Habitat Use of Mountain Nyala (Tragelaphus Buxtoni)
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International Journal of Biodiversity and Conservation Vol. 4(15), pp. 642-651, December, 2012 Available online http://www.academicjournals.org/IJBC DOI: 10.5897/IJBC12.059 ISSN 2141-243X ©2012 Academic Journals Full Length Research Paper Habitat use of mountain nyala (Tragelaphus buxtoni, Lyddeker, 1911) in the Bale Mountains National Park, Ethiopia Yosef Mamo1*, Afework Bekele2 and Girma Mengesha1 1Department of Wildlife and Ecotourism, Hawassa University, P. O. Box 5, Hawassa, Ethiopia. 2Department of Biology, Addis Ababa University, P. O. Box 1176, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Accepted 5 September, 2012 A study on habitat use of the mountain nyala (Tragelaphus buxtoni), an endemic ungulate known to science in 1908, was conducted from May to June 2007 in the Bale Mountains National Park (BMNP). The study area was divided into three major habitat group based upon the dominant vegetation and relative location. Vegetation use by the animal were accessed in randomly laid 171 square plots of 100 m2 area size along randomly established transects. Of 171 plots 69 were in Gaysay grassland, 71 in Adelay and 31 in Dinsho woodland habitat. As related to the species use, of the habitat ground cover, incidence of browsing, vegetation height, slope, altitude, canopy openness, tree density and visibility were measured. Six vegetation types were identified and ranked for their use by T. buxtoni. The largest proportion (58%) of the Gaysay grassland habitat, was covered by grasses. In this habitat, Hypericum revolutum bush was the most used while open grassland was the least. Among the four vegetation groups that were identified in Dinsho woodland habitat, Hagenia and Juniperus and vegetable type covered the largest proportion (68%) in terms of area. In this habitat, open montane grassland vegetation was the most used by the animal; while Euphorbia and Solanum bushy vegetation were the least. Although the least used, in Adelay woodland habitat, Hagenia and Juniperus vegetation types covered the largest proportion (65%) of the area. In most obervation, levels of browsing decreased with increased in vegetation height. Greater availability of a given vegetation type did not necessarily result in higher use by the study animal. Proper conservation measures that could restore or rehabilitate the preferred habitats and vegetation types for the study animal are needed in the Park. Key words: Browse, habitat use, mountain nyala, preference, vegetation. INTRODUCTION An intimate and complex relationship can be observed recognized. Important elements of the habitat of an between a given species of animal and its habitat with animal are often provided by the vegetation of an area certain biotic and abiotic requirements for persistence (Morrison et al., 1998). Vegetation provides essential (Pullin, 2002). Ecological research has shown how key requirements for animals such as cover and food. resources such as vegetation, water and shelter drive the An endemic antelope of Bale Mountains National Park distribution of herbivores (Illius and O’Connor, 2000; (BMNP), mountain nyala (MN) (Tragelaphus buxtoni), Apps et al., 2001). The broad-scale relationships was known to science in 1908 (Lydekker, 1911). The between vegetation and animals have long been main range of MN is the Bale and Arsi Mountains. Areas outside of these mountains support only relic population in isolated areas, which include sites of Asebe Teferi, Arba Gugu and Mount Gara Muleta (Brown, 1966; Wilson *Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected]. and Reeder, 1993). A high-altitude woodland mosaic, Mamo et al. 643 bushland, heath, moorland, and valley grassland were rainy season in the area. The aims of the present study favoured habitats of the species (Brown, 1969a; b; were to describe and characterize the vegetation types in Hillman, 1986b; Kingdon, 1997; Refera and Bekele, the range of MN; quantify vegetation covers, availability 2004). In the habitats, the species browsed on leaves of and determine patterns of use of these by the animal herbs, shrubs and trees, as well as grasses, cultivars and (Johnson, 1980); and develop habitat use indexes aquatic flora (Evangelista et al., 2007). In the Bale (Morrison et al., 1998; Rondinini et al., 2004) based on Mountains, the species occurs between 3150 and 3550 vegetation availability and use by MN in the BMNP. m asl (Brown, 1969a) and 3000 and 4200 m asl (Kingdon, 1997). The study made on habitat suitability to MATERIALS AND METHODS the MN suggests strong correlation between the species’ range and specific climate and topographic conditions Study area description (Evangelista et al., 2008). Since Brown’s observation about 40 years ago in the Bale Mountains, a lot have The study area is located within 6°20′ and 7°40′ N latitude and ′ changed with regards to abundance and distribution 39°30 and 39°58′ E longitude in southeastern highlands of Ethiopia range of the species. The numbers of individuals of the (Figure 1) that supports the major global population of MN. The study sites included the northern montane grassland (3000 to 3100 species have reduced by 90% since the survey in 1966 m asl) which is a flat terrain located on the extreme north of the (Malcolm and Evangelista, 2002). Furthermore, most of Park. It supports the largest population of MN. The area can be the species have been pushed down from the upper subdivided into three vegetation zones: open grassland, marshy altitudes as a result of settlements, cultivation and grassland, and Artemisia/Helichrysum bush (Hillman, 1986a, b). grazing (Brown, 1969a; Hillman, 1986a; b; Gebrekidan, The northern montane woodlands (3000 to 3400 m asl) and the adjacent Erica heatherland (3400 to 3800 m asl) can be subdivided 1996; Kingdon, 1997). The extensive livestock grazing, into four zones mainly based on the major vegetation types: cultivation and also deforestation within and outside the Hagenia/Juniperus woodland, Hypericum bush, montane grassland Park has deteriorated the quality of the habitats and and Hypericum woodland (Figure 1). reduced the vegetation composition available for MN Two concept swere used in the method namely habitat type and leading them to leave their previously preferred habitats. vegetation type were used here to denote the habitat of MN. The Therefore, currently, the majority of the predicted suitable distinction posed by Jones (1986) was adopted in the present study, which defined habitat type as “an area, delineated by a habitat of MN occurred in the remote forest found at the biologist that has consistent abiotic or sub-dominant vegetation’’. southern escarpment of the BMNP (Evangelista et al., The term vegetation type was used to denote the major plant 2008). Nevertheless, the Park’s northern woodland species composition within the habitat type. Accordingly, two habitat, from which they used to move to the bush areas habitat types namely Gaysay grassland and Adelay/Dinsho of the northern grasslands below the tree line and the woodland were identified and considered for habitat assessment in heather moorlands above the tree line (3,000 to 4,200 the BMNP. Then, the habitats were stratified based on major vegetation types before lying down transect lines at random and the masl), have been observed as the strongholds for the corresponding plots. Sampling units of circular and square quadrats species. were used in the study (Goldsmith and Harrison, 1976; Kent and In an effort that assesses a species habitat requirement Coker, 1992; Southwood and Henderson, 2000). Transect lines and preference, habitat use studies of the species is were laid down by following a cluster random sampling design, in indispensable (Garshelis, 2000). Since no studies have which the clusters were represented by survey lines. The major parameters included were habitat or vegetation availability, been conducted on habitat use of the MN, only little is vegetation cover, habitat utilization by MN and site-attributes (slope known of the habitat types and its vegetation and altitude). 3 to 8% of the total area was sampled following compositions the MN preferred, selected and ecologically Patton’s (1997) suggestion by considering 2 to 5% as a minimum. associated to in the study area (Mamo, 2007). However, In Gaysay montane grassland area, five parallel transects were the habitat deterioration and associated change in its laid randomly in north-south direction with 20° bearing having at vegetation composition which is getting worse, in the least a distance of 950 m in between any two transects. Random locations between 950 and 1000 m were selected for transects. The BMNP, could have negatively affected the animal’s total transect length covered during sampling was 13.5 km. Along preferred habitat and its supplies to the species. This each transect, a number of sample plots were located randomly could in turn negatively affect the number of individuals of with a minimum distance of 150 m covering a sample size of 3%. the species associated with the habitat, MN’s The sampling units were square (10 m × 10 m) plots, with the reproduction and survivals in the area. Thus, a study that centre lines (5 m measured inwards from the central part of either links available vegetation type, range and composition in sides of the plots) placed on the transect line. A total of 69 plots were assessed. Each plot was sub-divided into 400 equal sub- the BMNP to the MN’s habitat preference, selection and squares of 0.25 m2 for ease of data collection. Wooden frames utilization, is vital to conservation endeavours aiming to were used to facilitate sample collections. Specific geographic restore or rehabilitate the species habitat quality and locations, elevation and slope of each plot were measured using vegetation cover used. This could help to meet the GPS, Altimeter and Clinometer devices, respectively. Vegetation favourable conditions in which the animals can realize height and ground cover of each plot were measured in all of the 400 partitions of 0.25 m2 in each plot.