Structural and Animal Species Diversity in Arid and Semi-arid Savannas of the Southern Kalahari

Abstract

The world is witnessing a decline in species diversity. In order to explore and preserve species diversity, ecologists still search for fundamental principles which may shape species diversity patterns in space and time. In arid and semi-arid savannas of the southern Kalahari in Southern Africa land use and climate change are two anthropogenic drivers which have a considerable impact on local animal species diversity. These drivers affect species diversity either directly or indirectly via changes in the 'structural diversity', i.e., vegetation-based landscape and habitat structures at relevant spatial scales. Here, we present an overview on empirical and modeling studies which focus on animal species diversity and response patterns of indicative species in the southern Kalahari. We show that land use forms such as wood cutting for charcoal and firewood production or shrub encroachment as a result of commercial cattle farming may have varying effects depending on the species or species group and the spatial scale that is considered. However, as a general conclusion we believe that land use in its present form is of particular concern and will have profound, mostly negative, consequences for animal diversity in the southern Kalahari. Furthermore, we provide several examples of how simulation models developed for indicative 'species may help to evaluate the possible impact of climate change as well as changes in structural diversity of the vegetation.