Effects of groundwater abstraction on two keystone tree species in an arid savanna national park.

ABSTRACT:

Background

In arid systems with no surface water, deep boreholes in ephemeral river beds provide for humans and animals. With continually increasing infrastructure development for tourism in arid wildlife parks such as the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park in southern Africa, we ask what effects increased abstraction may have on large trees. Large trees in arid savannas perform essential ecosystem services by providing food, shade, nesting sites and increased nutrients for many other plant and animal species and for this are regarded as keystone species.

Methods

We determine seasonal fluctuations in the water table while also determining the water source for the dominant large tree species in the Auob and Nossob rivers in the Park. We also determine the extent to which these tree

SUBMITTER: Shadwell E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5270598 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature