Contingent Herbivore Regulation of Ecosystem Processes

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98-13050McNaughtonContingent herbivore regulation of ecosystem processesThis research will study the way that large herbivores, ungulates, can interact with the physical environment, particularly soils, to create environments that can be nutritionally advantageous to themselves. Humans are an integral component of the research plan since it is proposed that pastoralist cattle herders in Africa, by penning livestock inside villages at night to avoid predators, cause a large injection of nutrients into a local area. The investigators propose that after the village moves these enriched areas become favored foraging areas for native herbivores, which both maintain them and expand their area. Dr. McNaughton will compare the fate of abandoned village plots on soils that are inherently nutrient-poor with others that are nutrient-rich. In addition, mineralization rates will be assayed on plots at various ages from abandonment. This research will provide insight into how humans in Africa interact with the ecosystems they inhabit.