Understanding how tectonic processes shape landscapes and influence ecosystem stability is of critical importance for conservation and resource management. Prior research has shown that fault activity significantly affects soil formation, groundwater flow, and vegetation distribution, ultimately impacting the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem. While climatic and biological factors governing vegetation dynamics and hydrology have been extensively studied, the role of geological and soil processes in controlling nutrient cycles and landscape stability remains underexplored. This project builds on previous studies that have demonstrated how bedrock composition and fault-related geological processes shape soil properties and hydrological patterns (Kübler et al., 2015, 2016; Ludat & Kübler, 2023). The proposed research aims to fill this knowledge gap by systematically investigating the relationship between active faulting, soil properties, vegetation distribution, and hydrological regimes in the Serengeti-Mara region.

In the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem, the role of tectonic activity in shaping soil properties, groundwater flow, and vegetation patterns remains poorly understood, despite growing evidence that faulting significantly influences landscape dynamics. While climatic and biological drivers of ecosystem change have been extensively studied, the geological processes underlying habitat structure, nutrient cycling, and wetland stability have received limited attention. This knowledge gap hampers effective conservation planning and sustainable land management in one of East Africa’s most ecologically and hydrologically sensitive regions. Addressing this requires a systematic investigation of how active faulting interacts with soils, hydrology, and vegetation across diverse geological settings.

This study aims to examine the complex interactions between active faulting, soil properties, hydrological processes, and vegetation stability in the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem.