When wide ranging, herbivorous species such as African elephants (Loxodonta africana) are confined and their population densities increase, the vegetation may be negatively affected. Any changes to vegetation structure and complexity may then result in a series of ecological cascades on other plant and animal species that rely on the vegetation for survival. We assessed the composition and structure of the woody and succulent plants within the locally endemic Albany Thicket Biome at five protected areas (reserves) with elephants in the Eastern Cape province, South Africa in 2006 and 2016. We show that when elephant populations in this region are actively managed, wholesale negative impacts on woody thicket plant physiognomy are not observed. In fact, the only statistically detectable change over time, presumably due to elephants, was the toppling of larger, single-stemmed trees. We believe that because the Albany Thicket Biome evolved in the presence of large, top-down browsers such as elephants, the generally negative effects that have been observed of elephants on vegetation in savanna systems are not evident. However, the reserves with elephants in the Eastern Cape are all relatively small (< 400 km2) and fenced which prevents elephant dispersal. Thus, continued monitoring of elephant browsing effects is crucial for the future conservation of this unique biome.
机构:
Rhodes Univ, Dept Zool & Entomol, Wildlife & Reserve Management Res Grp, POB 94, ZA-6140 Makhanda, South AfricaRhodes Univ, Dept Zool & Entomol, Wildlife & Reserve Management Res Grp, POB 94, ZA-6140 Makhanda, South Africa
Nuttall-Smith, Gareth D.
Parker, Daniel M.
论文数: 0引用数: 0
h-index: 0
机构:
Univ Mpumalanga, Sch Biol & Environm Sci, Private Bag X 11283, Mbombela, South AfricaRhodes Univ, Dept Zool & Entomol, Wildlife & Reserve Management Res Grp, POB 94, ZA-6140 Makhanda, South Africa
机构:
Univ Western Cape, Dept Earth Sci, Cape Town, South Africa
Hebei Univ Engn, Inst Africa Water Resources & Environm, Handan, Peoples R ChinaUniv Western Cape, Dept Earth Sci, Cape Town, South Africa
Xu, Yongxin
Beekman, Hans E.
论文数: 0引用数: 0
h-index: 0
机构:
Water Resources Management Consultant, Houtbay, South AfricaUniv Western Cape, Dept Earth Sci, Cape Town, South Africa