
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Tee SL, Samantha LD, Kamarudin N, Akbar Z, Lechner AM, Ashton‐Butt A, Azhar B. Urban forest fragmentation impoverishes native mammalian biodiversity in the tropics. Ecol Evol 2018; 8:12506-12521. [PMID: 30619561 PMCID: PMC6308867 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2018] [Revised: 09/12/2018] [Accepted: 09/21/2018] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Urban expansion has caused major deforestation and forest fragmentation in the tropics. The impacts of habitat fragmentation on biodiversity are understudied in urban forest patches, especially in the tropics and little is known on the conservation value of the patches for maintaining mammalian biodiversity. In this study, camera trapping was used to determine the species composition and species richness of medium- and large-sized mammals in three urban forest patches and a contiguous forest in Peninsular Malaysia. We identified the key vegetation attributes that predicted mammal species richness and occurrence of herbivores and omnivores in urban forest patches. A total number of 19 mammal species from 120 sampling points were recorded. Contiguous forest had the highest number of species compared to the urban forest patches. Sunda Pangolin and Asian Tapir were the only conservation priority species recorded in the urban forest patches and contiguous forest, respectively. Top predators such as Malayan Tiger and Melanistic Leopard were completely absent from the forest patches as well as the contiguous forest. This was reflected by the abundance of wild boars. We found that mammal species richness increased with the number of trees with DBH less than 5 cm, trees with DBH more than 50 cm, and dead standing trees. In the future, the remaining mammal species in the urban forest patches are expected to be locally extinct as connecting the urban forest patches may be infeasible due to land scarcity. Hence, to maintain the ecological integrity of urban forest patches, we recommend that stakeholders take intervention measures such as reintroduction of selected species and restocking of wild populations in the urban forest patches to regenerate the forest ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sze Ling Tee
- Department of Forest Management, Faculty of ForestryUniversity Putra MalaysiaSerdangMalaysia
| | - Liza D. Samantha
- Department of Forest Management, Faculty of ForestryUniversity Putra MalaysiaSerdangMalaysia
| | - Norizah Kamarudin
- Department of Forest Management, Faculty of ForestryUniversity Putra MalaysiaSerdangMalaysia
| | - Zubaid Akbar
- Faculty of Science and Technology, School of Environmental and Natural Resource SciencesNational University of MalaysiaBangiMalaysia
| | - Alex M. Lechner
- School of Environmental and Geographical SciencesUniversity of Nottingham Malaysia CampusSemenyihMalaysia
| | | | - Badrul Azhar
- Department of Forest Management, Faculty of ForestryUniversity Putra MalaysiaSerdangMalaysia
- Biodiversity Unit, Institute of BioscienceUniversity Putra MalaysiaSerdangMalaysia
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Habitat use by a mixed feeder: impala Aepyceros melampus in a heterogeneous protected area. JOURNAL OF TROPICAL ECOLOGY 2018. [DOI: 10.1017/s026646741800038x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Abstract:Although large herbivore habitat use has been extensively studied, more information is still required on the use of heterogeneous vegetation types. Over 3 y we carried out monthly road transects in the Zambezi National Park (ZNP), Zimbabwe, to determine the impala density in each of five vegetation types. In addition we determined grass and browse chemical composition to test if at the time the impala switches from grass to browse, grass nutritive quality had declined below that of browse. Furthermore, grass height was measured in the five vegetation types. The impala used mixed, acacia and terminalia vegetation types, which constituted 37% of the protected area and avoided grassland and the predominant Zambezi teak (60% of ZNP) vegetation types. At the time of the diet switch by the impala from grass to browse, woody plant leaf nutritive quality was higher than grass in terms of nitrogen, calcium and acid detergent fibre content. The three vegetation types used by the impala had short to medium grass height. We concluded that when the impala switched from grass to browse the grass nutritive quality was lower than that of the browse.
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Klaassen B, Broekhuis F. Living on the edge: Multiscale habitat selection by cheetahs in a human-wildlife landscape. Ecol Evol 2018; 8:7611-7623. [PMID: 30151175 PMCID: PMC6106172 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2018] [Revised: 05/14/2018] [Accepted: 05/17/2018] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Animals select habitats that will ultimately optimize their fitness through access to favorable resources, such as food, mates, and breeding sites. However, access to these resources may be limited by bottom-up effects, such as availability, and top-down effects, such as risk avoidance and competition, including that with humans. Competition between wildlife and people over resources, specifically over space, has played a significant role in the worldwide decrease in large carnivores. The goal of this study was to determine the habitat selection of cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) in a human-wildlife landscape at multiple spatial scales. Cheetahs are a wide-ranging, large carnivore, whose significant decline is largely attributed to habitat loss and fragmentation. It is believed that 77% of the global cheetah population ranges outside protected areas, yet little is known about cheetahs' resource use in areas where they co-occur with people. The selection, or avoidance, of three anthropogenic variables (human footprint density, distance to main roads and wildlife areas) and five environmental variables (open habitat, semiclosed habitat, edge density, patch density and slope), at multiple spatial scales, was determined by analyzing collar data from six cheetahs. Cheetahs selected variables at different scales; anthropogenic variables were selected at broader scales (720-1440 m) than environmental variables (90-180 m), suggesting that anthropogenic pressures affect habitat selection at a home-range level, whilst environmental variables influence site-level habitat selection. Cheetah presence was best explained by human presence, wildlife areas, semiclosed habitat, edge density and slope. Cheetahs showed avoidance for humans and steep slopes and selected for wildlife areas and areas with high proportions of semiclosed habitat and edge density. Understanding a species' resource requirements, and how these might be affected by humans, is crucial for conservation. Using a multiscale approach, we provide new insights into the habitat selection of a large carnivore living in a human-wildlife landscape.
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Affiliation(s)
- Britt Klaassen
- Institute of Environmental Sciences (CML)Leiden UniversityLeidenThe Netherlands
| | - Femke Broekhuis
- Kenya Wildlife TrustNairobiKenya
- Wildlife Conservation Research UnitDepartment of ZoologyRecanati‐Kaplan CentreUniversity of OxfordTubneyUK
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Rangeland Livelihood Strategies under Varying Climate Regimes: Model Insights from Southern Kenya. LAND 2018. [DOI: 10.3390/land7020047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Valls-Fox H, Chamaillé-Jammes S, de Garine-Wichatitsky M, Perrotton A, Courbin N, Miguel E, Guerbois C, Caron A, Loveridge A, Stapelkamp B, Muzamba M, Fritz H. Water and cattle shape habitat selection by wild herbivores at the edge of a protected area. Anim Conserv 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/acv.12403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- H. Valls-Fox
- LTSER France; Zone Atelier “Hwange”; Hwange National Park; CNRS HERD (Hwange Environmental Research Development) program; Dete Zimbabwe
- Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive UMR 5175; CNRS; Université de Montpellier; Université Paul Valéry Montpellier; EPHE; Montpellier Cedex 5 France
- CIRAD; RP-PCP; University of Zimbabwe; Harare Zimbabwe
- CIRAD; UMR SELMET; Montpellier France
| | - S. Chamaillé-Jammes
- LTSER France; Zone Atelier “Hwange”; Hwange National Park; CNRS HERD (Hwange Environmental Research Development) program; Dete Zimbabwe
- Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive UMR 5175; CNRS; Université de Montpellier; Université Paul Valéry Montpellier; EPHE; Montpellier Cedex 5 France
| | - M. de Garine-Wichatitsky
- LTSER France; Zone Atelier “Hwange”; Hwange National Park; CNRS HERD (Hwange Environmental Research Development) program; Dete Zimbabwe
- CIRAD; RP-PCP; University of Zimbabwe; Harare Zimbabwe
- CIRAD; UMR ASTRE; Montpellier France
- ASTRE; Université de Montpellier; CIRAD; INRA; Montpellier France
| | - A. Perrotton
- LTSER France; Zone Atelier “Hwange”; Hwange National Park; CNRS HERD (Hwange Environmental Research Development) program; Dete Zimbabwe
- CIRAD; RP-PCP; University of Zimbabwe; Harare Zimbabwe
- CIRAD; UMR ASTRE; Montpellier France
- ASTRE; Université de Montpellier; CIRAD; INRA; Montpellier France
| | - N. Courbin
- Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive UMR 5175; CNRS; Université de Montpellier; Université Paul Valéry Montpellier; EPHE; Montpellier Cedex 5 France
| | - E. Miguel
- LTSER France; Zone Atelier “Hwange”; Hwange National Park; CNRS HERD (Hwange Environmental Research Development) program; Dete Zimbabwe
- CIRAD; RP-PCP; University of Zimbabwe; Harare Zimbabwe
- MIVEGEC; IRD; CNRS; Univ. Montpellier; Montpellier France
| | - C. Guerbois
- LTSER France; Zone Atelier “Hwange”; Hwange National Park; CNRS HERD (Hwange Environmental Research Development) program; Dete Zimbabwe
- CIRAD; RP-PCP; University of Zimbabwe; Harare Zimbabwe
- Sustainability Research Unit; Nelson Mandela University; George South Africa
| | - A. Caron
- LTSER France; Zone Atelier “Hwange”; Hwange National Park; CNRS HERD (Hwange Environmental Research Development) program; Dete Zimbabwe
- CIRAD; RP-PCP; University of Zimbabwe; Harare Zimbabwe
- CIRAD; UMR ASTRE; Montpellier France
- ASTRE; Université de Montpellier; CIRAD; INRA; Montpellier France
| | - A. Loveridge
- Department of Zoology; University of Oxford; Wild CRU; Recanati-Kaplan centre; Abingdon UK
| | - B. Stapelkamp
- LTSER France; Zone Atelier “Hwange”; Hwange National Park; CNRS HERD (Hwange Environmental Research Development) program; Dete Zimbabwe
- Department of Zoology; University of Oxford; Wild CRU; Recanati-Kaplan centre; Abingdon UK
- The Soft Foot Alliance trust; Dete Zimbabwe
| | - M. Muzamba
- LTSER France; Zone Atelier “Hwange”; Hwange National Park; CNRS HERD (Hwange Environmental Research Development) program; Dete Zimbabwe
- CIRAD; RP-PCP; University of Zimbabwe; Harare Zimbabwe
| | - H. Fritz
- LTSER France; Zone Atelier “Hwange”; Hwange National Park; CNRS HERD (Hwange Environmental Research Development) program; Dete Zimbabwe
- CIRAD; RP-PCP; University of Zimbabwe; Harare Zimbabwe
- LBBE; CNRS; Université de Lyon 1; Villeurbanne France
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17
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Mtui DT, Lepczyk CA, Chen Q, Miura T, Cox LJ. Assessing multi-decadal land-cover - land-use change in two wildlife protected areas in Tanzania using Landsat imagery. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0185468. [PMID: 28957397 PMCID: PMC5619789 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0185468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2016] [Accepted: 09/13/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Landscape change in and around protected areas is of concern worldwide given the potential impacts of such change on biodiversity. Given such impacts, we sought to understand the extent of changes in different land-cover types at two protected areas, Tarangire and Katavi National Parks in Tanzania, over the past 27 years. Using Maximum Likelihood classification procedures we derived eight land-cover classes from Landsat TM and ETM+ images, including: woody savannah, savannah, grassland, open and closed shrubland, swamp and water, and bare land. We determined the extent and direction of changes for all land-cover classes using a post-classification comparison technique. The results show declines in woody savannah and increases in barren land and swamps inside and outside Tarangire National Park and increases in woody savannah and savannah, and declines of shrubland and grassland inside and outside Katavi National Park. The decrease of woody savannah was partially due to its conversion into grassland and barren land, possibly caused by human encroachment by cultivation and livestock. Based upon these changes, we recommend management actions to prevent detrimental effects on wildlife populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Devolent T Mtui
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Management, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, United States of America
| | - Christopher A Lepczyk
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Management, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, United States of America
| | - Qi Chen
- Department of Geography, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, United States of America
| | - Tomoaki Miura
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Management, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, United States of America
| | - Linda J Cox
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Management, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, United States of America
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18
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Bedelian C, Ogutu JO. Trade-offs for climate-resilient pastoral livelihoods in wildlife conservancies in the Mara ecosystem, Kenya. PASTORALISM : RESEARCH, POLICY AND PRACTICE 2017; 7:10. [PMID: 32055390 PMCID: PMC6991982 DOI: 10.1186/s13570-017-0085-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2016] [Accepted: 02/23/2017] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Pastoralists in the wildlife-rich East African rangelands use diversification into conservation and tourism as a strategy to supplement livestock-based livelihoods and to spread risk. Tourism incomes are an important alternative source during drought, when livestock incomes decline. However, tourism may also reduce access to rangeland resources, and an abundant wildlife may destroy crops and injure, kill or transmit disease to livestock or people. This paper investigates the ability of wildlife conservancies in the Mara, Kenya, to act as an alternative for pastoralists that mitigates risks and maintains resilience in a changing climate. It analyses data to examine how conservancies contribute to and integrate with pastoral livelihoods, and to understand how pastoralists are managing their livestock herds in response to conservancies. It finds conservancy payments can provide an important, reliable, all-year-round source of income and prevent households from selling their animals during stress and for cash needs. Conservancies also retain grass banks during the dry season and provide opportunities for pastoralists to access good-quality forage. However, they reduce access to large areas of former grazing land and impose restrictions on livestock mobility. This affects the ability of pastoralists to remain flexible and able to access seasonally variable resources. Conflicts between grazing and conservancies may also heighten during drought times. Furthermore, income from land leases is not more than the contribution of livestock, meaning conservancy land leases create trade-offs for livestock-based livelihoods. Also, income is based on land ownership, which has inequity implications: women and other marginalised groups are left out.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire Bedelian
- International Livestock Research Institute, P.O. Box 30709-00100, Nairobi, Kenya
- Overseas Development Institute, 203 Blackfriars Road, London, SE1 8NJ UK
- Anthropology Department, University College London, 14 Taviton Street, London, WC1H 0BW UK
| | - Joseph O. Ogutu
- International Livestock Research Institute, P.O. Box 30709-00100, Nairobi, Kenya
- Institute of Crop Science-340, University of Hohenheim, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany
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19
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Steger C, Butt B, Hooten MB. Safari Science: assessing the reliability of citizen science data for wildlife surveys. J Appl Ecol 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.12921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Cara Steger
- Natural Resource Ecology Lab; Department of Ecosystem Science and Sustainability; Colorado State University; Fort Collins CO 80523-1499 USA
| | - Bilal Butt
- School for Environment and Sustainability; University of Michigan; Ann Arbor MI 48103 USA
| | - Mevin B. Hooten
- U.S. Geological Survey; Colorado Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit; Departments of Fish, Wildlife & Conservation Biology and Statistics; Colorado State University; Fort Collins CO 80523 USA
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20
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Raynor EJ, Joern A, Skibbe A, Sowers M, Briggs JM, Laws AN, Goodin D. Temporal variability in large grazer space use in an experimental landscape. Ecosphere 2017. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.1674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Edward J. Raynor
- Division of Biology Kansas State University Manhattan Kansas 66506 USA
| | - Anthony Joern
- Division of Biology Kansas State University Manhattan Kansas 66506 USA
| | - Adam Skibbe
- Division of Biology Kansas State University Manhattan Kansas 66506 USA
| | - Mark Sowers
- Division of Biology Kansas State University Manhattan Kansas 66506 USA
| | - John M. Briggs
- Division of Biology Kansas State University Manhattan Kansas 66506 USA
| | - Angela N. Laws
- Division of Biology Kansas State University Manhattan Kansas 66506 USA
| | - Douglas Goodin
- Department of Geography Kansas State University Manhattan Kansas 66506 USA
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21
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Fuhlendorf SD, Fynn RWS, McGranahan DA, Twidwell D. Heterogeneity as the Basis for Rangeland Management. RANGELAND SYSTEMS 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-46709-2_5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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22
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Ogutu JO, Piepho HP, Said MY, Ojwang GO, Njino LW, Kifugo SC, Wargute PW. Extreme Wildlife Declines and Concurrent Increase in Livestock Numbers in Kenya: What Are the Causes? PLoS One 2016; 11:e0163249. [PMID: 27676077 PMCID: PMC5039022 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0163249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 116] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2016] [Accepted: 09/05/2016] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
There is growing evidence of escalating wildlife losses worldwide. Extreme wildlife losses have recently been documented for large parts of Africa, including western, Central and Eastern Africa. Here, we report extreme declines in wildlife and contemporaneous increase in livestock numbers in Kenya rangelands between 1977 and 2016. Our analysis uses systematic aerial monitoring survey data collected in rangelands that collectively cover 88% of Kenya's land surface. Our results show that wildlife numbers declined on average by 68% between 1977 and 2016. The magnitude of decline varied among species but was most extreme (72-88%) and now severely threatens the population viability and persistence of warthog, lesser kudu, Thomson's gazelle, eland, oryx, topi, hartebeest, impala, Grevy's zebra and waterbuck in Kenya's rangelands. The declines were widespread and occurred in most of the 21 rangeland counties. Likewise to wildlife, cattle numbers decreased (25.2%) but numbers of sheep and goats (76.3%), camels (13.1%) and donkeys (6.7%) evidently increased in the same period. As a result, livestock biomass was 8.1 times greater than that of wildlife in 2011-2013 compared to 3.5 times in 1977-1980. Most of Kenya's wildlife (ca. 30%) occurred in Narok County alone. The proportion of the total "national" wildlife population found in each county increased between 1977 and 2016 substantially only in Taita Taveta and Laikipia but marginally in Garissa and Wajir counties, largely reflecting greater wildlife losses elsewhere. The declines raise very grave concerns about the future of wildlife, the effectiveness of wildlife conservation policies, strategies and practices in Kenya. Causes of the wildlife declines include exponential human population growth, increasing livestock numbers, declining rainfall and a striking rise in temperatures but the fundamental cause seems to be policy, institutional and market failures. Accordingly, we thoroughly evaluate wildlife conservation policy in Kenya. We suggest policy, institutional and management interventions likely to succeed in reducing the declines and restoring rangeland health, most notably through strengthening and investing in community and private wildlife conservancies in the rangelands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph O. Ogutu
- University of Hohenheim, Institute for Crop Science-340, 70599, Stuttgart, Germany
- International Livestock Research Institute, P.O. Box 30709–00100, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Hans-Peter Piepho
- University of Hohenheim, Institute for Crop Science-340, 70599, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Mohamed Y. Said
- International Livestock Research Institute, P.O. Box 30709–00100, Nairobi, Kenya
- Kenya Market Trust, 14 Riverside, Cavendish Block 3rd Floor, Suite B, Riverside Drive P.O. Box 44817–00100, Nairobi, Kenya
- Center for Sustainable Drylands Ecosystems and Societies, University of Nairobi, P.O. Box 30197, 00100, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Gordon O. Ojwang
- Directorate of Resource Surveys and Remote Sensing, P.O. Box 47146–00100, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Lucy W. Njino
- Directorate of Resource Surveys and Remote Sensing, P.O. Box 47146–00100, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Shem C. Kifugo
- International Livestock Research Institute, P.O. Box 30709–00100, Nairobi, Kenya
- Northern Rangelands Trust, Private Bag, Isiolo, 60300, Kenya
| | - Patrick W. Wargute
- Directorate of Resource Surveys and Remote Sensing, P.O. Box 47146–00100, Nairobi, Kenya
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Effects of Ethnic Settlements and Land Management Status on Species Distribution Patterns: A Case Study of Endangered Musk Deer (Moschus spp.) in Northwest Yunnan, China. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0155042. [PMID: 27159052 PMCID: PMC4861270 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0155042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2016] [Accepted: 04/22/2016] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding the status and spatial distribution of endangered species in biologically and ethnologically diverse areas is important to address correlates of cultural and biological diversity. We developed models for endangered musk deer (Moschus spp.) abundance indices in and around protected areas inhabited by different ethnic groups in northwest Yunnan China to address different anthropogenic and management-related questions. We found that prediction of relative abundance of musk deer was best accomplished using ethnicity of settlements, conservation status and poaching pressure in an area. Musk deer were around 5 times more abundant in Tibetan regions relative to Lisu regions. We found no significant negative correlates of gathering and transhumance activities on musk deer abundance. Hunting pressure showed no significant differences between protected and non-protected areas, but showed significant differences among ethnic groups. Hunting pressures in areas adjacent to Lisu settlements was 7.1 times more than in areas adjacent to Tibetan settlements. Our findings indicate protected areas in southwest China are not fully effective in deterring human disturbance caused by traditional practices. We suggest that conservation and management strategies should engage traditional culture and practices with a positive conservation impact. Better understanding of indigenous culture may open up new opportunities for species conservation in much wider tracts of unprotected and human-dominated lands. Traditional practices that are not destructive to biodiversity should be allowed as a way of providing a link between the local communities and protected areas thereby creating incentives for conservation.
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Broekhuis F, Gopalaswamy AM. Counting Cats: Spatially Explicit Population Estimates of Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) Using Unstructured Sampling Data. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0153875. [PMID: 27135614 PMCID: PMC4852905 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0153875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2016] [Accepted: 04/05/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Many ecological theories and species conservation programmes rely on accurate estimates of population density. Accurate density estimation, especially for species facing rapid declines, requires the application of rigorous field and analytical methods. However, obtaining accurate density estimates of carnivores can be challenging as carnivores naturally exist at relatively low densities and are often elusive and wide-ranging. In this study, we employ an unstructured spatial sampling field design along with a Bayesian sex-specific spatially explicit capture-recapture (SECR) analysis, to provide the first rigorous population density estimates of cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) in the Maasai Mara, Kenya. We estimate adult cheetah density to be between 1.28 ± 0.315 and 1.34 ± 0.337 individuals/100km2 across four candidate models specified in our analysis. Our spatially explicit approach revealed 'hotspots' of cheetah density, highlighting that cheetah are distributed heterogeneously across the landscape. The SECR models incorporated a movement range parameter which indicated that male cheetah moved four times as much as females, possibly because female movement was restricted by their reproductive status and/or the spatial distribution of prey. We show that SECR can be used for spatially unstructured data to successfully characterise the spatial distribution of a low density species and also estimate population density when sample size is small. Our sampling and modelling framework will help determine spatial and temporal variation in cheetah densities, providing a foundation for their conservation and management. Based on our results we encourage other researchers to adopt a similar approach in estimating densities of individually recognisable species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Femke Broekhuis
- Mara Cheetah Project, Kenya Wildlife Trust, Nairobi, Kenya
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Recanati-Kaplan Centre, Tubney, United Kingdom
| | - Arjun M. Gopalaswamy
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Statistics and Mathematics Unit, Indian Statistical Institute–Bangalore centre, Bengaluru, India
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25
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Schuette P, Creel S, Christianson D. Ungulate distributions in a rangeland with competitors, predators and pastoralists. J Appl Ecol 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.12610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Paul Schuette
- Department of Ecology Montana State University 310 Lewis Hall Bozeman MT 59717 USA
- College of Environmental Science and ForestryState University of New York 1 Forestry Dr Syracuse NY 13210 USA
| | - Scott Creel
- Department of Ecology Montana State University 310 Lewis Hall Bozeman MT 59717 USA
| | - Dave Christianson
- School of Natural Resources and the Environment University of Arizona 325 Biological Sciences East Tucson AZ 85721 USA
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26
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Dublin HT, Ogutu JO. Population regulation of African buffalo in the Mara–Serengeti ecosystem. WILDLIFE RESEARCH 2015. [DOI: 10.1071/wr14205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Context The processes regulating ungulate populations have been the focus of numerous studies. For the African buffalo (Syncerus caffer Sparrman) population inhabiting the Mara–Serengeti ecosystem, rinderpest was the primary regulatory factor up to the mid-1960s. Following reduction of rinderpest and buffalo population increase, interspecific competition for food, notably with cattle and wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus Burchell), was thought to be the primary regulatory factor in the ecosystem. Aims We analysed buffalo population trends and the relationship between buffalo population growth and rainfall and density dependence in the Mara–Serengeti ecosystem and discuss the findings in the context of the key ecosystem processes governing buffalo population dynamics in African savannas, namely, food limitation, competition, predation, disease and land use changes. Methods We analysed buffalo population dynamics in the Mara–Serengeti ecosystem in relation to rainfall and density dependence feedback between 1984 and 2010. Key results Buffalo population growth was both significantly density-dependent and positively correlated with the dry season rainfall after, but not before, a severe drought in 1993. Buffalo numbers crashed by 48.6% in 1984–85 and by 76.1% in 1993–94 during severe droughts when food availability was lowest and competition with the more numerous cattle and wildebeest was highest. Conclusions Recovery of buffalo numbers to pre-drought levels took 8–9 years after the 1984–85 drought but was much slower, with buffaloes numbering merely 36% of their 1993 population (12 895 animals) 18 years after the 1993–94 drought despite intermittent periods of high rainfall, probably due to demographic and/or reproductive factors, heightened competition with livestock, land use changes in the adjoining pastoral ranches, lion predation and recurrent severe droughts. Implications Our findings demonstrate how food limitation caused by droughts associated with the hemispheric El Niño–Southern Oscillation can cause severe declines in and threaten the persistence of large ungulate populations. The findings also portray how density-dependent food limitation, competition, predation, land use changes and other factors can accentuate the effect of droughts and greatly prolong population recovery.
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27
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Harihar A, Pandav B, MacMillan DC. Identifying realistic recovery targets and conservation actions for tigers in a human-dominated landscape using spatially explicit densities of wild prey and their determinants. DIVERS DISTRIB 2014. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.12174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Abishek Harihar
- Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology; School of Anthropology and Conservation; University of Kent; Canterbury CT2 7NZ UK
- Wildlife Institute of India; Dehradun 248001 India
| | | | - Douglas C. MacMillan
- Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology; School of Anthropology and Conservation; University of Kent; Canterbury CT2 7NZ UK
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28
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Competitive displacement alters top-down effects on carbon dioxide concentrations in a freshwater ecosystem. Oecologia 2014; 175:353-61. [DOI: 10.1007/s00442-013-2877-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2013] [Accepted: 12/23/2013] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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29
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Sun LZ, Auerswald K, Wenzel R, Schnyder H. Drinking water intake of grazing steers: the role of environmental factors controlling canopy wetness. J Anim Sci 2013; 92:282-91. [PMID: 24243896 DOI: 10.2527/jas.2013-6987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cattle obtain water primarily from the moisture in their feed and from drinking water. On pasture, the moisture content of the diet is influenced by plant tissue water (internal water) and surface moisture (external water), which may include dew, guttation, and intercepted rain, that influence the drinking water requirement. This study investigated the relationship between daily drinking water intake (DWI, L/d) of steers on pasture (19 steers with mean initial BW of approximately 400 kg) and soil and weather factors that are known to affect plant water status (dry matter content) and surface moisture formation and persistence. Daily records of weather conditions and DWI were obtained during 2 grazing seasons with contrasting spring, summer, and autumn rainfall patterns. Plant available water in the soil (PAW, mm) was modeled from actual and potential evapotranspiration and the water-holding capacity of the soil. The DWI averaged over the herd varied among days from 0 to 29 L/d (grazing season mean 9.8 L/d). The DWI on both dry (<0.2 mm rainfall on the corresponding and previous days) and wet (>2 mm) days increased with increasing temperature (mean, maximum, and minimum), sunshine hours, and global radiation and decreasing relative humidity, and the slopes and coefficients of determination were generally greater for wet days. Wind reduced DWI on wet days but had no effect on dry days. The DWI was reduced by up to 4.4 L/d on wet days compared to dry days, but DWI did not correlate with rainfall amount. Increasing PAW decreased DWI by up to >10 L/d on both dry and wet days. These results are all consistent with environmental effects on the water status (dry matter content) of pasture vegetation and canopy surface moisture, the associated effects on grazing-related water intake, and the corresponding balancing changes of DWI. Using the observed relationships with environmental factors, we derived a new model predicting DWI for any soil moisture condition, for both wet and dry days, which included mean ambient temperature and relative humidity and explained virtually all variation of DWI that was not caused by the random scatter among individual animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Z Sun
- Lehrstuhl für Grünlandlehre, Technische Universität München, Alte Akademie 12, Freising-Weihenstephan 85350, Germany
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30
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Burkepile DE, Burns CE, Tambling CJ, Amendola E, Buis GM, Govender N, Nelson V, Thompson DI, Zinn AD, Smith MD. Habitat selection by large herbivores in a southern African savanna: the relative roles of bottom-up and top-down forces. Ecosphere 2013. [DOI: 10.1890/es13-00078.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
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31
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Gandiwa E. Vegetation factors influencing density and distribution of wild large herbivores in a southern African savannah. Afr J Ecol 2013. [DOI: 10.1111/aje.12114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Edson Gandiwa
- Department of Wildlife and Safari Management; Chinhoyi University of Technology; Private Bag 7724; Chinhoyi; Zimbabwe
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32
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Farrell MJ, Berrang-Ford L, Davies TJ. The study of parasite sharing for surveillance of zoonotic diseases. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS : ERL [WEB SITE] 2013; 8:015036. [PMID: 32288780 PMCID: PMC7106949 DOI: 10.1088/1748-9326/8/1/015036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2013] [Accepted: 03/04/2013] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Determining the factors that influence the transmission of parasites among hosts is important for directing surveillance of animal parasites before they successfully emerge in humans, and increasing the efficacy of programs for the control and management of zoonotic diseases. Here we present a review of recent advances in the study of parasite sharing, wildlife ecology, and epidemiology that could be extended and incorporated into proactive surveillance frameworks for multi-host infectious diseases. These methods reflect emerging interdisciplinary techniques with significant promise for the identification of future zoonotic parasites and unknown reservoirs of current zoonoses, strategies for the reduction of parasite prevalence and transmission among hosts, and decreasing the burden of infectious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxwell J Farrell
- Department of Biology, McGill University, 1205 Docteur Penfield, Montreal, QC, H3A 1B1,
- Department of Geography, McGill University, 805 Sherbrooke Street, West Montreal, QC, H3A 0B9, Canada
| | - Lea Berrang-Ford
- Department of Geography, McGill University, 805 Sherbrooke Street, West Montreal, QC, H3A 0B9, Canada
| | - T Jonathan Davies
- Department of Biology, McGill University, 1205 Docteur Penfield, Montreal, QC, H3A 1B1,
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