Reflections on the Dynamics of Savanna Landscapes

Abstract

Savanna landscapes are shaped by the interactions of disturbances with land use goals. Elephant hunting in a site in Botswana, and its consequences for wildlife, people, and landscapes, are described and discussed in order to make broader generalizations about the dynamics of savanna landscapes. Change comes from alterations in tree-grass interactions, fire regimes, predator-prey relations, livestock raising, and conservation goals. Some of these implications are specific to African landscapes, but others may be apt in global contexts.