Dynamics of Mara-Serengeti ungulates in relation to land use changes

Animal population dynamics can be driven by changing climatic forcing, shifting habitat conditions, trophic interactions and anthropogenic influences. To understand these influences, we analyzed trends in populations of seven ungulate species counted during 15 years (1989–2003) of monthly monitoring...

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Autores principales: Ogutu, Joseph O., Piepho, Hans-Peter, Dublin, H.T., Bhola, N., Reid, Robin S.
Formato: Journal Article
Lenguaje:Inglés
Publicado: Wiley 2009
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/273
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author Ogutu, Joseph O.
Piepho, Hans-Peter
Dublin, H.T.
Bhola, N.
Reid, Robin S.
author_browse Bhola, N.
Dublin, H.T.
Ogutu, Joseph O.
Piepho, Hans-Peter
Reid, Robin S.
author_facet Ogutu, Joseph O.
Piepho, Hans-Peter
Dublin, H.T.
Bhola, N.
Reid, Robin S.
author_sort Ogutu, Joseph O.
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Animal population dynamics can be driven by changing climatic forcing, shifting habitat conditions, trophic interactions and anthropogenic influences. To understand these influences, we analyzed trends in populations of seven ungulate species counted during 15 years (1989–2003) of monthly monitoring using vehicle ground counts in the Maasai Mara National Reserve, Kenya. Abundance of six species declined markedly and persistently throughout the reserve during this period. The declines were contemporaneous with progressive habitat deterioration due to changing land use in pastoral ranches bordering the reserve, habitat desiccation due to rising temperatures, recurrent severe droughts and an exceptional ENSO flood in 1997–1998. The effect of progressive habitat deterioration was accentuated by illicit harvest, competition with livestock and elevated predation. After factoring out the influence of rainfall, ungulate populations declined more markedly in sections of the reserve experiencing greater livestock incursions and poaching. The declines were significantly correlated with increasing number of settlements and people in the pastoral ranches for five species. Heightened predation following a crash in the buffalo Syncerus caffer population during a severe drought in 1993 had little support as the primary cause of the declines.
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spelling CGSpace2732024-11-15T08:52:53Z Dynamics of Mara-Serengeti ungulates in relation to land use changes Ogutu, Joseph O. Piepho, Hans-Peter Dublin, H.T. Bhola, N. Reid, Robin S. animal population land use Animal population dynamics can be driven by changing climatic forcing, shifting habitat conditions, trophic interactions and anthropogenic influences. To understand these influences, we analyzed trends in populations of seven ungulate species counted during 15 years (1989–2003) of monthly monitoring using vehicle ground counts in the Maasai Mara National Reserve, Kenya. Abundance of six species declined markedly and persistently throughout the reserve during this period. The declines were contemporaneous with progressive habitat deterioration due to changing land use in pastoral ranches bordering the reserve, habitat desiccation due to rising temperatures, recurrent severe droughts and an exceptional ENSO flood in 1997–1998. The effect of progressive habitat deterioration was accentuated by illicit harvest, competition with livestock and elevated predation. After factoring out the influence of rainfall, ungulate populations declined more markedly in sections of the reserve experiencing greater livestock incursions and poaching. The declines were significantly correlated with increasing number of settlements and people in the pastoral ranches for five species. Heightened predation following a crash in the buffalo Syncerus caffer population during a severe drought in 1993 had little support as the primary cause of the declines. 2009-05 2009-12-28T12:16:18Z 2009-12-28T12:16:18Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/273 en Limited Access Wiley Ogutu, J.O.; Piepho, H.-P.; Dublin, H.T.; Bhola, N.; Reid, R.S. 2009. Dynamics of Mara-Serengeti ungulates in relation to land use changes. Journal of Zoology. v. 278(1). p. 1-14.
spellingShingle animal population
land use
Ogutu, Joseph O.
Piepho, Hans-Peter
Dublin, H.T.
Bhola, N.
Reid, Robin S.
Dynamics of Mara-Serengeti ungulates in relation to land use changes
title Dynamics of Mara-Serengeti ungulates in relation to land use changes
title_full Dynamics of Mara-Serengeti ungulates in relation to land use changes
title_fullStr Dynamics of Mara-Serengeti ungulates in relation to land use changes
title_full_unstemmed Dynamics of Mara-Serengeti ungulates in relation to land use changes
title_short Dynamics of Mara-Serengeti ungulates in relation to land use changes
title_sort dynamics of mara serengeti ungulates in relation to land use changes
topic animal population
land use
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/273
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