Abstract:Our study investigated the influence of termitaria on vegetation utilization by elephants in Chewore North, Zimbabwe. Ten termite mounds and ten similar sized control plots were surveyed for soil nutrients, tree species diversity and plant biomass removal by elephants. Termite mounds had higher mean (± SE) concentrations of P, Ca, Mg and Na (0.15 ± 0.01, 48.8 ± 9.32, 5.78 ± 1.59 and 0.47 ± 0.12 meq per 100 g respectively) than control plots (0.05 ± 0.01, 3.33 ± 0.56, 1.53 ± 0.22 and 0.19 ± 0.02 meq per 100 g). However, Shannon Wiener index of tree diversity did not vary significantly between termite mounds (1.13 ± 0.280) and their control plots (0.827 ± 0.469). Contrary to most studies investigating patterns of vegetation utilization by large mammalian herbivores on termitaria, biomass removal was five times more on control plots than termite mounds. No difference in biomass removal was noted for Colophospermum mopane which had enough replicates for statistical analysis both on termite mounds and control plots. Our study negates the hypothesis that nutrient-rich soil patches will act as feeding hotspots for large mammalian herbivores. We concluded that vegetation utilization by elephants may be tree species specific, particularly in nutrient-rich environments.

Abstract:This study tested the hypothesis that the black rhinoceros browses more on termitaria than off termitaria vegetation due to elevated soil and foliar nutrient levels on termitaria. We investigated the role of termitaria in providing nutrient-rich forage for the black rhinoceros, by comparing the preference (selection ratio) for vegetation occurring on and off termitaria, and then testing its relationship with foliar nutrient concentrations. Soil nutrients, bite intensity, tree species diversity, vegetation density, canopy cover and basal area were also surveyed on and off termitaria. We sampled 25 termite mounds together with their corresponding control plots in Chipinge Safari Area, Zimbabwe. Soil and foliar N, P, K, Ca and Na concentrations were greater on termitaria than off termitaria, with approximately twice the concentration of these nutrients. Browse preference followed the between-site differences in soil and foliar nutrient concentrations, with higher selection ratios and bite intensities for vegetation on termitaria than off termitaria. Diospyros quiloensis was the most preferred browse species whilst Combretum imberbe, Kigelia africana and Strychnos innocua were the least. In conclusion, the black rhino preferred vegetation on termitaria to that in the surrounding matrix, and utilization of vegetation can be influenced by the soil substrate on which tree species grow.

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract