Artificial Water Provisioning: The Effect on Vegetation

Theme Sub-theme Risk Discussion
Definition N/A area of vegetation degradation surrounding a
watering point
Shape N/A typically circular, but can vary based on
animal response to wind, topography, and
spatially heterogeneous vegetation
Sacrifice
zone
High area within 100 m of watering hole where soil
compaction is severe and herbaceous
vegetation cannot survive
Piosphere
Effect of
Distance
N/A vegetation degradation is expected to be worst
near the watering hole and decrease at greater
distances
Grazing
Intensity
Very High High could result in the local extinction of certain
species of grass
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High High results in the decline in species present, the
decline abundance of remaining species, and
the dominance by a few increaser species
Moderate Low greater species richness when grazing is at
moderate levels around a watering hole
Domestic
Stock
High causes the removal of palatable species
(mostly perennial grasses) close to the
watering point, leading to the dominance of
unpalatable species
Sacrifice
zone
High area within 100 m of watering hole where
herbaceous vegetation cannot survive
Beyond
sacrifice zone
Moderate abundance and species richness of herbaceous
vegetation increased beyond the sacrifice
zone, with palatable perennial grasses
dominating
Graminoids
near watering
hole
Moderate poor quality, increaser graminoid species are
favored because of high grazing and trampling
intensity
Herbaceous
vegetation
Graminoids
at a greater
distance from
watering hole
Moderate open grasslands of decreaser species
(predominantly perennials) are expected at
greater distances from water source
Bush
encroachment
High increase in unpalatable shrubs and stunted
trees in the place of herbaceous vegetation
near watering holes
Effect on fire
regime
Moderate fine fuel production is reduced close to water
troughs, thereby allowing the encroachment of
woody vegetation
Effect on soil Moderate soil nearest to the watering site is often
enriched in nutrients as a result of frequent
urination and defecation by grazing herbivores
Woody
Vegetation
Shrub
presence
Moderate increased shrub presence is observed near
watering holes as a result of higher nutrient
content in soil and infrequent fires
Standing crop
materials
High water provisioning results in a decrease in the
amount of standing crop materials present
because of increased grazing
Rangeland
Condition
Rangeland
use
High water provisioning results in a wider spread of
rangeland use and a decline in areas greater
than ten kilometers from a permanent water
source in KNP, reducing habitat diversity
Long Term
Effects
Reversibility Low Some studies have shown that effects of water
provisioning are temporary and reversible, but
vegetation is unlikely to recover to its original
state
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Irreversibility High Other studies show that water provisioning
lead to irreversible degradation at the
landscape level
Dry season High certain piosphere characteristics such as the
amount of defoliation will reach a maximum
in the dry season
Wet season Low grass growth will increase the graminoid
cover and thus decrease the amount of bare
soil in the piosphere during the wet season