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Ogutu, J.O.; Dublin, H.T.
Spatial dynamics of lions and their prey along an environmental gradient
2004  African Journal of Ecology (42): 8-22

Establishing the ecological determinants of the spatial dynamics of large African savanna mammals is necessary for understanding the cumulative impacts on the suitability and resilience of their natural habitats, of progressive habitat fragmentation and temporal shifts in climate, fire regimes and elephant browsing. Systematic directional gradients and small-scale spatial dependence were evident in rainfall, herbivore biomass and lion density in the Masai Mara National Reserve during September 1990 to July 1992. Lion density, the biomass of resident and all herbivore species were autocorrelated within 4.3, 4.1 and 3.3km, respectively, and peaked in areas of relatively low rainfall but higher microtopographic and vegetation heterogeneity and complexity and more diverse drainage systems. Rainfall influenced herbivore biomass and hence lion density non-linearly and that influence was apparently modified by forage mineral nutrients, structural habitat complexity, degree of drainage and distance to waterpoints. Lion density was related to the biomass of resident herbivores, even after controlling for rainfall and spatial trends. Persistence of the recent decline in Mara woodlands and increasing human population along the reserve-ranch boundary would likely reduce the reserve's lion population because most lions spent the daytime within the vegetation mosaic fringing drainage lines, away from humans and domestic livestock.

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