Serengeti General Management Plan

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Serengeti National Park General Management Plan small dicotyledonous plants. With the deeper soils to the west and north, grass species change, the dominant species being Themeda triandra and Pennisetum mezianum. The woodlands are dominated by Acacia species in all areas except for a small region south and west of Kogatende, where Terminalia-Combretum takes over. The Serengeti is well known not only for supporting the largest herds of migratory ungulates but also one of the highest concentrations of predators in the world. In 1995, the predator population was estimated to include about 7,500 hyenas, and 2,800 lions, with the highest concentrations being in the Seronera valley where the perennial availability of water attracts a wide range of antelope and other animals. There are over 500 species of birds that are perennially or seasonally present in the Park, of which five species are endemic to Tanzania. The Park has the highest Ostrich population in Tanzania and probably Africa, making the population globally important. Although the majority of systematic studies have concentrated on birds and the larger mammal species, other studies have shown high biodiversity in other taxa. For example, twentyfive species of toads and frogs have been recently recorded by Channing & Moyer (in press) and over 100 species of dung beetles have been identified in the plains near Lake Lagarja (Foster and Bresele in Sinclair and Arcese, 1995). Self-regulating ecosystem A growing understanding of the Serengeti ecosystem has highlighted that the ecosystem can exist in multiple states of woodland or grassland, both spatially and temporally, and that longterm natural change between different states within the ecosystem is a natural phenomenon. Figure B.2 below illustrates the grassland-woodland dynamic and the main factors that cause the transitions between stable states. Figure B.2: Two alternative stable states of a savannah grassland 12 Grassland state High grass biomass leads to hot fires, which kill tree seedlings. Elephants are able to remove the few establishing tree seedlings to maintain grassland Source: Bayona & Sharam (2001) Repeated hot fires (late dry season) Removal of fire Removal of elephants Woodland state Trees shade the grass and remove water, thus reducing grass biomass and fuel for hot season fires Fire incidences, themselves modulated by rainfall patterns, are the main factor influencing vegetation states, however, keystone species – e.g. wildebeest and elephants – can play an important factor in maintaining and influencing these states through their grazing/ browsing patterns. Conversely the ecosystem is self-regulating regarding wildlife numbers, through either food availability (e.g. as for wildebeest) or predation (e.g. as with Thomson’s gazelle).
Habitat mosaic B. Park Values & Purpose An overriding characteristic of the Serengeti is the heterogeneity of its vegetation communities. This diversity is most easily seen in the seven major habitat types, as characterised in Table B.2 below. In turn these habitats have a diversity of plant community assemblages that change according to, for example, topographic gradients. Table B.2: A physiognomic classification of the Serengeti National Park Category Sub-category Description FOREST Tree cover with closed canopy. One or more strata more than 7.5m tall Forest limited to riverine and � Evergreen Forest springhead stands, mainly evergreen Tree cover with one, or rarely two, discontinuous strata. Minimum canopy cover 21 per cent. Grasses and forbs dominate the ground cover WOODLAND � Semi-deciduous Woodland Dominated by Combretum and Terminalia species � Semi-deciduous to deciduous Dominated by Acacia and Thorn-tree Woodland Commiphora species Conspicuous but scattered trees, Tree Canopy cover less than 21 WOODED GRASS- LAND per cent � Semi-deciduous Thorn-tree Wooded Grassland Dominated by Balanites aegyptiaca on poorly drained black-cotton clay soils Woody plants of low stature and shrubby. Minimum canopy cover 21 per cent � Evergreen to Semi-deciduous Mainly limited to relict stands BUSHLAND � bushland Semi-deciduous bushland in the northern Serengeti Especially on termite mounds in western Serengeti � Deciduous bushland Dominated by Acacia mellifera BUSHED GRASS- LAND Scattered bushes in grassland. Canopy cover between 2 and 21 per cent. Dominated by Acacia and Commiphora species. Includes degraded woodland and bushland KOPJE VEGETATION Vegetation specific to granitic and gneiss rock outcrops. Characteristics and species highly variable GRASSLAND Land dominated by grasses and occasionally other herbs. Tree/bush canopy cover less than 2 per cent Source: Adapted from Herlocker (1976) This mosaic of woodland and grassland provides important dry season grazing and browsing for resident and migratory species. In addition, there are hill-top relict forests that were once more extensive but have since shrunk due to long-term climate change and the effects of fire. Stands of Borrasus palm also occur. Endangered species The Serengeti ecosystem has eight know threatened animal species as listed on the IUCN Red List database, as listed in Table B.3 below. 13
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wider TANAPA corporate review of pa
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Facility Zone Hostels & Rest Houses
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F. PARK OPERATIONS PROGRAMME 93
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Staff motivation F. Park Operations
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G. 3-YEAR ACTION PLAN 115
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Table G.2: Ecosystem Management Act
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Management Targets 1.4 Viable popul
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Table G.3: Tourism Management Actio
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Management Targets Management Actio
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Table G.4: Community Outreach Actio
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Management Targets 1.2 Community be
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Management Targets 1.3 Conservation
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Management Targets 2.2 Performance
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Management Targets 3.3 Environmenta
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I. ANNEXES 161
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I. Annexes The United Republic of T
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Annex 3: Overnight accommodation de
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Name Position/ Organisation Les Car
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Serengeti General Management Plan

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