• Biomass is very important as it supports the entire ecosystem
We all need energy to survive in the world. Wild animals who eat plant species can only survive and thrive if there is enough plant material, like grasses, leaves and stems, to give them enough nutrition and energy to sustain them throughout the annual cycles of dry and wet seasons.
The total amount of potential plant-based food energy available in kilograms per square kilometer is measured. This is known as the plant or vegetation biomass. In the past, scientific studies have been conducted to determine the estimated sustainable biomass of the Nairobi National Park. In the dry season, the biomass was estimated to be about 5690kg per sq/km, and in the wet peak season, it was as high as 12,775 kg per sq/km.
Optimum biomass is also known as the carrying capacity, or the amount of animal species that can live in the park without downgrading the ecosystem. This is very important for the park as the total area is only 117 sq/km and the herds are not able to migrate as before due to blocked seasonal routes. Certain species also have preference for particular plant species in their diet, so there are some parts of the park that have higher herbivore populations at times.
Herbivores like zebra attract predators when they prefer to feed in certain parts of the park. In my experience, the Kingfisher area plains, Eland valley and the Athi basin are typical areas where the soil type is fertile and able to sustain larger populations of herbivores and associated predators, like lions, leopards and hyenas.
Biomass is very important as it supports the entire ecosystem. Predators would not survive without herbivores, and herbivores would not survive without sufficient plant vegetation to sustain them through the seasons. So next time you decide to visit the park, try focusing on the areas where the herbivores are feeding, and sooner or later, you could be rewarded with a predator sighting.