ecological change Flashcards
case study
Serengeti
serengeti statistics
30,000 km2 of tanzania and west kenya
15 000km is national park established in 1951to preserve wildlife and reduce environmental damage
people of the serengeti (social, political, economic)
maasai tribe
- indigenous subsistence farming
social:
keep livestock
subsist on produced meat and milk
nomadic - move around to allow regrowth
political:
rights over large areas of land as they’ve lived there for so long
zones of land between groups are used for negotiation
economic:
trade livestock for grain, vegtables, or livestock
how is the serengeti facing ecological change (3)
human pressures =
land use
poaching
invasive species
land use - ecological change
shanty towns
grazing pastures
tourist lodges
land converted to cash crop wheat fields removing natural vegitation and reduces biodiversity, increasing soil erosion and eutrophication
poaching - ecological change
killed by visitors (sports) and locals (food and trading)
1980s – black rhino = 2 left
legislation in 1989 ban on international trade of ivory decreased elephant poaching
however this just increased its value and encouraged illlegal poaching
100,000 wildebeest killed a year for bushmeat
invasive species - ecological change
Mexican poppy – accidental introduction – out compete native species making areas unsuitable for farming
1994: canine distemper virus from domestic dogs killed 1/2 lion population
how are locals responding to change in the serengeti
managed by tanzania national parks (TANPA)
wildlife management areas
tourism
conservation education
controlled burning
wildlife management areas - local response to change
community based approach
Ikona community - 450 km2 collection of five villages that work together to protect and sustain the savanna
successful on a local scale – reduced poaching within the borders
conservation education - local response to change
park supports conservation clubs in 74 local primary schools
involve locals means its more likely to help protect ecosystem by forming bonds between them and the wildlife
controlled burning - local response to change
periodically carried out to start controlled burnings
removes flammable organic matter build up on the top soil to reduce uncontrollable wildfires
threats to the serengeti
human population still increasing conflict between farmers and wildlife
– elephants raid crops makes them unpopular amongst farmers
refusal to stop hunting
poaching outside WMA areas means that grazers like zebras and wildebeest are still declining in population
