Assessing different methods for measuring mammal diversity in two southern African arid ecosystems

Abstract

Management and conservation actions are only as effective as our ability to monitor and assess biodiversity trends. We therefore compared the cost efficiency and effectiveness of several standard methods to assess mammal diversity using camera traps, live traps, track plates, mist nets for bats, acoustic bat surveys, spotlight surveys, and block transects recording individual animals, scat, and tracks. We also assessed local knowledge through interviews. We surveyed on two contrasting arid ecosystems in South Africa. Our data indicated that block transects were the most cost-efficient and effective method at ascertaining terrestrial mammal species richness. Depending on the goal of the study and the area, a combination of block transects with camera traps or spotlight surveys is a viable option. However, our study indicated the best combination to detect species across different taxonomic groups was block transects and live traps. Local knowledge interviews can be a good addition to a survey as it assesses mammal diversity for longer time period and not just the survey season and it provides knowledge on species that are difficult to detect.