ICRISAT Archival Report 2006 - The seedlings of success in the ...

2.2.4 Contribution to the overall DMP project goal and objectives
This strategy/approach plays a small but significant role in improving rural livelihoods (Output 4) and food security
in South Africa. Through environmental education, the first brick is laid in children’s views, expectations and
treatment of the natural resources and biodiversity.
Through environmental education a contribution is made to the objectives of the Desert Margins Program by
developing a better understanding of the causes, extent and severity of land degradation in natural grazing systems
in the Desert Margins. Through practical sessions the exchange of knowledge about the environment is carried out
among children and also between specialists and children. Coupled with this is the fact that the target groups are
involved in planning and execution of the information sessions and ultimately leads to an increase in capacity
(Outputs 3 and 7).
2.2.5 Projected potential impact
The aim is to reach a total of approximately 30 schools and 3000 children within the four target areas in South
Africa, if the current activities are continued during the next two years.
2.3 Birds as bio-indicators of impact of land-use in arid rangelands
Desertification, whether due to anthropogenic pressures, climate change or other factors, has become a global
concern. The far reaching effects of desertification have prompted the formation of the United Nations Convention
for the Control of Desertification (UNCCD) and the initiation of the Desert Margins Program (DMP) in order to
attempt to control desertification. This study formed part of the first phase of the DMP, but refinement and
implementation of the use of birds as bio-indicators is continued in the 2nd phase.
2.3.1 The basis of the technology’s success
The results showed a definite decline in bird species diversity with an increase in land degradation, especially due to
the simplification of the vegetation structure because of grazing. Both bird species diversity and the number of birds
declined with the increase in land degradation. The guild analysis showed that although the actual number of species
occurring at the various sites changed, aggregations remained relatively similar with regard to feeding guilds. At all
the sites, analysis of feeding guilds showed that insectivores were the guild’s most represented, with granivores
second most and then a variation in other guilds at each site. Breeding guilds showed a much greater variation in
percentage composition of the guilds. At sites with less shrub and tree strata, ground nesting species were better
represented, whereas the sites with a better developed tree and shrub strata had a greater occurrence of tree nesting
birds than the other guilds. The deduction to be made from this is that bird species composition changes can be
attributed to their nesting needs to a much greater extent than their feeding needs.
Bird species varied in their response to changes in the vegetation structure at different sites with specialist species,
such as raptors and specialist insectivores being more vulnerable to changes in vegetation structure than generalist
species, such as granivores and generalist insectivores. It was shown that vegetation structure played the most
important role in determining species diversity, in the Molopo district of the North-West Province. Bird diversity
has also been shown by this study to be a cost effective, easy way of determining the degree of degradation, as well
as a possible tool for monitoring the effectiveness of restoration.
2.3.2 How is it implemented?
Four sites were chosen to represent different degrees of degradation. Vegetation structure analyses were carried out
at each of the sites in order to determine the degree of change brought about by land use. The birds at each of these
sites were surveyed using transects. Surveys were repeated over four seasons to give some indication of the effects
of seasonality on bird populations of the different sites. Statistical analysis was carried out.
Bird diversity as indicator of land use will be communicated through the development of Common Language
Indicators (CLI) to communities, such as schools, farmer groups, and conservation authorities through pamphlets
and presentations. The Endangered Wildlife Trust is a partner in this endeavor with advice on communication. This
aspect is and lessons learned as well as CLI will being developed be implemented in Phase 3.
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