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Climate-related extreme events pose a major threat to biodiversity and wildlife habitats. Cyclones and floods cause major disruptions to ecosystems, and the southern African region has not been spared from the impact of these natural disasters. Yet to date, limited studies have profiled the effects of cyclone and flood events on biodiversity and wildlife resources in southern Africa. This chapter, therefore, assesses the impact of cyclones and floods on biodiversity and wildlife resources in southern Africa for the period 1974–2019. A systematic review of literature on cyclone and flood events was done using Google Scholar, electronic databases and technical reports. Documents with relevant titles and abstracts on cyclones and floods were selected based on key search words and phrases relevant to biodiversity and wildlife resources. The findings from this review indicate that between 1975 and 2019, cyclones and floods hit parts of southern Africa. This has resulted in changes in the structure and composition of marine, terrestrial and freshwater habitats. These changes have had significant implications on the availability of ecosystem goods and services. Additionally, the results of this review reveal that a firm understanding of the influence of climate change–induced extreme events on biodiversity and wildlife resources by relevant stakeholders is vital for the promotion of adaptive biodiversity management strategies. They also point to the need for future studies which focus on real-time monitoring of the affected habitats and which compare the diversity of species before and after cyclone and flood events.

This study investigates climate change adaptation and mitigation interventions within the framework of green economy for sustainable development and poverty eradication in the Middle Zambezi Biosphere Reserve, Zimbabwe. The study adopted a mixed methods approach, mainly drawing data from field observations, focus group discussions (FGDs) drawing representatives from a household survey and key informant interviews. Primary data were collected in April and August 2015 from FGDs whose participants were derived from household heads who had previously participated in a broader climate change study. Key informant interviews were also held with traditional leaders, local experts and managers in the wildlife sectors. This was supplemented with data from secondary sources. Findings from the study indicate that stakeholders in the biosphere reserve implement green economy and climate change-related programmes and projects. Results also indicate that the biodiversity- and/or wildlife-related laws and policies developed prior to 2010 do not directly mention the term green economy and climate change yet these indirectly address the green economy agenda. However, recent soft law documents (post 2010) such as the Zimbabwe’s National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (2013–2020) and local councils’ strategic plans prioritise climate change adaptation, mitigation and green economy-related issues. Although the wildlife sector has green economy-related initiatives in place, there exists a gap in terms of mainstreaming the green economy concept in biodiversity-related policies.

In this paper, we aim to explore community livelihoods and conservation issues surrounding natural resources that are utilised by resettled farmers within the Middle Zambezi Biosphere Reserve, Zimbabwe. Data collection was done in two phases. During the first phase undertaken in 2011, we administered household interviews, held focus group discussions (FGDs) and conducted in-depth interviews. The second phase, conducted in 2015, used FGDs and key informant interviews to gather data on changes in livelihoods and natural resources. Findings indicated limited options of social, human and financial capital. However, diverse livelihoods strategies are pursued in order to minimize the risk of biodiversity degradation. Structural factors that can contribute to cause biodiversity degradation include the failure of the CAMPFIRE Programme; natural resources governance flaws; contests over space and power, and weak policing by institutions devoted to the protection of natural resources. In conclusion, the authors observe how the institutions involved in the management of the protected natural area fail to promote the participation of the local community in the decision-making processes, thus limiting the potential benefits of the designation of the Middle Zambezi Biosphere Reserve.

Institutions of Higher Education, particularly universities contribute immensely to the United Nations landmark 2030 agenda and the achievement of its Sustainable Development Goals—the SDGs. Universities are uniquely placed to broken links between different sectors through fostering cross-cutting approaches to achieving the climate change-related sustainable development goals. This chapter documents the extent to which Chinhoyi University of Technology (CUT) in Zimbabwe contributes towards achieving the climate change-related SDGs (specifically SDG #13) through research, community engagement, and teaching. The chapter relied on desktop reviews of grey literature produced by the university in the form of reports, research records, and the CUT database. The data was interpreted using content analysis. Findings indicate that the university offers modules with components on climate change especially in the School of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SAST) as well as School of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation (SWEC). The study also found that apart from taught degree programmes, some academics collaborate internally and with external stakeholders towards research activities and community programmes, which contribute towards climate change science, adaptation, mitigation, and resilience in Zimbabwe and Africa. CUT can be used as a model on how universities can translate climate-related research into policy and action through fostering linkages between academics and other stakeholders towards climate smart development initiatives.

Background: This study explores the role of local ecological knowledge (LEK) in climate change prediction and adaptation in Africa, including a case study of the Middle Zambezi Biosphere Reserve (MZBR), Zimbabwe. The study used both 228quantitative and qualitative methods to collect data that included household surveys, desktop reviews of published journal articles, key informant interviews, and focus group discussions (FGDs). The household surveys, key informant interviews, and FGDs focused on climate change prediction as well as biodiversity-related coping and adaptation strategies. Both the literature review and the case study indicated that local communities at the agriculture-wildlife interface rely on both ethnobotanical and ethnozoological knowledge, particularly ethnophenology to predict and cope with the changing climate. By observing the phenology of animal and plant species and abiotic indicators, local communities are able to predict climatic events. Relevance: Ecosystem-based adaptation strategies such as water conservation and harvesting of wildlife resources for consumption have enabled local communities to develop resilience to climate change. Local communities harvest wildlife resources to avert food shortages during drought periods. There is therefore a need to promote sustainable utilization of wildlife resources during drought periods to avoid disappearance of the species under a changing climate. LEK plays a vital role in promoting climate change resilience within terrestrial socio-ecological systems and consequently sustainable rural livelihoods and conservation of wildlife resources.

This study analysed the status of ecotourism and related developments in the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Conservation Area (GLTFCA) with some specific examples drawn from Zimbabwe. The objectives of the study were to: (i) explore the evolution of wildlife conservation and ecotourism related enterprise development by local communities, and (ii) determine factors influencing local community-owned wildlife conservation and ecotourism related enterprises in the GLTFCA. The study was based on two data collection methods, i.e., documentary review of academic literature and reports, and key informant interviews with 30 selected stakeholders from Chipinge and Chiredzi districts conducted between January and June 2018. The findings showed that there is some progress related to initiatives to help improve community-based wildlife conservation and cross border ecotourism. However, some challenges attributed to lack of market linkages and networks, macro-economic challenges faced by Zimbabwe which escalated since the year 2000 and limited institutional capacity of community-based institutions are negatively affecting the achievement of the desired targets. It is recommended that participatory planning and enhanced involvement of the local communities in wildlife conservation and ecotourism related enterprises be prioritized.

Scat hair presents a diverse profile of hairs for morphological assessment that may find versatile applications in wildlife forensic investigations. Successful morphological assessment of scat hair microstructure, however, depends on a robust sectioning methodology. We assessed the feasibility and efficacy of a cryosectioning technique compared to that of a gold standard hand-sectioning technique. Scat hairs were embedded in paraffin wax and hand-sectioned, while cryopreserved scat hairs were sectioned with a cryostat. The results showed that cryosectioning preserved the pristine morphology of the scat hair and provided cross sections more amenable to high-resolution imaging of hair internal microstructure than hand-sectioning. The cryosectioning technique may find novel applications as a more reliable and robust technique to aid (i) scat hair internal microstructure analysis for cross-referencing with species identification keys in wildlife forensic studies and (ii) downstream toxicological analysis in wildlife forensic studies as hair biochemistry is not altered during cryopreservation.

Understanding local community perceptions on impacts, causes, and responses to climate change is vital for promotion of community resilience towards climate change. This study explored local ecological knowledge (LEK) held by local communities on climate change trends and impacts in the Middle Zambezi Biosphere Reserve (MZBR), Zimbabwe. The objectives of the study were to (i) investigate local community perceptions on trends and causes of climate change, (ii) identify biophysical impacts of climate change at the local level, and (iii) explore the ecosystem-based adaptation strategies towards climate change. The study used a mixed methods approach where a household questionnaire survey (n=320), key informant interviews (n=12), and focus group discussions (n=8) were used to collect data between April 2015 and October 2016. Results from the study show that local communities have observed decreasing rainfall and increasing temperatures as key indicators of climate change. Local communities observed water scarcity, changes in vegetation phenology, livestock and wildlife mortalities, and food shortages due to drought as the major impacts on their livelihoods. LEK can contribute to adaptive management strategies that enhance resilience of socioecological systems (SES) in the face of climate change by providing information on the status and use of biophysical components of the environment and by highlighting potential local adaptation strategies that can sustain key livelihood practices.

The important role indigenous knowledge systems (IKS) is described in redefining the biodiversity conservation agenda of the Chibememe and Tshovani communities in the Sangwe Communal Lands, Chiredzi, in the management of dryland ecosystems of the southeastern low veld of Zimbabwe. These communities constitute part of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Conservation Area (GLTFCA). We explored ways in which the use of IKS by Chibememe and Tshovani communities have contributed to the conservation and sustainable utilisation of forest, water and wildlife resources in light of existing contemporary scientific value systems, policy and institutional frameworks. Participant observation, interviews with traditional leaders and elders, focus group discussions and literature review techniques were employed within a case study framework. Our results revealed that IKS approaches are used in the management of dryland forest, water and wildlife resources in the Chibememe and Tshovani communities and have contributed positively to the conservation and sustainable utilisation of dryland resources. We conclude that IKS play a critical role in the management of dryland forest, water and wildlife resources at the local community level and have potential to contribute to the conservation of transfrontier conservation area resources such as in the GLTFCA, provided they are recognised, respected, preserved, protected, as well as integrated into mainstream dryland ecosystem conservation. We recommend that, for communities and their biodiversity to survive, conventional science and IKS should complement and should not seek to undermine each other.

This study assessed the population density and structure of marula (Sclerocarya birrea) in the Gonarezhou National Park (GNP) and adjacent areas, southeast Zimbabwe. Data were collected from 15 belt transects using a stratified random sampling technique (with study sites located in the northwestern Gonarezhou National Park, adjacent communal and resettlement areas) in November 2014. The study results showed that marula tree and shrub densities were highest in the Gonarezhou National Park compared to the communal and resettlement areas. The diameter size class generally showed a reverse J shape in all the land use categories implying that there was a high regeneration and low recruitment into mature marula trees. Anthropogenic uses and herbivory may likely have influenced the density and population structure of marula in the study area. Thus, continuous monitoring and adaptive management is essential in ensuring that marula species is not locally extirpated in areas of high use or damage.

Woodland ecosystems are integral and crucial to biodiversity and neighbouring human communities. These ecosystems have experienced vast changes in their physical nature which affect the roles they play, as urban expansion, agriculture, wood fuel collection and open-air churches all result in the clearing of woody vegetation. Remote sensing and geographic information system techniques are used to assess changes in woody vegetation over a 20-year period (1990–2010) around Bulawayo. Three of Bulawayo's woodland areas (Richmond, Pumula and Bellevue) were compared and used to illustrate the changes. Thirty randomly selected quadrats of 20 × 50 m2 (10 in each study site) were established to assess the population structure and species diversity of the woody vegetation. The results showed that an area of 36.38 km2 covered by woody vegetation was lost from 1990 to 2010 while built-up areas occupied an additional 47.64 km2. Richmond had the highest species diversity compared with Pumula and Bellevue while the major...

A study on the seasonal variation in population structure and status of the African buffalo (Syncerus caffer), the greater kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros) and the common impala (Aepyceros melampus) was carried out in the Mana Pools National Park floodplain, Zimbabwe. Data was collected during the wet (February) and dry (September) seasons of 2012. The simple random sampling method was employed in transect placement. A total of 10 transects were sampled. The line transect method was used to estimate dry and wet season populations of buffalo, kudu and impala. Results from the two tailed t-test showed no significant variation for the populations of kudu (P>0.05) and buffalo (P>0.05) with season. However, impala population varied significantly with season (P 0.05). Dry season mean group sizes for buffalo, kudu and impala were 9.8, 3.6 and 14.1 respectively. The population of buffalo declined from 446 in 1995 to 174 in 2012. The populations of kudu and impala showed an increasing trend between 1995 and 2012. Results from this study suggest that seasonal variation in forage availability could be the primary factor influencing the status of herbivores in the MPNP floodplain. There is an urgent need for management to revise staff and ration quotas for herbivores and increase law enforcement efforts to assure the sustainable management of herbivores in MPNP.

The Rio+20 outcomes document, the Future We Want, enshrines green economy as one of the platforms to attain sustainable development and calls for measures that seek to address climate change and biodiversity management. This paper audits climate change policies from selected east and southern African countries to determine the extent to which climate change legislation mainstreams biodiversity and wildlife management. A scan of international, continental, regional and national climate change policies was conducted to assess whether they include biodiversity and/or wildlife management issues. The key finding is that many climate change policy–related documents, particularly the National Adaptation Programme of Actions (NAPAs), address threats to biodiversity and wildlife resources. However, international policies like the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and Kyoto Protocol do not address the matter under deliberation. Regional climate change policies such as the East African Community, Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa and African Union address biodiversity and/or wildlife issues whilst the Southern African Development Community region does not have a stand-alone policy for climate change. Progressive countries like Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania and Zambia have recently put in place detailed NAPAs which are mainstream responsive strategies intended to address climate change adaptation in the wildlife sector.Keywords: mainstreaming, biodiversity, wildlife, climate change policy, east and southern Africa

The global hydrologic regime has been intensively altered through activities such as dam construction, water abstraction, and inter-basin transfers. This paper uses the Range of Variability Approach (RVA) and daily stream flow records from nine gauging stations to characterize stream-flow post dam construction in the Manyame catchment, Zimbabwe. We identify which variables continue to be altered, upstream and at different distances downstream, to distinguish sections with the highest potential for ecological disruption and to understand how hydrological alterations dissipate downstream of dams. Our results indicate that different sections of the same river have different stream-flow characteristics post dam construction. The most adverse effects of dams were on downstream stretches of the river which were characterized by low flows, extreme low flows and an increased number of zero-flow days. These differences reflect the operation rules of the Manyame catchment dams. While the change in stream-flow characteristics is apparent in the 0–10 km range, it is slightly felt in the 11–20 km range and totally disappears at distances >20 km downstream of dams. These changes in stream characteristics, and that damming is only restricted to the upper third of the catchment, make the hydrologic fragmentations in the catchment minor. However, the continued hydrologic alterations post dam construction raise important concerns about the interactions of hydrology with other factors like sediment deposition upstream of dams and climate change. We recommend that catchment managers target enhancing the natural flow variability of the river instead of meeting target flows.Keywords: damming, range of variability approach, stream-flow characteristics

Post-release monitoring of wildlife is essential to the success of ecological restoration initiatives. Translocation of wildlife to new ecosystems is associated with changes in diet profiles of individuals and ultimately animal performance, since productivity of rangelands varies in time and space. The population decline and local extinction of buffalo and other species in Umfurudzi Park, Zimbabwe, in the late 1980s led to temporary suspension of hunting activities. Recently, efforts have been made to resuscitate Umfurudzi Park through wildlife reintroductions and active ecosystem management. We assessed the diet profile and diet quality of the African buffalo ( Syncerus caffer) between 2011 and 2012. A total of 42 grass species constituted the diet spectrum of buffalo. Heteropogon contortus, Eragrostis racemosa, Steroechlaena tenuifolia and Themeda triandra contributed significantly to the buffalo diet during the four seasons of the study period. Although a wide spectrum of grass species was selected in the wet season, the diversity of grass species selected was not significantly different among the seasons. Grass species crude protein deteriorated from 4.5% in the wet season to 3.5% in the dry season. Crude protein and phosphorus levels in buffalo faecal samples were within the recommended nutrient scale for southern Africa large herbivores. We conclude that feed availability and quality may not be limiting the persistence of the reintroduced buffalo. There is a need to closely monitor grass availability, dietary shifts, and forage quality over time, as well as resource partitioning with other feeding guilds.