Do vegetation, disturbances, and water influence large mammal distribution?

Abstract

Species distribution can be influenced by different factors that may either be biotic or abiotic. In the Serengeti Ecosystem, most of the studies on species distribution have focused on single species. In contrast, few which considered multispecies have been done in larger protected areas such as Serengeti National Park and left the small areas like Kijereshi Game Reserve (KGR) unexplored. Here, we assessed the impact of vegetation, proximity to humans, and the distance from the roads and waterways on large mammal distribution in the KGR. We used line transects to record locations and numbers of large mammals in the KGR while the distances from boundaries, roads, and waterways were calculated by using QGIS. To assess how large mammals varied in response to different vegetation types, proximity to human settlements, and distances to nearest roads and the waterways, Generalized Additive Model (GAM) was used. Our findings revealed that vegetation and proximity to humans do not significantly affect large mammal density. However, we observed a significant non-linear relationship between large mammal density and distances from the roads and waterways. Therefore, the study findings provide a foundation for large mammal studies in the KGR, which are essential in planning and implementation of wildlife tourism activities.