Pastoral grazing increased local richness while making sites more alike
WHAT THE EVIDENCE SAYS
Across nine sites, grazed plots had 71% higher alpha diversity, with especially strong forb responses, but lower beta diversity. Maasai grazed areas recorded 210 species versus 212 in the park, including 85 unique to pastoral lands.
WHY IT MATTERS / OUR READ
Mosaics of differently managed grazing areas can be valuable even when grazing homogenizes sites. Conservation decisions should track scale, local rights and community stewardship.
CAVEATS / UNCERTAINTY
Observational contrasts represent an existing pastoral system, not an experiment testing any new grazing intensity; fire and rainfall histories also differ.
SOURCE
Ecological Applications · original field study
View original evidence ↗
Greater Serengeti–Mara grazing effects change sign when the biodiversity metric changes.
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