Large mammalian herbivores and woody plant species diversity in Zimbabwe

Study sites from various tree savannas and miombo woodland with adjacent areas with different herbivore species (game and cattle) and stocking rates were selected from around Zimbabwe. Using the fence-lines separating the adjacent areas, 60 m(2) plots were placed on both sides of the fence at 18 randomly chosen positions. The identity and number of plants of each woody species were recorded in paired 60 m(2) plots. There were no significant differences in the woody species richness between paired plots for any of the fence-line contrasts. For only two of the fence-line contrasts were there significant differences (P < 0.05) in the relative abundance of woody species. For the first fence-line contrast, the stocking rates were the same, but the herbivore species present were different, while for the second fence-line contrast, the numbers of herbivore species present were the same, but the stocking rates differed. Even though there were no differences in the numbers of woody plant species present, there were differences in the woody plant species and the numbers of plants of each species: the second most common species was different for three fence-line contrasts and the third most common species was different for four fence-line contrasts.