Savanna herbivore dynamics in a livestock-dominated landscape. II: Ecological, conservation, and management implications of predator restoration

Conserving African wildlife in human-occupied landscapes requires management intervention that is guided by a mechanistic understanding of how anthropogenic factors influence large-scale ecological processes. In Laikipia District, a dry savanna region in northern Kenya where wildlife share the landscape with humans and livestock, we examined why five of nine wild ungulate species suffered protracted declines on properties receiving the greatest conservation investment. Of 10 alternative causes examined, only an increase in predation, interacting with brief periods of high and low rainfall, was consistent with the timing, synchrony, duration and species composition of observed ungulate declines.The principal factor causing predation to increase was a shift in land use from cattle ranching, under which predators and plains zebras were severely suppressed, to wildlife conservation and ecotourism. This prompted a 5-fold increase in plains zebra abundance, and created a demand for living predators. Plains zebras ultimately comprised more than half the available prey biomass, and supported a substantial predator community, but were not limited by predators. We infer that increasing predation pressure caused predator-susceptible prey species to decline, via mechanisms that included apparent competition.Herbivore dynamics in Laikipia shared features with previously reported responses by prey communities to predator manipulation in Kruger and Serengeti National Parks. All featured one or a few numerically dominant herbivore species, which were primarily limited by rainfall and density, supporting a predator community that in turn limited the abundance of other prey species. In each case, predation had a profound effect, but on only a subset of prey species, reducing the evenness component of prey diversity.The presence of cattle in the landscape may affect predator-prey dynamics in both direct and indirect ways, depending on rainfall. In extreme years (floods or drought), episodic die-offs temporarily subsidize scavenging predators. In low rainfall years, competition between plains zebras and cattle, which negligibly support predators, may indirectly limit predator carrying capacity. Consequently, removal of cattle may favor not only zebras, but also their predators, and further depress predator-susceptible prey species.     

Patch-occupancy models indicate human activity as major determinant of forest elephant Loxodonta cyclotis seasonal distribution in an industrial corridor in Gabon

The importance of human activity and ecological features in influencing African forest elephant ranging behaviour was investigated in the Rabi-Ndogo corridor of the Gamba Complex of Protected Areas in southwest Gabon. Locations in a wide geographical area with a range of environmental variables were selected for patch-occupancy surveys using elephant dung to assess seasonal presence and absence of elephants. Patch-occupancy procedures allowed for covariate modelling evaluating hypotheses for both occupancy in relation to human activity and ecological features, and detection probability in relation to vegetation density. The best fitting models for old and fresh dung data sets indicate that (1) detection probability for elephant dung is negatively related to the relative density of the vegetation, and (2) human activity, such as presence and infrastructure, are more closely associated with elephant distribution patterns than are ecological features, such as the presence of wetlands and preferred fresh fruit. Our findings emphasize the sensitivity of elephants to human disturbance, in this case infrastructure development associated with gas and oil production. Patch-occupancy methodology offers a viable alternative to current transect protocols for monitoring programs with multiple covariates.     

Population decline of tsessebe antelope (Damaliscus lunatus lunatus) on a mixed cattle and wildlife ranch in Zimbabwe

The estimated number of tsessebes on a cattle and wildlife ranch in Zimbabwe decreased during 1995-1999 from 2209 to 435 animals. Existing records of rainfall, cattle management, wildlife numbers, captures, hunting and predation were analysed and, together with a demographic model and limited fieldwork, used to identify the probable cause of this decline. There was no convincing evidence that cheetah predation, excessive legal or illegal offtakes, a food shortage as a direct consequence of the 1994/1995 drought, or interspecific competition with wild herbivores were likely causes. After the 1991/1992 drought, tsessebe number was negatively correlated with cattle biomass, suggesting that cattle and tsessebe have competed for food since then. Two factors probably caused a long-lasting reduction in the dry-season availability of green grass leaf (the preferred food of tsessebe). First, drought and heavy grazing pressure by cattle may have shifted sward composition away from leafy grasses and towards grass species with small, wiry leaves. Secondly, while shrub encroachment has been occurring for decades, the 1991/1992 drought probably encouraged the establishment of another cohort of bushes, which now compete with grasses for soil moisture, reducing the water available for grass growth during the dry season. The competition between tsessebe and cattle was masked by significant cattle destocking during 1992-1995, but became apparent after 1995 when cattle numbers were increased. This competition was exaggerated by a general decline, since 1994, in rainfall during September-October, which further reduced the late dry season supply of green grass.     

Elephant- and human-induced changes to dung beetle (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) assemblages in the Maputaland Centre of Endemism

High African elephant stocking rates in nature reserves in southern Africa have been shown to have significant impacts on vegetation structure and diversity. However, the direct and indirect effects of elephants on fauna, particularly invertebrates, remain poorly known. The Maputaland Centre of Endemism, an area of southern Mozambique and northern KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa, is undergoing rapid rates of habitat conversion. Sand Forest, the rarest vegetation type in the Centre, is threatened by human disturbance outside of protected areas and by elephant browsing pressure in Tembe Elephant Park, one of the few protected areas for Sand Forest. Here we examine the effects of elephant- and human-induced disturbance to Sand Forest on a functionally important component of invertebrate diversity, i.e. the dung beetle fauna. The dung beetle assemblage associated with elephant-disturbed Sand Forest was transitional between undisturbed Sand Forest and Mixed Woodland, whereas that associated with human disturbance was markedly different to either habitat type. Differences are attributed to a change in habitat structure under both disturbance types, as well as to changes in the quality and distribution of dung under human disturbance. Therefore, grazing impacts by elephant not only affect plant diversity, but also implement changes in invertebrate fauna. The maintenance of the integrity of the Sand Forest–Mixed Woodland matrix is considered critical for biodiversity conservation in the Maputaland Centre of Endemism. Management of elephant populations, as well as the protection of sufficient Sand Forest inside conservation areas must, therefore, necessarily form part of the conservation strategy for the Centre.     

Herded cattle and wild grazers partition water but share forage resources during dry years in East African savannas

Wild herbivore diversity and abundance have declined in African savannas for the past 20 years. Competition for forage resources between wild herbivore and livestock species might contribute to this decline, given habitat and diet overlap under conditions of resource limitation. Development of conservation and management strategies rely on understanding the spatial distribution of resources for livestock and wildlife, especially since the combination of transhumance pastoralism and wildlife conservation is common over Africa. We studied the distribution patterns of wild grazers in relation to cattle abundance, and distance to permanent and seasonal water bodies in semi-arid Kenya between 1983 and 2000. Cattle were abundant far from permanent water bodies during dry and wet years. Wild grazers less dependent on water also concentrated far from water during all years. Only wild grazer species more dependent on water remained concentrated close to water. Hence, wild grazers and cattle show spatial partitioning in the use of permanent and seasonal water bodies, but not in their forage resources. Our study provides no strong evidence of spatial displacement of wild grazers by cattle. We suggest that pastoralist decisions on cattle distribution do not need to negatively affect wildlife distribution and that coexistence can be possible through spatial partitioning. Our results show that pastoralist decisions play an important role in the interactions between livestock and wildlife in African savannas and that herd mobility is a key component in supporting sustainable use of resources for both wildlife and livestock.     

Sagebrush conversion projects: An element of contemporary environmental change in the Western United States

Over 40 million ha of the western United States support a vegetative cover of big sagebrush, Artemisia tridentata. The meagre grass understory beneath the woody shrubs offers scant forage for range cattle, the primary economic product of the region. In order to improve grass supplies, both government agencies and private ranchers have undertaken a continuing programme of shrub eradication and grass planting. Various problems arise from this transformation of brushlands into grasslands, including questions of accelerated erosion, herbicide residues, and declining wildlife populations. If planned to produce a heterogeneous plant cover, however, sagebrush conversion projects could improve habitat for both domestic livestock and wildlife, while also maintaining a healthy range ecosystem.     

Identifying resource competition in maize-based soil conservation systems using 13C and 15N isotopic discrimination

Soil conservation measures such as establishing grass barriers or cover crops effectively control erosion but also provoke competition, which reduces yields of companion crops. We used ¹³C and ¹⁵N natural abundance profiles to identify the causes of competition of soil conservation measures on a field with 59% slope in Northwest Vietnam three years after establishment. Treatments were maize under farmer’s practice (T1, control), maize with Guinea grass barriers (T2), maize under minimum tillage (MT) with Pinto peanuts as cover crop (T3), and maize under MT and relay cropped with Adzuki beans (T4). A pretest using data from zero-N plots revealed that abundance of water and limited nitrogen availability induced low grain N concentrations, enriched leaf δ¹³C, and reduced maize grain yield. Similar low N leaf concentrations and elevated δ¹³C values were observed in maize growing close to frequently pruned grass barriers under positive water balance conditions, indicating that yield decline in these rows can be attributed mainly to N competition. Enriched δ¹⁵N values of maize from rows next to barriers indicated reliance on soil N rather than on ¹⁵N-depleted fertiliser N. Vigorous cover crop growth under MT resulted in maize yield decline due to N competition while relay-cropped legumes did not trigger inter-species competition having a similar maize yield, leaf N concentration, δ¹³C, and δ¹⁵N as the control.     

Savanna herbivore dynamics in a livestock-dominated landscape: I. Dependence on land use, rainfall, density, and time

Ecosystem processes in African savannas can be better conserved if management is based on a mechanistic understanding of wildlife dynamics in livestock-dominated landscapes. For Laikipia District, a non-protected savanna region in northern Kenya, we used spatially explicit estimates of density to characterize factors influencing the dynamics of large herbivores on three land-use types: commercial ranches that favor wildlife, communal ‘group ranches’ practicing pastoralism, and the remainder (‘transitional’ properties). For 21-year time series of nine wild and two domestic species, linear model selection was used to ascribe between 45% (Grant’s gazelle) and 95% (plains zebra) of observed variation in biomass density to land use, rainfall-dependence, density-dependence, and trends over time.Strongly opposing patterns of variation across the landscape in wildlife and livestock densities affirmed the primacy of land use among factors influencing wildlife abundance in non-protected areas. Rainfall limited densities of only the dominant grazing species throughout the monitoring period (plains zebra and cattle), and of most other species while their densities were high. Regulating effects of density were detected only for the dominant wild grazing and browsing species (zebra and giraffe). All but two wild species (zebra and Grant’s gazelle) declined on at least one land-use type, for reasons that varied among land uses.Where favored, diverse and abundant wild herbivores (mean of 1.7 t km⁻² on pro-wildlife ranches) can thrive even when sharing the landscape with a slightly higher biomass density of livestock (mean of 2.7 t km⁻²). Where not favored, only a few resilient wild species (e.g. gazelles and plains zebra) persist with high densities of livestock (mean of 4.6 t km⁻² on transitional ranches). Maintaining higher wild species diversity in the landscape will depend on the creation of a network of unfenced conservation areas in which livestock densities are persistently low or zero, which are sufficiently large to act as ‘sources’ of wild species that are prone to displacement by humans and livestock, and which generate benefits to community members that exceed opportunity costs.     

Megaparks for metapopulations: Addressing the causes of locally high elephant numbers in southern Africa

Conservation management options for southern African elephants range from local to regional scales. Here we review these options and argue in favour of actions that will deal with the causes rather than symptoms of elephant numbers that are locally high. Metapopulation theory ensures population persistence, while our approach extends this in order to stabilise elephant numbers regionally. By allowing for the development and maintenance of regional sinks, we may also limit numbers in sources. This application of the metapopulation metaphor is a powerful ecological platform from which to manage elephant numbers and impact through southern Africa. Our approach engages the causes of the apparently high abundance of elephants in parts of southern Africa. It moves away from the practice of dealing only with numbers (symptoms) when managing the impact of elephants on other species. While providing an ecological basis for the development of elephant management options, this needs to be melded with social, political and economic realities through southern Africa. In this regard we are encouraged by the ongoing development of several Transfrontier Conservation programmes and Peace Parks across the region.     

Feeding behaviour of the asiatic elephant in South-East Sri Lanka in relation to conservation

This paper reports on important behavioural aspects of the Asiatic elephant (Elephas maximus) in South-East Sri Lanka (Ceylon), in relation to recommendations for its conservation. The activity cycle of the elephant has been investigated in relation to local or short-range movements which were found to be diurnally rhythmic. The elephant was estimated to spend about 17 to 19 h/day feeding. The feeding cycle is seen to consist of three successive phases, namely (1) rapid movement and low feeding rate, (2) little movement and high feeding rate, and (3) a certain amount of movement and relaxed feeding. During a given feeding cycle an elephant consumes about 150 kg of fresh vegetation and defecates about 80 kg of it per day. The dynamics of grass feeding were worked out for a herd of elephants in the Gal Oya National Park. The outlook for the elephant population in South-East Sri Lanka has been critically analysed with reference to its mode of habitat utilisation. The main constraints introduced into its ecosystem are discussed, namely blocking of migratory routes, burning of grassland, construction of roads, grazing of domestic cattle in its home ranges, felling of trees by villagers, and an over-population of water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis). Measures for conservation are briefly dealt with.     

捡拾牦牛粪对高寒草甸植物功能群特征与生产力的影响

青藏高原高寒草甸广大牧区由于交通不便、能源短缺和生活习俗等原因,牛粪依然是当地牧民的主要生活能源来源,长期、大量地捡拾牛粪改变了粪斑的数量和面积,使养分在天然草地上无法回到草地生态系统进行再循环,因而对草地植物群落结构和生物量产生一定影响,从而增加了生态风险。为探讨捡拾牛粪对草地的生态影响,本文以青海省河南县高寒草甸生态系统为研究对象,通过对适度放牧草地上牦牛粪开展为期3年的不捡拾、一半捡拾和全部捡拾3个处理的试验研究,探讨捡拾牛粪对高寒草甸生态系统植物经济功能群落特征和生产力的影响。结果表明:牛粪不捡拾处理的草地生产力显著低于半捡拾和全捡拾处理,植物多样性显著低于半捡拾处理,禾草类优良牧草生物量显著高于半捡拾和全捡拾处理,莎草类优良牧草生物量显著高于全捡拾处理;牛粪半捡拾处理比不捡拾处理草地植被丰富度显著提高31.9%,植物多样性显著增加,群落生产力显著提高9.7%(42.6 g·m~(-2)),优良牧草和可食牧草生物量变化不显著;牛粪完全捡拾比不捡拾处理也显著增加草地植被的丰富度,增幅为10.7%,植物多样性显著增加,群落生产力显著提高4.1%(17.96 g·m~(-2)),但同时毒杂草显著增多,优良牧草和可食性牧草显著减少,牧草适口性变差。捡拾(半捡和全捡)牛粪会使禾草类和莎草类优质牧草生物量显著减少,莎草类在完全捡拾牛粪区生物量极显著减少70%以上;豆科植物生物量显著增加,在完全捡拾牛粪区生物量极显著增加,可达5倍以上;占总生物量74%~79%的杂类草和毒草的生物量也显著增加,且以半捡拾区增量最多。适度的牛粪捡拾可增加植被的丰富度和多样性,也提高了植被的生物量,并可保证牧草的营养品质和适口性。本项研究结果可以为高寒草甸牧区牛粪的适度捡拾和草地生态系统可持续管理提供科学依据。     

土壤碳氮对多年生能源草、覆盖作物和氮施肥的响应

Cover crop and nitrogen(N) fertilization may maintain soil organic matter under bioenergy perennial grass where removal of aboveground biomass for feedstock to produce cellulosic ethanol can reduce soil quality. We evaluated the effects of cover crops and N fertilization rates on soil organic carbon(C)(SOC), total N(STN), ammonium N(NH_4-N), and nitrate N(NO_3-N) contents at the0–5, 5–15, and 15–30 cm depths under perennial bioenergy grass from 2010 to 2014 in the southeastern USA. Treatments included unbalanced combinations of perennial bioenergy grass, energy cane(Saccharum spontaneum L.) or elephant grass(Pennisetum purpureum Schumach.), cover crop, crimson clover(Trifolium incarnatum L.), and N fertilization rates(0, 100, and 200 kg N ha~(-1)). Cover crop biomass and C and N contents were greater in the treatment of energy cane with cover crop and 100 kg N ha~(-1) than in the treatment of energy cane and elephant grass. The SOC and STN contents at 0–5 and 5–15 cm were 9%–20% greater in the treatments of elephant grass with cover crop and with or without 100 kg N ha~(-1)than in most of the other treatments. The soil NO_3-N content at 0–5 cm was 31%–45% greater in the treatment of energy cane with cover crop and 100 kg N ha~(-1)than in most of the other treatments.The SOC sequestration increased from 0.1 to 1.0 Mg C ha~(-1)year~(-1)and the STN sequestration from 0.03 to 0.11 Mg N ha~(-1)year~(-1)from 2010 to 2014 for various treatments and depths. In contrast, the soil NH_4-N and NO_3-N contents varied among treatments,depths, and years. Soil C and N storages can be enriched and residual NO_3-N content can be reduced by using elephant grass with cover crop and with or without N fertilization at a moderate rate.     

The relationship between dung beetle species richness and ecosystem functioning

Theory suggests that increasing species diversity increases ecosystem functioning, but there have been few attempts to demonstrate this function by manipulating dung beetle assemblages. We experimentally controlled the species richness of dung beetles and the dung type (from grass-fed or grain-fed cattle) in pots; we then compared soil nutrient levels and plant productivity among pots. Diversity of dung beetle species accelerated N and C transfer from the grass-produced dung to the soil, although its effect on plant productivity was unclear. We attributed the effect on nutrient supply to the following possibilities: (1) diversity may promote competition among species, thus stimulating burying activity. (2) Grass-produced dung has been a traditional resource for Japanese dung beetles, which may therefore be better adapted to using it than to using grain-produced dung.     

Fences and artificial water affect African savannah elephant movement patterns

The IUCN Redlist considers the African savannah elephant (Loxodonta africana) to be “vulnerable” despite it numbering in the 100,000s and having a large geographical range. This seeming paradox stems from how quickly human persecution can eliminate elephants across large areas and how quickly elephant numbers can increase when protected. Much elephant research concentrates on the extent and consequences of elephant persecution. Where elephants thrive, two other human interventions, the provision of artificial water and the construction of fences may have large, and perhaps unintended, impacts on elephant behavior. In general, successful management requires that we understand elephant movements and land-use choices across large areas and long periods. Here, we ask specifically how artificial water and fences might affect these movements. To do this, we first characterize how elephants move in different seasons and landscape types, in different years, and how these patterns change over a region that varies considerably in annual rainfall. We fitted 73 elephants with GPS collars across a large rainfall gradient spanning seven southern African countries over a period of 6 years. We analyzed remotely-sensed environmental data from four satellite borne sensors that measure daily rainfall, weekly temperature, bi-monthly greenness, and summarise human infrastructure. Elephants move approximately 6 km/day in dry landscapes, down to approximately 3 km/day in the wettest ones. Strong seasonal differences modulate geographic differences. Elephants move less, cover less area, and are more faithful to landscapes across years in the dry season than the wet. Water availability drives these seasonal patterns. Seasonal differences in the area covered are less pronounced in wet landscapes where permanent water is more dispersed. Within-day movements reveal that elephants are consistently crepuscular but more active at night than midday when temperatures are high. Direction-changes are centered at midnight when elephants are close to water indicating regular nighttime treks to water. By design, our analyses seek to find general patterns of elephant movements — something that one can achieve only across a large range of locations and ecological conditions — in order to understand the impact of human interventions. We show that both interventions reduce seasonal differences in elephant ranging patterns and increase local impacts of elephants on the vegetation. Artificial water sources allow more extensive dry season ranging, allowing elephants to use — and potentially overexploit — vegetation in areas that would have be otherwise inaccessible to them except in the wet season. Fences cause elephants to “bunch-up” against them during the wet season, again locally increasing the pressure elephants put on their resources.     

Assessing translocation outcome: Comparing behavioral and physiological aspects of translocated and resident African elephants (Loxodonta africana)

Evaluating translocation outcomes is important for improving wildlife management and conservation actions. Often, when quick decisions need to be made and long-lived animals with slow reproduction rates are translocated, traditional assessment methods such as long-term survival and reproductive success cannot be used for assessing translocation outcomes. Thus, alternative, seldom used, measures such as comparing the behavior and physiology of translocated animals to those of local residents should be employed to assess the translocated animals’ acclimation to their new home. Here we monitored the survival, physiology, and behavior of translocated African elephants (Loxodonta africana) and compared these measures to the local resident population at the release site. Adult male and female translocated elephants’ death rates were higher than those of the local population. Furthermore, the mortality rate of translocated adult males and calves was greater than expected based on their proportion in the translocated elephant population. No difference was found in stress hormone levels between the two populations, but the body condition of the translocated elephants was significantly poorer than that of the local population throughout the study period. The behavioral time budgets of the translocated elephants converged with those of the local population over time. Finally, translocated elephants utilized habitat that was similar to their source site (hills and permanent rivers) more than did the local population. Based on these findings we recommend careful consideration of timing, release location, and individuals targeted in future elephant translocations. More broadly, we introduce and explore seldom used translocation assessment techniques.     

Elephant seasonal vegetation preferences across dry and wet savannas

As African savanna elephants (Loxodonta africana) become increasingly confined to smaller fragmented landscapes, concern over their potential detrimental impacts on vegetation and biodiversity has increased. Understanding elephant vegetation preferences across relevant spatial and temporal scales is a critical step towards managing protected areas for the persistence of both elephants and biodiversity. To better understand elephant vegetation selection, we fitted 68 elephants with GPS collars across a strong rainfall gradient spanning seven southern African countries over a period of 6 years. We compared elephant locations with remotely-sensed environmental data that measure bi-monthly vegetation greenness across the study area. Elephants consistently seek out greener than expected vegetation throughout the year. Interestingly, they do so by utilizing vegetation with different phenologies and by selecting landscapes when they are greener than their surroundings. We found no differences between dry and wet savannas. These patterns persist even when elephants are constrained by seasonally available water. In the wet season, elephants select seasonally variable landscapes such as open woodlands, shrublands, and grasslands. These landscapes have a lower average annual greenness but become very green for a few months in the wet season. In the dry season, elephants prefer less variable landscapes that are more consistently green year-round such as well-wooded areas and closed woodlands. Because elephants prefer different vegetation types at different times of the year, small homogeneous protected areas may be unsuitable for elephants. Since elephants prefer woody vegetation during the dry season when they are constrained by water, human actions that increase dry season water availability may contribute to detrimental elephant impacts on vegetation and biodiversity.     

The efficacy of small-scale conservation efforts, as assessed on Australian golf courses

Habitat remnants on urban green-space areas (i.e. parks, gardens and golf courses) sometimes provide refuge to urban-avoiding wildlife, leading some to suggest these areas may play a role in wildlife conservation if they are appropriately designed and managed. The high densities observed on some green-space areas may however be attributed to external influences. Localised efforts to enhance the habitat value of urban green-space areas may therefore have little more than a cosmetic effect. This study investigated environmental factors influencing bird, reptile, mammal and amphibian diversity on Australian golf courses to assess the efficacy of small-scale conservation efforts. Abundance and species richness did not simply reflect local habitat qualities but were instead, partly determined by the nature of the surrounding landscape (i.e. the area of adjacent built land, native vegetation and the number of connecting streams). Vertebrate abundance and species richness were however, also associated with on-site habitat characteristics, increasing with the area of native vegetation (all vertebrates), foliage height diversity and native grass cover (birds), tree density, native grass cover and the number of hollows (mammals), woody debris, patch width and canopy cover (reptiles), waterbody heterogeneity and aquatic vegetation complexity (frogs). Localised conservation efforts on small land types can benefit urban-avoiding wildlife. Urban green-space areas can provide refuge to urban-avoiding vertebrates provided combined efforts are made at patch (management), local (design) and landscape (planning) scales.     

Comparison of rural and urban attitudes to the conservation of Asian elephants in Sri Lanka: empirical evidence

There has been little study of economic and general attitudes towards the conservation of the Asian elephant. This paper reports and analyses results from surveys conducted in Sri Lanka of attitudes of urban dwellers and farmers towards nature conservation in general and the elephant conservation in particular. The analyses are based on urban and a rural sample. Contingent valuation techniques are used as survey instruments. Multivariate logit regression analysis is used to analyse the respondents’ attitudes towards conservation of elephants. It is found that, although some variations occurred between the samples, the majority of the respondents (both rural and urban) have positive attitudes towards nature conservation in general. However, marked differences in attitudes toward elephant conservation are evident between these two samples: the majority of urban respondents were in favour of elephant conservation; rural respondents expressed a mixture of positive and negative attitudes. Overall, considerable unrecorded and as yet unutilised economic support for conservation of wild elephants exists in Sri Lanka.     

Cattle affect early post-fire regeneration in a Nothofagus dombeyi-Austrocedrus chilensis mixed forest in northern Patagonia, Argentina

In forest ecosystems where infrequent, severe fires have been an important process in shaping ecosystem structure, understanding the effects of introduced livestock on post-fire recovery of the vegetation is essential for effective forest resource management and preservation. In Nahuel Huapi National Park in northwestern Patagonia, we studied the effects of livestock on the post-fire recovery of a Nothofagus dombeyi-Austrocedrus chilensis forest that was burned in 1999. We experimentally excluded cattle by fencing plots and compared the vegetation characteristics of fenced and unfenced control plots over a 5-year period. Although cattle did not significantly reduce total plant cover or total species richness, they did reduce maximum heights of woody species including the dominant tree species. Chusquea culeou, a tall understory bamboo, can impede establishment and height growth of the dominant tree species. Although C. culeou accounts for the largest percentage of cattle diet, its mean cover and mean maximum height were not strongly affected by cattle. The reduction in the height growth of seedlings of N. dombeyi and Austrocedrus in the unfenced areas implies that presence of cattle in the recently burned areas may contribute to a post-fire transition from tall forest to bamboo-dominated shrubland that is already widespread in this landscape. Thus, these results provide support for the fencing of recently burned Nothofagus and Austrocedrus forests in the national parks for periods long enough to allow the dominant tree species to grow to heights at which they are no longer severely inhibited by cattle browsing.     

Patterns and correlates of human–elephant conflict around a south Indian reserve

Success stories in Indian conservation also carry opportunity costs in the form of human–wildlife conflicts, especially to people living in close proximity with wildlife. In India, human–wildlife conflict is a serious challenge to wildlife conservation, which needs a much-improved scientific and social understanding. In this study, I assess the patterns and correlates of human–elephant conflicts around Nagarahole National Park, southern India. I hypothesised that human and livestock demographic variables, and factors such as cropping patterns, availability of irrigated land around the national park, and protected area frontage to be the underlying correlates of conflict. Using applications and documents filed with the wildlife department by affected farmers during the period 2006–2009, I analysed crops affected, compensation payments made by the Government, spatio-temporal patterns of conflict and identified the key correlates of human–elephant conflict. 98.8% of the conflict incidences occurred in villages that lie within 6 km from the national park boundary. Of the 26 crop types affected by elephants, finger millet, maize, cotton, paddy and sugarcane formed 86.34% of the total crop losses. Conflict frequencies were highest during August–November, a period when there was a decrease in rainfall and important crops such as finger millet, maize and paddy were ripening. Multiple linear regression results suggest that villages with higher protected area frontage and unirrigated land were key variables underlying conflict frequency. However, results from this study suggests that there are other probable factors such as elephant behaviour, movement patterns and/or maintenance of physical barriers which could be more important determinants of conflict.