Perennial anthropogenic water sources and their interaction with East African browsers and grazers: Ndarakwai Ranch, Tanzania. A case study. (4th August 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lofstedt, John; Brenner, Victoria; Buchanan, Ryan; Crawford, Casey; Crawford, Terri; Colwell, Christian; Donahue, Katherine; Gooch, Heather; Lefebvre, Amy; Lentz, Richard; Middlekauff, Bryon; Reitsma, Leonard
• Is Part Of: Interdisciplinary environmental review. Volume 5:Number 2(2003)
• Page Start: 170
• Page End: 179
• Publication Date: 2014-08-04
• Subjects: perennial watering holes -- anthropogenic water sources -- East Africa -- land mammals -- Tanzania -- elephants -- acacia trees; Environmental sciences -- Periodicals; Environmental management -- Periodicals; Sustainability -- Periodicals; 333.705
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1521-0227

Abstract

The interaction between East African land mammals and their habitats has been well documented over the years. This study looks at how those interactions can be changed by anthropogenic intervention with the creation of a perennial watering hole. At Ndarakwai Ranch in Tanzania, a new watering hole has attracted many species of mammals, most notably elephants. This study examines the impact that elephants are having on the acacia trees and whether the new water source affects the density of land mammals in the area. Acacia damage was measured by quantifying browse damage from elephants using a modified point center quarter method. The damage was assessed on a 1–5 visual scale. The abundance of all mammals was measured by counting scat along 200m transects at varying distances from the watering hole.