Habitat, space use and feeding ecology of the African buffalo
African buffalo herd size varies across their distribution range from as few as 5–10 in the rainforests of West and Central Africa to as many as 2000 individuals in the floodplains of eastern and southern Africa. The home range size of African buffalo also varies greatly, with those of savanna buffalo herds generally ranging between 50 and 350 km2. The larger home ranges are generally observed in areas where resources are spatially segregated, and where herds are forced to undertake seasonal movements. In contrast, forest buffalo exhibit smaller home ranges (<10 km2) due to a less pronounced seasonality of the environment, and a more homogeneous spatial arrangement of resources. African buffalo are ruminants, essentially feeding on grass and roughage. This species is capable of subsisting on pastures too coarse and too tall for most other herbivores. The African buffalo occupies an important niche, opening up habitats that are preferred by short-grass grazers. Although the African buffalo primarily is a grazer, savanna buffalo can partially switch their diet to browse when grasses become tall and lignified. The ability of the African buffalo to cope with contrasting environmental conditions throughout most sub-Saharan ecosystems, by modulating a large array of biological traits, highlights a high degree of behavioural plasticity.
Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
---|---|
Format: | book_section biblioteca |
Language: | eng |
Published: |
Cambridge University Press
|
Online Access: | http://agritrop.cirad.fr/607158/ http://agritrop.cirad.fr/607158/1/ID607158.pdf |
Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
id |
dig-cirad-fr-607158 |
---|---|
record_format |
koha |
spelling |
dig-cirad-fr-6071582023-11-21T09:25:14Z http://agritrop.cirad.fr/607158/ http://agritrop.cirad.fr/607158/ Habitat, space use and feeding ecology of the African buffalo. Taylor Russell, Bennitt Emily, Fynn Richard W.S., Korte Lisa, Naidoo R., Roug A., Cornélis Daniel. 2023. In : Ecology and management of the African buffalo. Caron Alexandre (ed.), Cornélis Daniel (ed.), Chardonnet Philippe (ed.), Prins Herbert H.T. (ed.). Cambridge : Cambridge University Press, 133-152. (Ecology, Biodiversity and Conservation) ISBN 978-1-316-51874-8https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009006828.009 <https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009006828.009> Habitat, space use and feeding ecology of the African buffalo Taylor, Russell Bennitt, Emily Fynn, Richard W.S. Korte, Lisa Naidoo, R. Roug, A. Cornélis, Daniel eng 2023 Cambridge University Press Ecology and management of the African buffalo African buffalo herd size varies across their distribution range from as few as 5–10 in the rainforests of West and Central Africa to as many as 2000 individuals in the floodplains of eastern and southern Africa. The home range size of African buffalo also varies greatly, with those of savanna buffalo herds generally ranging between 50 and 350 km2. The larger home ranges are generally observed in areas where resources are spatially segregated, and where herds are forced to undertake seasonal movements. In contrast, forest buffalo exhibit smaller home ranges (<10 km2) due to a less pronounced seasonality of the environment, and a more homogeneous spatial arrangement of resources. African buffalo are ruminants, essentially feeding on grass and roughage. This species is capable of subsisting on pastures too coarse and too tall for most other herbivores. The African buffalo occupies an important niche, opening up habitats that are preferred by short-grass grazers. Although the African buffalo primarily is a grazer, savanna buffalo can partially switch their diet to browse when grasses become tall and lignified. The ability of the African buffalo to cope with contrasting environmental conditions throughout most sub-Saharan ecosystems, by modulating a large array of biological traits, highlights a high degree of behavioural plasticity. book_section info:eu-repo/semantics/bookPart Chapter info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion http://agritrop.cirad.fr/607158/1/ID607158.pdf text cc_by_nc_nd info:eu-repo/semantics/restrictedAccess https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009006828.009 10.1017/9781009006828.009 http://agritrop.cirad.fr/607131/ info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/doi/10.1017/9781009006828.009 info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/purl/https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009006828.009 |
institution |
CIRAD FR |
collection |
DSpace |
country |
Francia |
countrycode |
FR |
component |
Bibliográfico |
access |
En linea |
databasecode |
dig-cirad-fr |
tag |
biblioteca |
region |
Europa del Oeste |
libraryname |
Biblioteca del CIRAD Francia |
language |
eng |
description |
African buffalo herd size varies across their distribution range from as few as 5–10 in the rainforests of West and Central Africa to as many as 2000 individuals in the floodplains of eastern and southern Africa. The home range size of African buffalo also varies greatly, with those of savanna buffalo herds generally ranging between 50 and 350 km2. The larger home ranges are generally observed in areas where resources are spatially segregated, and where herds are forced to undertake seasonal movements. In contrast, forest buffalo exhibit smaller home ranges (<10 km2) due to a less pronounced seasonality of the environment, and a more homogeneous spatial arrangement of resources. African buffalo are ruminants, essentially feeding on grass and roughage. This species is capable of subsisting on pastures too coarse and too tall for most other herbivores. The African buffalo occupies an important niche, opening up habitats that are preferred by short-grass grazers. Although the African buffalo primarily is a grazer, savanna buffalo can partially switch their diet to browse when grasses become tall and lignified. The ability of the African buffalo to cope with contrasting environmental conditions throughout most sub-Saharan ecosystems, by modulating a large array of biological traits, highlights a high degree of behavioural plasticity. |
format |
book_section |
author |
Taylor, Russell Bennitt, Emily Fynn, Richard W.S. Korte, Lisa Naidoo, R. Roug, A. Cornélis, Daniel |
spellingShingle |
Taylor, Russell Bennitt, Emily Fynn, Richard W.S. Korte, Lisa Naidoo, R. Roug, A. Cornélis, Daniel Habitat, space use and feeding ecology of the African buffalo |
author_facet |
Taylor, Russell Bennitt, Emily Fynn, Richard W.S. Korte, Lisa Naidoo, R. Roug, A. Cornélis, Daniel |
author_sort |
Taylor, Russell |
title |
Habitat, space use and feeding ecology of the African buffalo |
title_short |
Habitat, space use and feeding ecology of the African buffalo |
title_full |
Habitat, space use and feeding ecology of the African buffalo |
title_fullStr |
Habitat, space use and feeding ecology of the African buffalo |
title_full_unstemmed |
Habitat, space use and feeding ecology of the African buffalo |
title_sort |
habitat, space use and feeding ecology of the african buffalo |
publisher |
Cambridge University Press |
url |
http://agritrop.cirad.fr/607158/ http://agritrop.cirad.fr/607158/1/ID607158.pdf |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT taylorrussell habitatspaceuseandfeedingecologyoftheafricanbuffalo AT bennittemily habitatspaceuseandfeedingecologyoftheafricanbuffalo AT fynnrichardws habitatspaceuseandfeedingecologyoftheafricanbuffalo AT kortelisa habitatspaceuseandfeedingecologyoftheafricanbuffalo AT naidoor habitatspaceuseandfeedingecologyoftheafricanbuffalo AT rouga habitatspaceuseandfeedingecologyoftheafricanbuffalo AT cornelisdaniel habitatspaceuseandfeedingecologyoftheafricanbuffalo |
_version_ |
1787232687082176512 |