Assessing Ecosystem Health Across a Gradient of Herbivory in East African SavannasCase study
Identifying tipping points by quantifying key indicators of ecosystem health in East African savannas.
Savannas in Africa support the highest density and diversity of mega-herbivores, which play a vital role in regulating tree recruitment and maintaining the structure and function of these ecosystems.
As herbivory is a natural disturbance in these savannas, they exhibit significant resilience to fluctuations in herbivore pressure. While savannas are generally resilient to changes in herbivory, Persistent intensification or reduction in herbivore pressure may push the ecosystem towards a novel state, potentially reaching a tipping point beyond which recovery is unlikely.
Through this project, we aim to identify such tipping points by quantifying key indicators of ecosystem health along an herbivory gradient in East African savannas.
