Predicting the future impact of droughts on ungulate populations in arid and semi-arid environments.

ABSTRACT: Droughts can have a severe impact on the dynamics of animal populations, particularly in semi-arid and arid environments where herbivore populations are strongly limited by resource availability. Increased drought intensity under projected climate change scenarios can be expected to reduce the viability of such populations, yet this impact has seldom been quantified. In this study, we aim to fill this gap and assess how the predicted worsening of droughts over the 21(st) century is likely to impact the population dynamics of twelve ungulate species occurring in arid and semi-arid habitats. Our results provide support to the hypotheses that more sedentary, grazing and mixed feeding species will be put at high risk from future increases in drought intensity, suggesting that management interv

SUBMITTER: Duncan C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3524186 | biostudies-literature | 2012

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature