Community and Human Impact

COMMUNITY AND HUMAN IMPACT

Effects of anthropogenic and animal disturbances on the water quality and aquatic macroinvertebrates in Segera Ranch, Laikipia

Abstract

NostudyhasbeencarriedouttoassesstheimpactofanthropogenicoranimaldisturbancesontheaquaticfaunainoraroundLaikipia,centralKenya.Toaddressthisdeficiency,aquaticmacroinvertebrates weresampledbyusing kick-netsamplingin variouswaterbodiesaround SegeraRanchasabiomonitoringtoolforwaterqualityassessment.Theresultsshowedthat,atpresent, disturbancehasminimalimpactonmacroinvertebratediversityandmoreover,waterquality.In common withfindingsfrom studiesofotheraquaticsystems,thenumberoffamiliesgreatlyvaries accordingtosubstratetypeandcurrentflow.Thispreliminarystudycanbeastartingpointfor furtherresearchontheimpactsoferosion,waterextractionorclimatechangeonstreamsinLaikipia.

GenikaHulliger, UniversityofFribourg,Switzerland MioraF.Ramanakoto,UniversityofAntananarivo,Madagascar JoshuaTsamba,UniversityofZimbabwe, Zimbabwe

2013

The impact of human presence on the use of water sites and the distribution of parasites among common African mammals in Segera Ranch, Laikipia – Kenya

Abstract

Theaimofthisstudy wastoinvestigatetheeffectofhumanpresence on wildlifeatwatersitesand atthesametimeinvestigatethediversityandabundanceofparasitesinthefaecesoftheanimalsfoundatthosewatersites.ThreesiteswerechoseninsideSegeraRanch,Laikipia,Kenya.Thefirstsitewas an abandonedpond, the second and third siteswere rivers with rising humanpresence and all the sites areusedby cattle.Dung countsweredone and the faecal samples were analysed for Helminth parasites. Results showed that human presence had no impact on the animal’s abundanceatthewatersites.Microscopicallysixdifferentparasiticeggspecieswereidentifiedinthewild animals,amongthemEntamoebahistolytica,GiardialambliaandFasciolahepatica.Theparasiteloadinthesampledanimalsdidnotsignificantlydifferbutfurtherworkisneededtofullyunderstandtheimpactofparasitesonbothwildlifeandcattle,especiallyincludingotherparasites thanHelminths.

CeciliaHermansson,UniversityofGothenburg,Sweden KilianM.A. Egger-Peitler,UniversityofVienna, Austria Monika Marxer, ETHUniversityofZurich, Switzerland

2013

PerceivedandrealsourcesofpollutioninLakeNaivasha

Abstract

LakeNaivasha,aRamsarsite,isthreatenedby therecentdevelopmentofthehorticulturalindustry alongits shores, overpopulation, upper catchment activities, and invasive species. We aimed to determine the community’s perception of the pollution to the lake, and how this related to realsourcesoforganicpollution.32%oftheresidentsconsideredthelaketobepolluted,mostlyblamingtheflowerfarms(55%)andsettlementdischarge(21%).Perceptionsofpollutionvaried betweenoccupationalsectorsandlocationofinterview.Levelsoforganicpollutionestimatedby chlorophyll-aconcentrations,waterparametersandwaterhyacinthcharacteristicsshowedthatthestudied locationswerehighly differentiated.Although contrasting information betweenparameters hampereddetermining the main source, the flower farm area appearedto harbourhigh levels of organic pollution. The community’s perception is therefore true to some extent, although probably overestimated.As peoplemostlyblamedthecausestheywereinvolvedin,awareness-raising programsfor allstakeholderswillbean importantsteptowardslakeconservation.

HarrietEdeghonghon Jimoh,UniversityofBenin, Nigeria CatherineVogler,UniversityofGöttingen, Switzerland James J. J. Waters, UniversityofCambridge, UK

2007

Theecologicalandculturalimportanceofthehotspringsasaresult ofgeothermalactivityinthegorge

Abstract

This pilot study aims to assess the ecological and cultural importance of the gorge and its geothermal activity in Hell’s Gate National Park. For the ecological effects weanalyzed biodiversityin6hotspringsandadditionallylookedatvegetationcompositiondownslope offour geothermalactivesites.Anegativecorrelationhasbeenfoundinspeciesevennesswithhigher temperatureinthepools,indicatingfordominanceofadaptedspecies(Cyanobacteria).Theeffectofgeothermalactivityonbothabioticandbioticconditionsseemstobeverylocal.Sinceclean drinkingwaterhasbeenprovidedby theNational Park thecultural value ofthegorgeforthenativeMaasai-communitiesdecreasedin thelastdecades.Howeveraharvesting ofpumicefromthegorgehasbecomeanessentialsourceofincomeasadditiontotraditionallivestockkeeping.

GiovanniChiodi,Aberdeen University, Scotland Madelon Lohbeck, WageningenUniversityandResearchCentre,TheNetherlands

Jan Malkowski,WarsawUniversity, Poland

2007

Tourists and conservation: a survey of conservation perspectives of tourists at Hell’s Gate National Park, Naivasha, Kenya

Abstract

Tourists’ knowledge and value of conservation were assessed through questionnaires at Hell’s GateNationalPark,Kenya.Thesurveyshowedthatmosttouristsseemedreasonablyconcernedaboutextinction.Theyexpressedtheirwillingnesstoactivelytakepartinconservationbydonatingand payinghigherparkentryfeesratherthanactivelyresearchingandknowingaboutconservation activities.Handingoutofinformationleafletsattheparkentrancecouldbeasuccessfulwayof disseminatingconservationeducationtotourists.

LenaA. Brüstle, TheFinnishMuseumofNaturalHistory,Finland

PaulG. Macharia, Colobus Trust,Kenya

TendaiN. Nyabadza, AfricanWildlifeFoundation,Zimbabwe

2007

DisturbancebyovergrazingfacilitatesbushencroachmentbyTarcananthuscamphoratus

Abstract

Tarchonathuscamphoratusappearstobeencroachingintosavannahhabitats.Weaddressed whetherdisturbancefacilitatesitsencroachment.OurresultsfoundmoreT.camphoratusrecruitmentinlivestock-grazed areas,indicatedbysignificantly highermean number ofseedlingsincomparisontothewildlife-grazedareas.Edaphicfactorsmeasuredshowednosignificanttrend. Impactsonplantspeciesdiversitywerealsoquantified.Whilesignificant differenceswereobserved betweendenseT.camphoratusstandsandadjacentgrasslandareas,itistobeexpectedgiventhechangeofhabitatstructure.Themajorconcernformanagersthenisnotitseffectsonbiodiversity perse,butrathertheeffectof reducingavailablegraze.Furthermore,denseT.camphoratusstands didnotaffectherbivorehabitatselection.Wediscusslifehistorycharacteristicsoftheplantincontextofinvasionbiologytheorytopredictitsencroachingsuccess.ThepotentialforT. camphoratustobeasignificantsavannahencroacherisevidentandwesuggestthatthelong-termmonitoring ofthisplantiscrucial.

Bernard Coetzee, UniversityofPretoria, South Africa ZelalemWodu,Addis AbabaUniversity, Ethiopia LucreziaTincani, CambridgeUniversity,Italy/Germany

2006

DopeopleinfluencethebehaviouroftheCommonZebra(Equusburchelli)inHell’sGateNationalPark?

Abstract

Hell’s Gate National Park attracts many tourists through the possibility of cycling and walking intheparkinaddition tovehiculartransport.UsingtheCommonZebra(Equusburchelli)asamodel, westudied the impact oftourist disturbance on itsvigilancebehaviour. Intensive monitoring of27 groupswas carried outwith data collected at both individual andgroup level. Therewas no overall effect of disturbance on the zebras’ vigilance but, when separated into disturbance type, it wasfoundthatcarandfoottouristshadthelargestimpact.Changes ingroupvigilanceduetoadisturbancewerefoundtobehighestwhen50-100mfromtheroad;apossiblefactorofcueacknowledgmentandinterpretation.Furtherbreakdownofvigilantgroup members showedjuvenileindividualsdid not showthesamevigilanceresponsibilitiesasmaturemembersofthesamegroup.

JuliaDunnett,UniversityofEdinburgh,UnitedKingdom MichaelaRuffner,UniversityofZurich,Switzerland PiaZaunmair,UniversityofSalzburg,Austria

2006

The use of visitors’ perceptions and expectations as a tool for improving tourism in Hell’s Gate National Park

Abstract

Hell’s Gate is one of Kenya’s youngest National Parks, established in 1984. The park is well known for itsuniquetopography and landscape.Also specific to thepark is the ability ofvisitors totour theparkby walking and cycling. Both these factorspresent different challenges for the management of thepark. The aim of this studywas toprofilevisitorsto thepark in terms of nationality, transportused around thepark and the distance they travelled to the park. Why visitors chose Hell’s Gate rather than anyparkwas investigated aswell. Disappointing aspects of theparkwere examined to offer insight in to how Kenya Wildlife Service can help in improving visitor’s experience. Results suggest that Europeans are the most frequentvisitorsto thepark and cycling is theprimary method of transport.Proximity to thepark seems to havea major influence, with the majority ofguests staying within50 kilometres around thePark. Thepark is consideredtogive value for money and based onvisitor expectations, itdoes not appearto bedeficient in many areas. Asa consequence there are relatively few disappointments and wherepresent are inexpensiveto resolve.

BarryO’Toole, Trinity CollegeDublin,Ireland

KwakuAduse-Poku,KwameNkrumah UniversityofScienceand Technology, Ghana

2004

TouristdisturbanceandhabituationbythreeungulatespeciesinHell’sGateNationalPark

Abstract

Three species (Warthog, Grant’s Gazelle, and Zebra) were observed in Hell’s Gate National Park(Kenya)during thedry season (July) asabaseline study in animal reactions totouristsvisiting thepark eitherby car,bicycle or foot. Experimentswere conducted that showed differences in the behaviour of these species towards the disturbance sourcedepending ondaytime,habitat andgroup size. Therewasa significantdifference in the reaction that the animals showed in different habitats. Another main resultwas the variance in the animal behaviourto the distinct disturbance sources. These results can be interpreted and explainedby habituationprocesses and disturbance factors (tourists).

Ruth Sonnweber,UniversityofVienna, Austria ElkeKüppers, UniversityofBonn, Germany

2004

Does access to kitchen waste influence the behaviour of the Black and White Colobus monkey (Colobus guereza) at Elsamere Conservation Centre?

Abstract

ThisstudywasconductedatElsamereConservationCentreKenyatodeterminetheinfluenceof accesstokitchenwasteonthebehaviourpatternofBlackandWhiteColobusmonkey(Colobusguereza).Agroupoftwelveindividualswasobservedforninedaysthefirstthreeofwhichtheyhad accesstokitchenwaste,thenextthreenoaccessandthelastthreeaccessesagain.Scansampling techniquewasusedinwhichthewholetroopwasobservedforfiveminutesalternativelywithten minutesrestperiods for two hours in the morning,midday and evening. Mann-Whitney and Kruskal Wallis test revealed that the monkey’s diet is significantly affectedbykitchenwasteastheyfed morefrequentlyon plantswhen kitchen wastewasinaccessible.Itisrecommendedthat theanimalsbedenied accesstokitchenwaste asthisalterstheirnaturalforagingbehaviour.

JaredBakuza, UniversityofDar-es-Salaam, Tanzania Nickson Erick Otieno,ElsamereConservation Centre, Kenya

2000

Thecommonlyusedplantspeciesbythe Maasaiinthevicinity oftheHell’sGateNationalPark

Abstract

Asurveywasconductedusingquestionnaireinterviewstodeterminethedifferentuses,identities, andfrequencyofuseandtheabundanceofthemostcommonlyusedplantspeciesbytheMaasailivingintwocommunitiesinthevicinityoftheHell’sGateNationalPark.Thesurveycovered93 speciesbelongingto43plantfamilies.Theusesoftheplantspecieswerebroadlyclassifiedinto four: categories:Medicinal,Food,Building andOtheruses.Medicinalusewasdeterminedtobethemostfrequentplantuse.Thestudy furtherindicated thatthenumberofplantsused occasionallywas higherthanthoseusedregularly.Thisisprobablyduetoahighproportionofmedicinaluseplants thataremainlyusedoccasionally.In addition,themore commona speciesisthemoreitisused and theintermediatehabitathas themostabundantplantspecies.Finallythe shorterthewalking distancetothehabitatoftheplantspeciesthehigherthefrequencyofuse.

IshmaelN.A. Dodoo,GhanaWildlifeSociety, Accra, Ghana MoniqueI.Hunziker, UniversityofZurich, Switzerland

2000

Astudy ofthevisitorstotheHell’sGateNationalPark

Abstract

Hell’sGateNationalParkis,forKenya,anexceptionalpark.ItistheonlyNationalParkinwhich visitorsarefreetoleavetheirvehicleandwalkintheparkarea.Thisispossiblebecausethepark doesnothavelargevariety ofwildlifewhichwouldendangerthesafetyofthevisitors.Inaddition thepark haslowerentrancefeesthan manyotherKenyanparks.

Based onthisdifferentimage ofthe park andlowerentrancefee theaimofthestudywastofind outwhethertheparkwouldbefavouredbyacertaintypeofvisitor.ThestudyincludedassessingthegeneralbackgroundofthevisitorsandthereasonsaffectingtheirHell’sGateNationalParkvisit. OneaspectofthestudywastoinvestigatehowmuchpeopleenjoyedHell’sGateNationalPark comparedtootherparkstheyhavevisited.Wealsowantedtofindoutwhetherpreferringsportiveleisuretimeactivitieswouldleadtoahigherrankingofthepark.Finally,thestudyincludedsomeaspectsproposedbytheKWSandthosewere:tofindouthowpeoplegotinformationabouttheparkandwhatimprovementspeoplemightsuggest.

ThestudyindicatedthatHell’sGateNationalParkwas,asexpected,highlyappreciatedbecauseof thefreedomtowalkintheparkareabutthatnotonlyvisitorswithoutdoorinterestsenjoyedthepark.ThevisitsinotherparksdidnotseemtoaffecttheenjoymentofHell’sGatevisit.The freedomtowalkwasmentionedasoneofthemostimportantreasonsforvisitingthe park whilethelowentrancefeedidnothavesomuchimportanceingeneral.OverallthestudyindicatedthatpeoplevisitingHell’sGateNationalParkarepleasedwiththeirexperienceandappreciatethepark highly.

KatharinaKowalski, UniversityofVienna,Austria MarianneKettunen,UniversityofTurku,Finland

1999

VariabilityinSegeraRanchsavannahplants’defencesagainstfireandherbivores

Abstract

TheSegeraRanchecosystemiscomposedofsavannahvegetationdominatedbygrasses,emerging acaciatreesmainlyA.drepanolobiumandthicketsinsomepartsoftheranch.Wesampledseven speciesofacacia andsixthicketspecies;weusedrelativebranchthicknessasameasureofdefenceagainstfire and aspinescenceindex asadefence againstherbivore.Wefound thatAcaciaspp.haverelativelythickbarkandtheyarespiniercomparedtootherthicketspecies.Weconcludedthatfireregimeisthebestwaytoeliminatethicketsastheyhavethinnerbarkcomparedtoacaciaspecies. Therewasnotrade-offbetweenfireandherbivorydefences.Thus,wesuggestsomeacaciaspecies suchasA.drepanolobium cansurvivewherethere isbothintenseherbivoreandfire.

PeterAbanyam,UniversityofCalabar, Nigeria Thomas Sawe, SokoineUniversityofAgriculture,Tanzania KidaneHintsa,MekelleUniversity,Ethiopia

2013

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