Waterhole Dynamics and Chemical Signals of African Elephants (<i> Loxodonta Africana </i>)

<p>The distribution of mammals in a savanna environment is influenced by abiotic and biotic factors. The African savanna experiences distinct wet and dry seasons. Species become spatially restricted around water resources during the dry season, resulting in increased intraspecies and interspecies resource-based aggregation. A dominate species, such as the African elephant (Loxodonta africana), may influence this aggregation. I examined the influence of wet and dry seasons and ambient temperature on the use of a waterhole by elephants as well as the co-occurrence of elephants and other mammals at the waterhole. Biodiversity scans (October 2004-June 2007) and were performed at a permanent waterhole on the Ndarakwai Ranch in northern Tanzania. More elephant and mammal species used the waterhole during the dry season and during higher ambient temperatures. Elephant-mammal co-occurrence was rare, suggesting the workings of interference competition by elephants. Intraspecific aggregation at waterholes can facilitate reproductive communication in elephants, often via chemical signals. This study also determined behaviorally via biological assays (June 2006-June 2007) whether four known insect pheromones identified in the ovulatory urine of African elephants serve as sex-specific pheromones. When tested singly, none of the four compounds evoked significant behavioral responses compared to control samples. Although this experiment was unable to confirm behaviorally an African elephant chemical signal, it provided insight into the next phase of study.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science in Biology (M.S.)

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis (open access)

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Department of Biology

Year dc:date.available

2008

Author dc:creator

• Castelda, Stacie Marie

Contributors dc:contributor

• Risa A. Cohen
• Lance D. McBrayer

• ETD
• Resource-based aggregation
• Interference competition
• Chemosensory
• African savanna elephant
• African elephant
• Competition (Biology)
• Biology
• Population Biology
• Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecology

Repository record dc:identifier

https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/etd/723

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu:etd-1723