Mose V. N., Nguyen-Huu Tri, Auger Pierre, Western D. (2012). Modelling herbivore population dynamics in the Amboseli National Park, Kenya : application of spatial aggregation of variables to derive a master model. Ecological Complexity, 10 (SI), p. 42-51. ISSN 1476-945X.
Titre du document
Modelling herbivore population dynamics in the Amboseli National Park, Kenya : application of spatial aggregation of variables to derive a master model
Mose V. N., Nguyen-Huu Tri, Auger Pierre, Western D.
Source
Ecological Complexity, 2012,
10 (SI), p. 42-51 ISSN 1476-945X
The recent expansion of human activities such as agriculture has continuously threatened to block wildlife migration corridors that connect Amboseli National Park (Kenya) to surrounding ecosystems. We study the impact of blocked corridors on herbivore populations using a spatial mathematical model that describes the movements and population dynamics of selected species (zebra, wildebeest and Grant's gazelle) based on resource availability. Aggregation methods are used to reduce the complexity of the model which uses actual parameters calibrated from long term data collected in the area for over three decades. The model suggests the need to maintain these connections to sustain species diversity. Our results show that blocked migration corridors lead to competitive exclusion where only one species survives. However, a possible mechanism of maintenance of biodiversity in the area could be due to an exchange of animals between the park and surrounding ecosystems, when the oscillations of species densities in the ecosystems are out of phase compared to each other and to those within the park.
Plan de classement
Sciences fondamentales / Techniques d'analyse et de recherche [020]
;
Sciences du monde animal [080]
;
Etudes, transformation, conservation du milieu naturel [082]
