Abstract:
Arid and semi-arid ecosystems are water limited ecosystems. Thus, understanding the spatial and
temporal dynamics in water availability is critical. In this study, we tested whether and to what
extent we can use remotely sensed data to estimate the spatial and temporal distribution of
surface water based on a semi arid region in the South-East Lowveld of Zimbabwe. Next, we
tested the extent of interaction between wildlife and domestic herbivore at waterholes based on
four years of data. Results show that remote sensing derived MNDWI can successfully (Kappa=
94%) be used to map surface water in semi arid environments. Results also showed that surface
water is significantly predicted from annual rainfall (r2=0.98, p<0.01 for the wet season and for
the dry season (r2 =0.96, P < 0.01). Furthermore, results show evidence of interaction between
wild and domestic herbivores but mainly at waterholes located at the boundary of the protected
areas and in the agricultural areas. Finally, results of this study demonstrate that animal species
diversity declines significantly along a gradient from protected areas to agricultural areas. These
findings could provide an important avenue for undestanding livestock and wildlife interactions
in African savannas.
