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Further evidence of exogenous processes regulating the population of zebra in the Serengeti
Author(s) -
SENZOTA R. B. M.
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
african journal of ecology
Language(s) - French
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.499
H-Index - 54
eISSN - 1365-2028
pISSN - 0141-6707
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2028.1988.tb01124.x
Subject(s) - ungulate , population , wildebeest , geography , ecology , humanities , biology , demography , philosophy , sociology , national park
Summary Between 1970 and 1980 the population size of the migratory zebra in the Serengeti remained constant. During the same period the population of wildebeest, also a large migratory ungulate, increased in a manner compatible with existing ecological theories. Sinclair & Norton‐Griffiths (1982) have produced evidence to suggest that predation pressure was the factor that prevented the zebra population from increasing. This paper presents further evidence, based on population structure, which shows that the size of zebra population should have increased. RÉSUMEÉ Entre 1970 et 1980, la population de zèbres migrateurs du Serengeti est demeurée constante. Pendant le měme période, la population de gnous, autre grand ongulé migrateur, a augmenté d'une manière compatible avec les théories écologiques existantes. Sinclair et Norton‐Griffiths (1982) ont présenté des éléments suggérant que la pression des prédateurs était le facteur qui empèche la population de zèbres de s'accroǐtre. J'apporte la preuve, basée sur la structure de la population, qui montre que le population de zèbres aurait augmenté.