Is the grass really greener on the other side?

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dc.contributor.advisorFebruary, Edmund Cen_ZA
dc.contributor.advisorWoolley, Leigh-Annen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorLane, Wade Howarden_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2018-02-12T08:46:11Z
dc.date.available2018-02-12T08:46:11Z
dc.date.issued2013en_ZA
dc.description.abstractWhile many studies focus on identifying pollutants within an ecosystem or how they affect primary producers, few look at how pollutants move through trophic levels or their influence on animal demography. The aim of this study was to determine whether additional nitrogen, phosphorus and water, to a savanna would alter the vegetation quality enough to influence the feeding behaviour and diet of the ungulate populations both of which would alter the vegetation quantity. The study was conducted in the Kruger National Park. One site was supplied with additional nutrients and compared to three control sites. The nitrogen and phosphorus content of grass and tree leaves collected at the enriched site were higher than the leaves collected at the control site, indicating the additional nutrients are improving the vegetation quality. Feeding rates (determined from photos captured by camera traps) indicated a higher degree of herbivory at the enriched site. However, there was no difference in the δ¹³C value, nitrogen and phosphorus content in the ungulate dung collected amongst the study sites suggesting no change in the diet. The dominant grass was significantly shorter at the enriched site suggesting that increased grazing was diminishing grass biomass. Basic assessment of the trees indicated that the additional water at the enriched site seemed to be triggering an earlier start to the growing season for the trees. It was concluded that the additional nutrients have altered the vegetation structure enough to potentially influence animal demographics.en_ZA
dc.identifier.apacitationLane, W. H. (2013). <i>Is the grass really greener on the other side?</i>. (Thesis). University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/27515en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationLane, Wade Howard. <i>"Is the grass really greener on the other side?."</i> Thesis., University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/27515en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationLane, W. 2013. Is the grass really greener on the other side?. University of Cape Town.en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Thesis / Dissertation AU - Lane, Wade Howard AB - While many studies focus on identifying pollutants within an ecosystem or how they affect primary producers, few look at how pollutants move through trophic levels or their influence on animal demography. The aim of this study was to determine whether additional nitrogen, phosphorus and water, to a savanna would alter the vegetation quality enough to influence the feeding behaviour and diet of the ungulate populations both of which would alter the vegetation quantity. The study was conducted in the Kruger National Park. One site was supplied with additional nutrients and compared to three control sites. The nitrogen and phosphorus content of grass and tree leaves collected at the enriched site were higher than the leaves collected at the control site, indicating the additional nutrients are improving the vegetation quality. Feeding rates (determined from photos captured by camera traps) indicated a higher degree of herbivory at the enriched site. However, there was no difference in the δ¹³C value, nitrogen and phosphorus content in the ungulate dung collected amongst the study sites suggesting no change in the diet. The dominant grass was significantly shorter at the enriched site suggesting that increased grazing was diminishing grass biomass. Basic assessment of the trees indicated that the additional water at the enriched site seemed to be triggering an earlier start to the growing season for the trees. It was concluded that the additional nutrients have altered the vegetation structure enough to potentially influence animal demographics. DA - 2013 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2013 T1 - Is the grass really greener on the other side? TI - Is the grass really greener on the other side? UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/27515 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/27515
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationLane WH. Is the grass really greener on the other side?. [Thesis]. University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, 2013 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/27515en_ZA
dc.language.isoengen_ZA
dc.publisher.departmentPercy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithologyen_ZA
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Scienceen_ZA
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.subject.otherConservation Biologyen_ZA
dc.titleIs the grass really greener on the other side?en_ZA
dc.typeMaster Thesis
dc.type.qualificationlevelMasters
dc.type.qualificationnameMScen_ZA
uct.type.filetypeText
uct.type.filetypeImage
uct.type.publicationResearchen_ZA
uct.type.resourceThesisen_ZA
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