title: Energy availability and density estimates in African ungulates.
abstract: While many studies have investigated the link between primary productivity and species richness, the link between primary productivity and species abundance is still poorly understood. We explored how primary productivity, assessed by the satellite-based normalized difference vegetation index, influenced density estimates in 13 African ungulate species. We found that primary productivity generally correlated positively with density estimates. However, this link was more pronounced for some species than for others, and information regarding the area surveyed needed to be taken into account to highlight this functional relationship. Detailed consideration of measurements of productivity in broadscale studies identify a general link between primary productivity and abundance of African ungulates and highlight remote-sensing-based analyses as a potentially crucial tool in assessing the population consequences of future changes in primary productivity on this continent.
authors.affiliation: Zoological Society of London, Institute of Zoology, Regent's Park, London NW1 4RY, United Kingdom. nathalie.pettorelli@ioz.ac.uk
authors.forename: Nathalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Pettorelli
authors.forename: Jakob
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bro-Jørgensen
authors.forename: Sarah M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Durant
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Blackburn
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Carbone
mesh_terms: D000349:Africa; D000818:Animals; D001188:Artiodactyla; D018533:Biomass; D008954:Models, Biological; D010527:Perissodactyla; D010944:Plants; D011156:Population Density; D017215:Satellite Communications