Case studies

Examples of contrasting ecosystem management

Masai Mara

• About

  • The Masai Mara Nature Reserve (MMNR) is located in southern Kenya, it is an example of an ecosystem that is actively managed to balance the needs of humans and the need for conservation. The reserve was established as a wildlife sanctuary in 1961, it covers around 1500km2- it is situated approximately 1500-2000m above sea level.

• Ecosystem

  • Primarily a savannah ecosystem, separated by the main Mara River. 

    The fertile regions near the river consist of rich grasslands and woodland.

  • Further from the river are open plains with scattered shrubs and trees.

    The region is known for the annual zebra and wildebeest migrations, it is home to a large range of mammals like buffalo, elephants, leopards, lions, and black rhinos.

  • Formerly, the region was dominated by the acacia bush. This enabled the tsetse fly (a carrier of African trypanosomiasis) which is sleeping sickness, to settle in the area. To reduce the spread of the disease, government workers have cleared major acacia tracts over the last 50 years. Elephants, fire, and cattle grazing have further reduced the presence of acacia and other woody plants.

• Farming

  • Grazing- traditionally, the Masai Mara has been used by local tribes for livestock grazing

  • In the past, the Masai practised traditional methods known as semi-nomadic farming. 

  • Tribes frequently moved depending on climate variation and the presence of tsetse flies. 

  • This allowed vegetation to recover from animal grazing whenever the farmers moved to another area. 

  • Grazing is now limited to the edge of the reserve, as local tribes are prevented from entering the park. 

  • Populations have grown in marginal areas, larger herds graze the grassland area and more trees are increasingly removed for fuel. 

  • As the vegetation is removed, the risk of soil erosion heightens.

  • Cultivation: the level of cultivation around the region of the Masai Mara has increased recently, as grassland has been converted to cropland natural vegetation is removed. This depletes the soil of the nutrients it needs. Over time this leads to a reliance on fertilisers for sufficient crop growth. 

• Ecotourism

  • Ecotourism is tourism directed towards natural environments, to support conservation efforts and observe wildlife, its popularity due to the vast amount of wildlife and environmental diversity in the area, ecotourism is able to bring in most of the economic input for the region. Ecotourism is a sustainable development which reduces the impact of regular tourism on protected environments, while simultaneously being a less invasive industry than agriculture.

  • Ecotourism;

    • Ensure that tourism does not exploit the natural environment or local communities 

    • Consult and engage with local communities on planned developments 

    • Ensure that infrastructure improvements benefit local people as well as visitors .

  • However , aspects of ecotourism such as repeated use of hiking trails and use of mechanised transport show evidence contributing to soil erosion and other habitat changes

• Conservation

  • The nature reserve plays a key role in conservation of endangered species. 

  • Some of the most popular large mammals have experienced population declines in recent years

  • Black rhinos are one of the most endangered animals in Africa, they appear on the IUCN critically endangered list. Despite the trade being illegal, rhino horn is in huge demand, particularly in traditional medicines. 

  • People are lured into poaching by the vast sums of money offered through trade.

  • In 1972, 100 rhinos lived in Masai Mara, by 1982 poaching meant that only a handful remained. An active conservation and protection programme was established to encourage a balance between the needs of local communities and those of the wildlife. The programme included the employment of reserve rangers, and the provision of communication equipment, vehicles, and other necessary equipment and infrastructure. These have helped to deter poachers from entering the reserve, by the mid-1990s, rhino numbers have increased significantly

• Research

  • Michigan State University: studying behaviour and physiology of the predator spotted hyena

  • Subalusky and Dutton: completing a flow assessment for the Mara River Basin. The aim of this research is to identify the river flows needed to provide for both the basic human needs of the million people who depend on the water, and to sustain the ecosystem in its current form

  • The Mara Predator Project: catalogues and monitors lion populations- aims to identify population trends and responses to changes in land management, human settlements, livestock movements, and tourism. 

  • The Mara-Meru Cheetah Project: which aims to monitor the cheetah population and evaluate the impact of human activity on cheetah behaviour and survival.

Terai Region of Nepal

Peat bogs

• Ecosystem

  • peat forms when plant material is inhibited from fully decaying by acidic and anaerobic conditions

  • normally occurs in wet or boggy areas

  • peat is many composed of wetland vegetation eg mosses, sedges, and shrubs

  • the plants in peat bogs have adapted to grow and thrive in wet conditions with few nutrients

  • support insects like butterflies, moths, dragonflies, and damselflies

  • lack of predators and human disturbance makes some peatland ideal for bird nesting

  • abundance of insects and nutritious vegetation provides food

  • large areas of open ground provide ideal hunting grounds for birds of prey

• Declining ecosystem

  • lowland raised bogs are an example of a peatland ecosystem

  • rare and threatened habitat

  • in UK the area of relatively undisturbed lowland raised bog is estimated to have diminished by over 90% from around 950km² → 60km² in last 100 years

  • maintenance will contribute to flood management, erosion control downstream, and carbon storage

  • decline comes from afforestation, peat extraction, and agricultural intensification, including land drainage

• Conservation

  • the key is to maintain or restore appropriate water levels

  • ensuring that the peat and vegetation of the bog surface is as undisturbed and as wet as possible

    • surrounded by ditches to allow water run off

    • ditch blocking may be required for a period of time to raise the water table to the bog surface

  • removal of seedling trees from the area

    • trees have high water requirement due to transpiration

    • and tree seedling should be removed thus far

  • controlled grazing to maintain the biodiversity of peatland

    • grazing ensures a diverse wetland surface in terms of structure and species composition

Examples of environmentally sensitive habitats