This study focusses on the hydrogeology of Urema Graben, especially possible interactions between surface water and groundwater around Lake Urema, in Gorongosa National Park (GNP). Lake Urema is the only permanent water source for wildlife inside GNP, and there are concerns that it will disappear due to interferences in surface-water/groundwater interactions as a result of changes in the hydraulic environment. As the lake is the only permanent water source, this would be a disaster for the ecosystem of the park. The sub-surface geology in Urema Graben was investigated by 20 km of electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) and three magnetic resonance sounding (MRS) surveys. The average depth penetration was 60 and 100 m, respectively. The location of the ERT lines was decided based on general rift morphology and therefore orientated perpendicular to Urema Graben, from the transitional areas of the margins of the Barue platform in the west to the Cheringoma plateau escarpments in the east. ERT and MRS both indicate a second aquifer, where Urema Lake is a window of the first upper semi-confined aquifer, while the lower aquifer is confined by a clay layer 30–40 m thick. The location and depth of this aquifer suggest that it is probably linked to the Pungwe River which could be a main source of recharge during the dry season. If a dam or any other infra-structure is constructed in Pungwe River upstream of GNP, the groundwater level will decrease which could lead to drying out of Urema Lake.

The effect of radial distance from water sources (RDW) on plant volume, hiding cover (HC) and the presence of white-tailed deer was assessed. The study was conducted in the state of Puebla, Mexico. Stratified random sampling was used to select five areas with a RDW of less than 800 m, four between 800-1,600 m and four greater than 1,600 m. Plant volume was estimated in these areas and they were the starting point of transects in which HC and the number of white-tailed deer and coyote fecal pellet groups (PGs) were estimated. The number of white-tailed deer PGs increased as the RDW increased (Tukey; P < 0.05), while coyote PGs remained within the 800-m radius (X² = 0.004). The RDW did not affect HC (Tukey, P > 0.05). The relationship between RDW, HC and PGs was established using Poisson and polynomial regression. Poisson regression showed that RDW and HC significantly changed (X²; P < 0.0004 and P < 0.0001) the PG number. The polynomial equation showed that HC has a good correlation (R² = 0.72) with PGs. | El efecto de la distancia radial al agua (DRA) sobre el volumen vegetal, la cobertura de escape (CE) y la presencia del venado cola blanca, se evaluó. El trabajo se realizó en el estado de Puebla, México. Cinco áreas con una DRA menor a 800 m, cuatro entre 800-1,600 y cuatro mayores a 1,600 m, fueron seleccionadas utilizando un modelo completamente al azar. El volumen vegetal se estimó en estas áreas y fueron el punto de inicio de transectos en los cuales se estimó la CE y el número de grupos fecales (GFs) de venado cola blanca y coyote. Los GFs de venado cola blanca aumentaron conforme aumentaba la DRA (Tukey; P < 0.05) mientras que los de coyote se mantuvieron dentro de los 800 m de radio (X² = 0.004). La DRA no afectó la CE (Tukey; P > 0.05). La relación entre la DRA, CE y GFs, se estableció con un análisis de regresión de Poisson y un polinomial. La regresión de Poisson mostró que la DRA y la CE modifican significativamente (X²; P < 0.0004 y P < 0.0001) el número de GFs. La ecuación polinomial mostró que la CE tiene buena correlación (R² = 0.72) con los GFs.