Working within constraints: managing African savannas for animal production and biodiversity

J.T. du Toit

Working within constraints: managing African savannas for animal production and biodiversity

In: Pastoral systems in marginal environments

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J.T. du Toit

J.T. du Toit Department of Forest, Range and Wildlife Sciences, Utah State University, UT 84322, USA, E-mail: jtdutoit@zoology.up.ac.za

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Type:: Chapter

Pages:: 81–89

DOI:: https://doi.org/10.3920/9789086865574_008

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The mean density of livestock biomass on African rangelands now greatly exceeds that of indigenous large herbivores, although livestock cannot fully substitute for wildlife with respect to co-evolved ecosystem processes involving herbivory. The dominance of livestock in semi-arid rangelands is largely due to water provision, which uncouples livestock population dynamics from the rainfall-driven trajectories followed by indigenous ungulate species in wildlife areas. Ecological sustainability cannot be achieved with a few exotic species maintained at unprecedented biomass densities in savanna ecosystems, which are evolutionarily adapted for species-rich communities of ungulates of a wise range of sizes. Integrating wildlife and livestock in multi-species animal production systems offers a partial solution. Community-based ecotourism can effectively augment pastoralism in semi-arid rangelands but, as rainfall increases, the opportunity costs become too high. Direct payment approaches show promise for offsetting opportunity costs, although major obstacles remain in the form of political corruption and obstructive practices by national governments.

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Pastoral systems in marginal environments

E-Book ISBN:: 9789086865574

Publisher:: Wageningen Academic

Print Publication Date:: 30 Oct 2005

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- Life Sciences

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Working within constraints: managing African savannas for animal production and biodiversity

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Pastoral systems in marginal environments

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