Influence of land use on the abundance of wildlife and livestock in the Kalahari,Botswana |
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Authors: | M Wallgren C Skarpe R Bergström K Danell A Bergström T Jakobsson K Karlsson T Strand |
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Institution: | 1. PhD candidate, Rangeland Ecology, University of Limpopo, Risk and Vulnerability Science Centre, Sovenga, 0727, South Africa;2. Winter School Student, University of Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana;3. Senior Research Scholar, Okavango Research Institute, University of Botswana, Maun, Botswana;4. National Director, Southern African Science Service for Climate Change and Adaptive Land Management (SASSCAL), Botswana National Node, Gaborone, Botswana;1. Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Silwood Park, Ascot SL5 7PY, UK;2. Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent''s Park, London NW1 4RY, UK;3. Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Jalan UMS, 88400 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia |
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Abstract: | Human land use such as pastoralism may be a key determinant of wildlife populations. We studied the influence of land use on wildlife and livestock in south-western Kalahari, Botswana, during the wet and dry seasons. We included two types of livestock areas and two types of wildlife protection areas. Wild and domestic mammals >0.2 kg were sampled by distance technique. Small mammals <0.2 kg were trapped and a vegetation survey was performed. Livestock and some medium-sized wildlife species were most abundant in livestock areas, while large-sized wildlife species were mainly restricted to wildlife areas. Most red-listed species were confined to the national park. The influence of land use on abundances changed moderately between seasons. However, cattle moved into wildlife areas during the wet season. Differences in species richness and diversity were most pronounced during the dry season. The trapping frequency of small mammals was highest in the national park. Differences in vegetation structure included sparser field layer and higher cover of an invasive shrub in livestock areas. Our study shows the importance of protected areas for many wildlife species in the Kalahari. It also shows the value of a multi-species approach for investigating the effects of land use on wildlife communities. |
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