Forest Resources and Wildlife Management

Permanent URI for this community

http://196.220.97.103:4000/handle/123456789/166
Forest Resources and Wildlife Management

Browse

Browsing Forest Resources and Wildlife Management by Author "MacFadyen, D.N."

Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    Short duration overnight cattle kraaling in natural rangelands: Implications for grass composition, quality, above ground biomass, species diversity and basal cover
    (Elsevier, 2021-02-01) Huruba, R.; Mlambo, T.; Mundy, P.J.; Sebata, A.; MacFadyen, D.N.
    Short duration overnight cattle kraaling in natural rangelands is an innovative management practice aimed at improving grazing availability. We tested the ability of this practice to alter grass composition in favour of palatable species, increase aboveground grass biomass, species diversity and basal cover using a chronosequence consisting of sites kraaled 6, 12, 24 and 36 months prior to the study and compared them to the surrounding vegetation. We also determined grass quality in terms of fibre content, digestibility and nutrient content [nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), calcium (Ca), potassium (K) and magnesium (Mg)] 12, 16 and 20 months after kraal use and in surrounding vegetation. Previously kraaled sites had higher proportions of palatable grass species, diversity, N, P, K and Mg than surrounding vegetation. Aboveground grass biomass and basal cover were lower in previously kraaled sites than surrounding vegetation, while grass fibre, digestibility and Ca content did not change with kraaling. These results demonstrate that establishing short duration overnight cattle kraals in natural rangelands improve grazing quality in terms of abundance of palatable grass species and grass nutrient content. However, improved grass quality attracted grazers such as warthogs (Phacochoerus aethiopicus), which reduced grass biomass and basal cover.
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    The coupling effects of pyrodiversity and land use on termite assemblages in semi-arid savanna
    (Elsevier, 2021-05-18) Ngwenya, B.T.; Ndagurwa, H.G.; Huruba, R.; Mlambo, D.; Mawanza, M.; Muvengwi, J.; MacFadyen, D.N.; Chirima, A
    Despite the importance of termites in the structure and function of savanna ecosystems, long-term studies that examine the effects of several disturbance factors on termite communities are limited constraining our understanding of determinants of termite assemblages in savanna. We determined termite assemblages in six random plots (100 m × 2 m) each established on no fire, low fire, and moderate fire frequency sites in a communal area and a commercial cattle-wildlife ranch in a semi-arid savanna, southwest Zimbabwe. Environmental variables i.e., soil and plant variables were also determined in the termite sampling sites. Relationships of land use, fire, and their interaction to (i) termite assemblage and (ii) soil and plant variables were tested using a general linear model (GLM). Relationships between termite assemblages and soil and plant variables were explored using canonical correspondence analysis (CCA). Nineteen termite species from three sub-families were present, dominated by Macrotermitinae. Termite species richness and abundance were greater by a factor of up to 2.8 in the ranch than in the communal area. Termite abundance and species richness only differed with fire frequency in the ranch, being greater at low fire frequency than at moderate fire frequency or no fire. Although some relationships were observed between the environmental variables and the composition of termite assemblages, the lack of differences in environmental variables between land uses and fire frequencies suggested that other factors may better explain the patterns in termite assemblages in this savanna.