| Summary: | Magister Scientiae (Biodiversity and Conservation Biology) === Desertification deteriorates the landscape functionality of rangelands, affecting the resilience
of biome boundaries which have a cascade effect not only in vegetation composition and
characteristics but also in animal communities. The balance between plants and small
mammals are essential in maintaining the functionality (i.e. nutrient cycling, soil stability,
and water infiltration) of rangeland which includes the arid Steinkopf communal rangeland.
However, the landscape functionality of rangelands has not been extensively studied,
especially in communal areas where desertification is a serious concern since many people
farm with livestock to survive. The aim of this study was to assess landscape functionality
along an arid biome boundary and its relationship to small mammal assemblages. This study
further aimed to provide a local landscape perspective of the current desertification process
and projected expansion of the Desert Biome into more mesic biomes in South Africa.
Three replicates for three Desert Biome, ecotone and Succulent Karoo Biome sites (27 sites
in total) were selected to assess landscape functionality and survey small mammal
assemblages over a one-year period. The change in landscape functionality between the three
areas was assessed to determine the resilience of the biome boundary to desertification. For
each small mammal survey, 216 live Sherman traps were set up during the summer and
winter seasons to account for breeding, mortality, and possible migration. With the data, the
body condition index, population density, and diversity were quantified.
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