The changing state of Acacia xanthophloea groves in Arusha National Park,Tanzania

Groves of Acacia xanthophloea afford aesthetically satisfying habitats for wildlife in East Africa. In the Arusha National Park, the existing groves vary in their states of succession or decline following disturbances. Methods have been designed to assess the regeneration potential of the groves. The regeneration potential, and the cyclic or seral restoration of the vegetation, have been examined. The degree to which regeneration may be considered natural will depend on the composition and structure of the vegetation as a whole, on the health and age of individual plants, and on their relationship to the environment. The case of the existing groves discloses that imbalances have arisen following a history of animals and fire repressing the course of plant succession. Management depends on a comprehension of the changes occurring. Attainment of its purpose necessitates correction of imbalances arising from disturbances of the environment. In the present instance it is concluded that the cyclic and seral status of the groves is substantially influenced by drainage conditions, and that the regeneration potential is sufficiently vigorous to compensate for the animal impact provided that wildfires are excluded. Nevertheless the situation must be watched and timely action taken if the need arises.