Herbivores Return, Kenyan Savanna Tree Cover Drops

Times of India · science

For 18 years, researchers excluded large herbivores from fenced plots in a Kenyan savanna, observing a significant increase in tree cover and height. When fences were removed in 2017, allowing elephants and giraffes to return, tree cover rapidly declined. Within years, tree cover returned to pre-experiment levels, though tree density remained higher. The study published in Ecology Letters indicates that the presence of large herbivores significantly impacts savanna vegetation structure and growth.

केन्याई सवाना में शाकाहारी लौटे, पेड़ों का घनत्व घटा