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    Identifying feedback loops in the trophic network and then quantifying their relative importance for ecosystem functioning is crucial for unraveling the processes that influence an ecosystem’s capacity to evolve and self-organize. One of the most important forms of feedback mechanisms present in almost all ecosystems are nutrient loops. Our project investigates the relative importance of the three main biomass consumers in African savannas (herbivores, fire, and macrodetrivores) in relation to lawn, bunch, and shrub vegetation and how this relationship varies with rain. The study took place in Hluhluwe iMfolozi Park, South Africa, where we performed exclosure experiments and vegetation surveys across a rainfall gradient. Our results showed that rainfall had a significant effect on biomass production and decomposition and vegetation types behaved differently in response to rain. Furthermore, we found several inflection points of ecosystem dynamics at mid-rainfall levels, which might be related to the stability of the vegetation mosaic. Lastly, we demonstrated how information theory can be used to explore the stability of ecosystems. This project is an initial exploration for a more in-depth and long-term study to understand the life-sustaining emergent properties of savannah ecosystems. Defense presentation for Master's degree in Ecology and Evolution from University of Groningen.

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    Identifying feedback loops in the trophic network and then quantifying their relative importance for ecosystem functioning is crucial for unraveling the processes that influence an ecosystem’s capacity to evolve and self-organize. One of the most important forms of feedback mechanisms present in almost all ecosystems are nutrient loops. Our project investigates the relative importance of the three main biomass consumers in African savannas (herbivores, fire, and macrodetrivores) in relation to lawn, bunch, and shrub vegetation and how this relationship varies with rain. The study took place in Hluhluwe iMfolozi Park, South Africa, where we performed exclosure experiments and vegetation surveys across a rainfall gradient. Our results showed that rainfall had a significant effect on biomass production and decomposition and vegetation types behaved differently in response to rain. Furthermore, we found several inflection points of ecosystem dynamics at mid-rainfall levels, which might be related to the stability of the vegetation mosaic. Lastly, we demonstrated how information theory can be used to explore the stability of ecosystems. This project is an initial exploration for a more in-depth and long-term study to understand the life-sustaining emergent properties of savannah ecosystems. Defense presentation for Master's degree in Ecology and Evolution from University of Groningen.

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    29 views70 pages

    Alternative Nutrient Loops in African Savannas - Presentation

    Uploaded by

    HumanCoral
    Identifying feedback loops in the trophic network and then quantifying their relative importance for ecosystem functioning is crucial for unraveling the processes that influence an ecosystem’s capacity to evolve and self-organize. One of the most important forms of feedback mechanisms present in almost all ecosystems are nutrient loops. Our project investigates the relative importance of the three main biomass consumers in African savannas (herbivores, fire, and macrodetrivores) in relation to lawn, bunch, and shrub vegetation and how this relationship varies with rain. The study took place in Hluhluwe iMfolozi Park, South Africa, where we performed exclosure experiments and vegetation surveys across a rainfall gradient. Our results showed that rainfall had a significant effect on biomass production and decomposition and vegetation types behaved differently in response to rain. Furthermore, we found several inflection points of ecosystem dynamics at mid-rainfall levels, which might be related to the stability of the vegetation mosaic. Lastly, we demonstrated how information theory can be used to explore the stability of ecosystems. This project is an initial exploration for a more in-depth and long-term study to understand the life-sustaining emergent properties of savannah ecosystems. Defense presentation for Master's degree in Ecology and Evolution from University of Groningen.

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    of 70

    Alterna(ve

    nutrient loops in African savannas

    Francisco Laso
    Erasmus Mundus Master Programme in Evolu(onary Biology

    Supervisors: Michiel Veldhuis, Dr. Han Ol
    Community and Conserva(on Ecology
    Centre for Ecological and Evolu(onary Studies
    University of Groningen

    Dung
    Grazing

    LiEer

    Nutrients

    Urea

    Fine OM
    Nutrients
    Research Ques(ons
    Depending on vegeta(on type, which consumer is
    the main consumer?

    How does this vary across a rainfall gradient?

    Herbivores Fire Macrodetrivores


    Site Descrip<on

    Study sites
    819.6 mm/year Rainfall Gradient

    531.8 mm/year
    Lawn grass
    Bunch grass
    Trees/shrubs
    Lawn grass
    Bunch grass
    Trees/shrubs
    Lawn grass
    Bunch grass
    Trees/shrubs
    Lawn grass
    Bunch grass
    Trees/shrubs
    Herbivores
    Macrodetrivores

    Termites
    Earthworms
    Dung beetles
    Isopods
    Copepods

    Credit: Ruth Howison


    Fire

    Balfour and Howison (2002)


    Hypotheses
    Macrodetrivores

    Woody plants Fire

    Herbivores

    Macrodetrivores

    Soil Bunch Grass Fire

    Herbivores

    Macrodetrivores

    Lawn Grass Fire

    Herbivores
    Hypotheses

    Rainfall

    Fire Grazers

    Lawn Grass Macrodetrivores

    Microbes

    Fire Grazers

    Bunch Grass Macrodetrivores

    Microbes

    Fire Grazers
    Loop weight

    Tree/Shrubs Macrodetrivores

    Microbes
    Experimental setup
    Control
    Control
    (Dont cut)

    3m

    Cut

    Herbivore exclosures on dierent vegeta(on types


    Control
    Control
    (Dont cut)

    Measure biomass
    40cm x 40cm

    Cut

    1m

    Steel mesh to
    exclude herbivores
    Experimental setup
    Control
    Control
    (Dont cut)

    3m

    Cut

    Caged two most dominant shrub species on each site


    Experimental setup
    Control
    Control
    (Dont cut)

    3m

    Cut

    Contains 5g of mixed liEer from sites across the rainfall gradient


    Control: 1g of liEer inside ne mesh to exclude macrodetrivores
    Control
    Control Control
    Control
    (Dont cut)

    Consump(on
    u c( on
    Prod

    Cut

    T0 Time T1
    Control
    Control Control
    Control
    (Dont cut)

    Consump(on
    u c( on
    Prod

    Cut

    Decomposi(on

    T0 Time T1
    Fire consump(on
    Cannot measure directly
    (seasonality)

    Fire frequency at each


    site from literature and
    previous data

    Exclosure and decomposi<on experiments

    Woody plants

    Bunch Grass

    50m Lawn Grass

    12 Exclosures
    3 lawn
    3 bunch
    3 x 2 shrub spp.
    9 Decomposi(on sta(ons
    3 on each veg type
    50m
    Vegeta<on Surveys

    Woody plants

    Bunch Grass

    50m Lawn Grass

    On-site es(mate of
    vegeta(on cover and
    biomass of each
    vegeta(on type.


    50m

    Response variables
    Vegeta(on Cover
    Produc(on
    Consump(on
    Decomposi(on
    Explanatory variables

    Rainfall (GIS)
    Grazer total abundance (Maxent data)
    Termite density index (0-20, transect data)
    EW density index (0-20, transect data)
    Fire frequency (1955-2012)

    Model selec(on
    Produc(on ~ Rainfall *
    Consump(on ~Grazers *
    Decomposi(on ~ Termites * Earthworms *
    Checked for correla(on and colinearity
    PCA
    VIF values
    Tested linear and quadra(c models
    Mixed eects models
    Vegeta(on survey
    P=0.058030

    P=0.000174

    PC1+PC2=79%
    P=0.05528

    P=0.00938

    P=0.05567

    P=0.05303

    PC1+PC2=78% Rain: Termite P=0.01047


    P=0.001074

    P=0.001046

    P=0.079777

    PC1+PC2=73%
    Produc<on
    P=0.00131

    P=0.00454

    P=0.01295

    PC1+PC2=69% Rainfall:EW P=0.00135


    P=0.0805

    PC1+PC2=78%
    P=0.181

    P=0.177

    P=0.137

    PC1+PC2=77%
    Consump<on
    P=0.000341

    P=0.008640

    P=0.002057

    PC1+PC2=69%
    P=0.0833

    P=0.0833

    PC1+PC2=79% Grazer:Fire P=0.0842


    P=>0.8

    P=>0.8

    P=>0.8

    PC1+PC2=75%
    Decomposi<on
    P=0.647

    P=0.647
    P=0.771

    P=0.800

    PC1+PC2=74%
    P<0.001

    P<0.001

    P<0.001

    EW:Termite P=0.001
    PC1+PC2=77% Rain:Termite P<0.001
    P=0.01663

    P=0.007

    P=0.00461

    Rain: EW P=0.00675
    PC1+PC2=79% Rain:Termite P=0.00489
    Discussion
    Discussion

    Experimental design needs to be improved
    Cages being destroyed by animals
    Caging a branch is imprac(cal
    Nega(ve produc(on and consump(on
    Count tuos of grass before deciding if a site for
    caging is comparable to its control
    Few data points
    Longer (me
    Lots of shrub biomass expected on mid-
    rainfall levels
    Lots of shrub biomass expected on mid-
    rainfall levels
    Lots of shrub biomass expected on mid-
    rainfall levels
    Produc(on: nega(ve eect of rainfall makes
    sense only with nega(ve Rain:Grazer
    rela(onship

    P=0.0805
    Consump(on: Direct and indirect eects of
    re and termites
    P=0.000341

    P=0.008640

    P=0.002057
    Decomposi(on: lowest rates found at mid-
    rainfall levels. Evidence of alternate states?
    Decomposi(on: lowest rates found at mid-
    rainfall levels. Evidence of alternate states?

    Decomposi(on: lowest rates found at mid-rainfall
    levels. Evidence of alternate states?
    650mm/yr:
    Maximum woody vegeta(on cover (Sankaran et al 2005)
    Standing biomass maximum
    Termites and Earthworms switch abundances
    Lowest decomposi(on rates for bunch
    Below: lawn-herbivore loop dominates
    Above: re/bunch and
    forest/macrodetrivore loops coexist
    Plant and liEer quality has an eect on
    herbivore abundances, which in turn maintain
    stability of the system
    We can use informa(on theory to explore
    that! (Ulanowicz 2009)
    Ascendancy Overhead Capacity Degree of order

    A / C

    Quan(fying trophic Quan(fying Capacity for


    ows dissipa(ve ows development
    (everything that (increasing
    maintains order in a entropy)
    system)
    Grazers Fire

    Consump(on Combus(on

    Deposi(on Ash

    Lawn Bunch

    Produc(on Produc(on
    Decomposi(on
    Decomposi(on

    Soil/Macrodetrivores
    Acknowledgements

    To my supervisors Han Ol and Michiel Veldhuis, to the rest of the Hluhluwe Four,
    to Falakhe (our guard in the eld), to everyone who helped sort grass, to Ruth Howison
    and Rachel Engstrand. THANK YOU!

    Ques(ons?

    Ques(ons?
    Bunch Grass Woody plants
    Water availability

    Lawn Grass

    Nutrient availability

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