Browsing-induced Effects on Leaf Litter Quality and Decomposition in a Southern African Savanna
We investigated the linkages between leaf litter quality and decomposability in a savanna plant community dominated by palatable-spinescent tree species. We measured: (1) leaf litter decomposability across five woody species that differ in leaf chemistry; (2) mass decomposition, nitrogen (N); and carbon (C) dynamics in leaf litter of a staple browse species (Acacia nigrescens) as […]
Oscillations in large mammal populations: are they related to predation or rainfall?
Cyclic population dynamics is relatively common among populations of small mammals in high latitudes but is not yet established among African savanna ungulates. However, oscillations may be expected in large mammal populations subject to quasi-periodic oscillations in regional rainfall. We evaluated evidence for environmentally entrained oscillations in a large-mammal predator–prey system in Kruger National Park […]
Minimizing predation risk in a landscape of multiple predators: effects on the spatial distribution of African ungulates
Studies that focus on single predator–prey interactions can be inadequate for understanding antipredator responses in multi-predator systems. Yet there is still a general lack of information about the strategies of prey to minimize predation risk from multiple predators at the landscape level. Here we examined the distribution of seven African ungulate species in the fenced […]
Sexual segregation by Masai giraffes at two spatial scales
In this paper alternative explanations for observed patterns of sexual segregation by giraffes are examined at two spatial scales: within-habitats and within-landscape. Habitats are defined as recognizable plant associations and the landscape as the collection of all available habitat types. The study was conducted in Mikumi National Park, Tanzania. At the within-landscape level, all sex […]
The Structure of Social Relationships Among Captive Female Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis)
Giraffe herds have been characterized as random associations of individuals, but recent evidence suggests giraffe have a more complex social structure. The authors formulated 3 hypotheses designed to evaluate whether a herd of captive giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) associated randomly or patterned their behavior and proximity in a manner indicative of social relationships. Affiliative interaction, proximity, […]
Changing Wildlife Populations in Nairobi National Park and Adjoining Athi-Kaputiei Plains: Collapse of the Migratory Wildebeest
There is mounting concern about declines in wildlife populations in many protected areas in Africa. Migratory ungulates are especially vulnerable to impacts of changing land use outside protected areas on their abundance. Range compression may compromise the capacity of migrants to cope with climatic variation, and accentuate both competitive interactions and predation. We analyzed the […]
Shifts in native ungulate communities on a former cattle ranch in Tanzania
When an area is brought under protection, current animal populations and their habitat preferences need to be assessed to predict population trends and future habitat availability. Using data from walking transects, we estimated the size of native ungulate populations on an abandoned cattle ranch in a coastal savannah in Tanzania, now included in the new […]
Differences in Fecal Particle Size Between Free-ranging and Captive Individuals of Two Browser Species
Data from captive animals indicated that browsing (BR) ruminants have larger fecal particles—indicative of lesser chewing efficiency—than grazers (GR). To answer whether this reflects fundamental differences between the animal groups, or different reactions of basically similar organisms to diets fed in captivity, we compared mean fecal particle size (MPS) in a GR and a BR […]
Consistency of Captive Giraffe Behavior Under Two Different Management Regimes
Long-term animal behavior studies are sometimes conducted at a single site, leading to questions about whether effects are limited to animals in the same environment. Our ability to make general conclusions about behavior is improved when we can identify behaviors that are consistent across a range of environments. To extend Veasey and colleagues’ ([1996b] Anim […]
Regrowth and palatability of acacia shoots following pruning by African savanna browsers’
Stands of two species of African Acacia were monitored for 1 yr in a natural savanna ecosystem, to compare shoot regrowth and leaf chemistry in lightly browsed and heavily browsed trees. Where ungulates concentrated at a seasonal waterhole, A. nigrescens was more severely browsed than the thornier and finer leafed A. tortilis. Shoot regrowth in […]