Abstract
Simple SummaryWildlife ecological patterns are driven not only by environmental and biological contexts, but also by landscape-management schemes that shape those contexts. The present study aims to determine the effect of different environmental factors (including management schemes) on the occurrence patterns of a southern African small mammal community. Based on a landscape where three land-use contexts that differ in their levels of human presence and/or where activities coexist (private ecotourism reserve, mixed farms and traditional communal areas), and by using a body-size-based approach (i.e., using two size-based rodent groups—medium and small—as models), we found that the mean relative abundance of medium-sized species did not differ across the management contexts, but small species’ mean relative abundance was higher in the game reserve. The overall variation in rodent abundance was negatively affected by ungulate presence (possibly linked to a decrease in food availability) and by human presence (increased disturbance). Rodent abundance seems to be influenced by environmental gradients that are directly linked to varying management priorities across land uses, meaning that these communities might not benefit uniformly by the increased amount of habitat promoted by the commercial wildlife industry.South Africa’s decentralized approach to conservation entails that wildlife outside formally protected areas inhabit complex multi-use landscapes, where private wildlife business (ecotourism and/or hunting) co-exist in a human-dominated landscape matrix. Under decentralized conservation, wildlife is perceived to benefit from increased amount of available habitat, however it is crucial to understand how distinct management priorities and associated landscape modifications impact noncharismatic taxa, such as small mammals. We conducted extensive ink-tracking-tunnel surveys to estimate heterogeneity in rodent distribution and investigate the effect of different environmental factors on abundance patterns of two size-based rodent groups (small- and medium-sized species), across three adjacent management contexts in NE KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: a private ecotourism game reserve, mixed farms and traditional communal areas (consisting of small clusters of houses interspersed with grazing areas and seminatural vegetation). Our hypotheses were formulated regarding the (1) area typology, (2) vegetation structure, (3) ungulate pressure and (4) human disturbance. Using a boosted-regression-tree approach, we found considerable differences between rodent groups’ abundance and distribution, and the underlying environmental factors. The mean relative abundance of medium-sized species did not differ across the three management contexts, but small species mean relative abundance was higher in the game reserves, confirming an influence of the area typology on their abundance. Variation in rodent relative abundance was negatively correlated with human disturbance and ungulate presence. Rodent abundance seems to be influenced by environmental gradients that are directly linked to varying management priorities across land uses, meaning that these communities might not benefit uniformly by the increased amount of habitat promoted by the commercial wildlife industry.
Highlights
In South Africa, agricultural intensification, and overgrazing have led to profound land use changes [1]
No significant differences were detected in relative abundances of medium rodents between areas (Figure 3)
Our study contributes to the current view that landscape-management options shape the ecological patterns of species, by modifying the composition and structure of habitats
Summary
In South Africa, agricultural intensification, and overgrazing have led to profound land use changes [1]. Most landscapes were converted into livestock farms and farmlands, either as intensive, extensive, or communally managed areas [2], leading to the destruction, degradation and/or fragmentation of natural ecosystems [3] Such habitat destruction led to declines in wildlife populations and distribution in much of. The establishment of national policies attributing custodial rights over wildlife to landowners, prompted a transition in the governance of natural resources from the state to privates [5] This political option led to widespread conversion of rangelands, i.e., farmlands and livestock farms, into areas dedicated to commercial wildlife industries, such as game ranching and private game/ecotourism reserves [6]. Information on the ecological responses of less-charismatic taxa is needed to better gauge the complementary conservation role of
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