Herbivory: Mammalian Grazers and Browsers

Abstract

AbstractThe history of African savannas is characterised by the coevolution of C4 grasses, savannas, herbivores and humans. Rainfall seasonality and fire in the tropics have interacted with vegetation in the evolution of African savanna biomes and herbivores. Particularly in the arid/eutrophic savannas, the evolution of African herbivores has seen adaptations such as the ruminant gut and hypsodont teeth, two features of antelope that were precursors to their radiation. The ecological, physiological and evolutionary processes involved that led to the diversity and abundance of Africa’s wildlife fauna are described. Conversely, the negative impacts of the rapid increase in domestic livestock (cattle, sheep, goats) in Africa over the past 2000 years has led to habitat degradation, frequent mass mortalities of both livestock and pastoralists, and of indigenous wildlife populations. Landscape-level vegetation transformation, from open savannas to closed, unproductive thickets, often follow poor animal and rangeland management practices.