Ecological redundancy and the research tradition of three Kanyan parks

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Abstract
National parks and equivalent reserves serve science, at least in part, as natural laboratories for original field research. In Kenya systematic research in national parks, developing in association with the new discipline, ethology, dates from the mid‐1950's. The majority of published findings since independence have resulted from research conducted at Nairobi, Tsavo and Amboseli national parks. The areas are highly similar in gross ecological structure, implying considerable redundancy in the opportunities they offer researchers. Further the research traditions of the three parks appear to be temporarily independent of one another. Locational characteristics, infrastructure to support research, the needs of management, and personal characteristics of individual scientists in addition to ecological opportunities have contributed to development of research programs in the three areas.