QUESTIONS 1. Is the diversity of mesoherbivores and grasses increased by mesoherbivore grazing and fire?
2. Is soil stability increased by increased mesoherbivore grazing and fire?
HYPOTHESIS 1. It is hypothesised that holistic management and planned grazing via mesoherbivores will increase grass diversity and soil stability better than fire because mesoherbivores contribute more to the environment by increasing nutrients in the soil with mulch. They also keep the grass short and in a constant growing state. Whereas fire is a single event and grass will not continuously grow but rather grow in intervals between the fire events.
2. Due to the increased soil stability and grass diversity there will be an increased diversity in mesoherbivores …show more content…
Since rhinos have core ranges of roughly 5km2, 10 rhinos would be placed on each 45000 ha plot. For the second and third treatments (Waldrum et al. 2008). Fire:
The fires would be controlled and the event would take place annually before the rainy season each year. Approach:
Each year, the diversity of mesoherbivores and grasses would be assessed, and the growth/height of the grasses would also be measured on each study site under the different treatments. To measure grass height, 50 Disk Pasture Meter (DPM), a metal disk (diameter 45cm, weight 1500g) would be dropped from a standard height. DPM settling height would be calibrated to grass biomass at sites within the plots (grass biomass in g/m2) and diversity within these quadrats would be recorded (Waldrum et al. 2008). To measure the diversity of mesoherbivore, dung matter per 60m by 5m transects would be assessed around water holes as this would be the area holding the highest concentration of these animals, this also allows for a prediction to the amount of mulch being deposited. The soil nutrient content would be assessed using chemical techniques (testing for carbon, nitrogen and moisture concentration) in order to predict the soil
2. Is soil stability increased by increased mesoherbivore grazing and fire?
HYPOTHESIS 1. It is hypothesised that holistic management and planned grazing via mesoherbivores will increase grass diversity and soil stability better than fire because mesoherbivores contribute more to the environment by increasing nutrients in the soil with mulch. They also keep the grass short and in a constant growing state. Whereas fire is a single event and grass will not continuously grow but rather grow in intervals between the fire events.
2. Due to the increased soil stability and grass diversity there will be an increased diversity in mesoherbivores …show more content…
Since rhinos have core ranges of roughly 5km2, 10 rhinos would be placed on each 45000 ha plot. For the second and third treatments (Waldrum et al. 2008). Fire:
The fires would be controlled and the event would take place annually before the rainy season each year. Approach:
Each year, the diversity of mesoherbivores and grasses would be assessed, and the growth/height of the grasses would also be measured on each study site under the different treatments. To measure grass height, 50 Disk Pasture Meter (DPM), a metal disk (diameter 45cm, weight 1500g) would be dropped from a standard height. DPM settling height would be calibrated to grass biomass at sites within the plots (grass biomass in g/m2) and diversity within these quadrats would be recorded (Waldrum et al. 2008). To measure the diversity of mesoherbivore, dung matter per 60m by 5m transects would be assessed around water holes as this would be the area holding the highest concentration of these animals, this also allows for a prediction to the amount of mulch being deposited. The soil nutrient content would be assessed using chemical techniques (testing for carbon, nitrogen and moisture concentration) in order to predict the soil