Mortality and utilisation of Sclerocarya birrea subsp. Caffra between 2001 and 2008 in the Kruger National Park, South Africa

Abstract A resurvey of a sample of marula trees ( n  = 474) in the Kruger National Park (KNP) originally documented in 2001, was conducted in 2008 to determine the response of this population segment to the conditions prevalent during that time. These included an increasing elephant population and changes to the KNP fire policy. The overall mortality rate was estimated to be 2.6% per annum, with the mortality rate for individuals > 5 m in height being 3.7% per annum. The highest level of mortality was found in the 5–8 m height class (7.1% per annum), while the highest number of dead individuals occurred in the 11–15 m height class (25). In addition minimal recruitment into the seedling size class was observed ( n  = 6). No growth of saplings less than 2 m in height to heights greater than 2 m was observed. Almost half the individuals that were heavily damaged in 2001 had died by 2008. Heavy elephant utilisation and tree mortality was concentrated in the Sabie thorn thickets ecozone on granites where marula density was highest. Utilisation levels on the surviving individuals throughout the sampled area had almost tripled between 2001 and 2008, with individuals between 5 and 8 m in height accumulating the most additional elephant utilisation. It was concluded that the sampled marula population was not sustaining itself under the conditions prevalent between 2001 and 2008. Since sampled trees > 5 m in height were strongly biased towards the Sabie thorn thickets, any projections for the likely fate of marulas in terms of adult mortality would mainly apply to this ecozone. The spatial variability described in this study suggests that further sampling is needed to adequately represent trends elsewhere.

• Publication year

  2009

• Venue

  South African Journal of Botany

• Publication date

  2009-08-01

• Fields of study

  Biology, Environmental Science

• Identifiers
  DOI 10.1016/J.SAJB.2009.03.004
• External record

  Open on Semantic Scholar

• Source metadata

  Semantic Scholar

• Elephant utilisation on surviving trees almost tripled from 2001 to 2008, and both heavy utilisation and tree mortality were concentrated in the Sabie thorn thickets ecozone on granites.

  Confidence 0.96

  박진우 (dztg5apj7m) extraction뀨 (7c402c1b98) reviewq (76h6bfydm6) review
• Recruitment into the seedling size class was minimal, and no saplings shorter than 2 m were observed growing to heights above 2 m.

  Confidence 0.97

  박진우 (dztg5apj7m) extraction뀨 (7c402c1b98) reviewq (76h6bfydm6) review
• Mortality among the sampled marula trees was 2.6% per annum overall and 3.7% per annum for individuals taller than 5 m, with the 5-8 m height class showing the highest annual mortality.

  Confidence 0.98

  박진우 (dztg5apj7m) extraction뀨 (7c402c1b98) reviewq (76h6bfydm6) review

• elephant utilisation

  ecological interaction, disturbance

  The extent of feeding or browsing damage to marula trees attributed to elephants.

  Aliases: elephant use, utilisation

  박진우 (dztg5apj7m) extraction뀨 (7c402c1b98) reviewq (76h6bfydm6) review
• kruger national park

  protected area, location

  The South African protected area where the marula population was resurveyed.

  Aliases: KNP

  박진우 (dztg5apj7m) extraction뀨 (7c402c1b98) reviewq (76h6bfydm6) review
• marula trees

  organism, tree

  The sampled Sclerocarya birrea subsp. caffra individuals tracked between 2001 and 2008 in Kruger National Park.

  Aliases: Sclerocarya birrea subsp. caffra, marula

  박진우 (dztg5apj7m) extraction뀨 (7c402c1b98) reviewq (76h6bfydm6) review
• mortality rate

  measure, outcome

  The annual proportion of the sampled trees that died over the 2001 to 2008 resurvey interval.

  Aliases: annual mortality

  박진우 (dztg5apj7m) extraction뀨 (7c402c1b98) reviewq (76h6bfydm6) review
• sabie thorn thickets ecozone

  ecozone, location

  The granite-associated ecological zone in the Kruger National Park where the sampled marula trees were especially dense.

  Aliases: Sabie thorn thickets

  박진우 (dztg5apj7m) extraction뀨 (7c402c1b98) reviewq (76h6bfydm6) review
• saplings

  organism class, life stage

  Young marula individuals below 2 m in height that were assessed for possible growth into taller size classes.

  Aliases: sapling size class

  박진우 (dztg5apj7m) extraction뀨 (7c402c1b98) reviewq (76h6bfydm6) review
• seedling recruitment

  ecological process, population process

  The addition of new individuals into the seedling size class within the sampled marula population.

  Aliases: recruitment into the seedling class

  박진우 (dztg5apj7m) extraction뀨 (7c402c1b98) reviewq (76h6bfydm6) review

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