Title |
An Overview of Nitrogen Cycling in a Semiarid Savanna: Some Implications for Management and Conservation in a Large African Park
|
---|---|
Published in |
Environmental Management, November 2011
|
DOI | 10.1007/s00267-011-9779-0 |
Pubmed ID | |
Authors |
Corli Coetsee, Shayne Jacobs, Navashni Govender |
Abstract |
Nitrogen (N) is a major control on primary productivity and hence on the productivity and diversity of secondary producers and consumers. As such, ecosystem structure and function cannot be understood without a comprehensive understanding of N cycling and dynamics. This overview describes the factors that govern N distribution and dynamics and the consequences that variable N dynamics have for structure, function and thresholds of potential concern (TPCs) for management of a semiarid southern African savanna. We focus on the Kruger National Park (KNP), a relatively intact savanna, noted for its wide array of animal and plant species and a prized tourist destination. KNP's large size ensures integrity of most ecosystem processes and much can be learned about drivers of ecosystem structure and function using this park as a baseline. Our overview shows that large scale variability in substrates exists, but do not necessarily have predictable consequences for N cycling. The impact of major drivers such as fire is complex; at a landscape scale little differences in stocks and cycling were found, though at a smaller scale changes in woody cover can lead to concomitant changes in total N. Contrasting impacts of browsers and grazers on N turnover has been recorded. Due to the complexity of this ecosystem, we conclude that it will be complicated to draw up TPCs for most transformations and pools involved with the N cycle. However, we highlight in which cases the development of TPCs will be possible. |
Mendeley readers
Geographical breakdown
Country | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
United States | 4 | 5% |
Indonesia | 1 | 1% |
South Africa | 1 | 1% |
France | 1 | 1% |
Mexico | 1 | 1% |
United Kingdom | 1 | 1% |
Unknown | 77 | 90% |
Demographic breakdown
Readers by professional status | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Student > Master | 20 | 23% |
Researcher | 15 | 17% |
Student > Ph. D. Student | 13 | 15% |
Student > Bachelor | 11 | 13% |
Student > Doctoral Student | 4 | 5% |
Other | 12 | 14% |
Unknown | 11 | 13% |
Readers by discipline | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Agricultural and Biological Sciences | 32 | 37% |
Environmental Science | 24 | 28% |
Earth and Planetary Sciences | 4 | 5% |
Business, Management and Accounting | 2 | 2% |
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology | 2 | 2% |
Other | 6 | 7% |
Unknown | 16 | 19% |