1
|
Bouafou L, Makanga BK, Rahola N, Boddé M, Ngangué MF, Daron J, Berger A, Mouillaud T, Makunin A, Korlević P, Nwezeobi J, Kengne P, Paupy C, Lawniczak MKN, Ayala D. Host preference patterns in domestic and wild settings: Insights into Anopheles feeding behavior. Evol Appl 2024; 17:e13693. [PMID: 38828055 PMCID: PMC11143308 DOI: 10.1111/eva.13693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2023] [Revised: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024] Open
Abstract
The adaptation of Anopheles malaria vectors to domestic settings is directly linked to their ability to feed on humans. The strength of this species-habitat association is unequal across the species within the genus, with the major vectors being particularly dependent on humans. However, our understanding of how blood-feeding behavior interacts with and adapts to environmental settings, including the presence of humans, remains limited. Using a field-based approach, we first investigated Anopheles community structure and feeding behavior patterns in domestic and sylvatic settings in La Lopé National Park in Gabon, Central Africa. We characterized the preference indices using a dual-host choice sampling approach across mosquito species, habitats, and seasons. We then quantified the plastic biting behavior of mosquito species in each habitat. We collected individuals from 16 Anopheles species that exhibited significant differences in species composition and abundance between sylvatic and domestic settings. The host-seeking behavior also varied among the seven most abundant species. The general attractiveness to each host, human or animal, remained relatively constant for each species, but with significant variations between habitats across species. These variations, to more generalist and to more anthropophilic behavior, were related to seasonal changes and distance from the village, respectively. Finally, we pointed out that the host choice of major malaria vectors changed in the absence of humans, revealing a plastic feeding behavior of these species. This study highlights the effect of humans on Anopheles distribution and feeding evolution. The characterization of feeding behavior in wild and domestic settings provides opportunities to better understand the interplay between genetic determinants of host preference and ecological factors. Our findings suggest that protected areas may offer alternative thriving conditions to major malaria vectors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lemonde Bouafou
- UMR MIVEGEC, University of Montpellier, CNRS, IRDMontpellierFrance
- CIRMFFrancevilleGabon
| | | | - Nil Rahola
- UMR MIVEGEC, University of Montpellier, CNRS, IRDMontpellierFrance
| | | | | | - Josquin Daron
- UMR MIVEGEC, University of Montpellier, CNRS, IRDMontpellierFrance
| | - Audric Berger
- UMR MIVEGEC, University of Montpellier, CNRS, IRDMontpellierFrance
| | - Theo Mouillaud
- UMR MIVEGEC, University of Montpellier, CNRS, IRDMontpellierFrance
| | | | | | | | - Pierre Kengne
- UMR MIVEGEC, University of Montpellier, CNRS, IRDMontpellierFrance
- CIRMFFrancevilleGabon
| | - Christophe Paupy
- UMR MIVEGEC, University of Montpellier, CNRS, IRDMontpellierFrance
| | | | - Diego Ayala
- UMR MIVEGEC, University of Montpellier, CNRS, IRDMontpellierFrance
- Medical Entomology UnitInstitut Pasteur de MadagascarAntananarivoMadagascar
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Jain S, Khaiboullina S, Martynova E, Morzunov S, Baranwal M. Epidemiology of Ebolaviruses from an Etiological Perspective. Pathogens 2023; 12:pathogens12020248. [PMID: 36839520 PMCID: PMC9963726 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12020248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Revised: 01/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Since the inception of the ebolavirus in 1976, 32 outbreaks have resulted in nearly 15,350 deaths in more than ten countries of the African continent. In the last decade, the largest (2013-2016) and second largest (2018-2020) ebolavirus outbreaks have occurred in West Africa (mainly Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone) and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, respectively. The 2013-2016 outbreak indicated an alarming geographical spread of the virus and was the first to qualify as an epidemic. Hence, it is imperative to halt ebolavirus progression and develop effective countermeasures. Despite several research efforts, ebolaviruses' natural hosts and secondary reservoirs still elude the scientific world. The primary source responsible for infecting the index case is also unknown for most outbreaks. In this review, we summarize the history of ebolavirus outbreaks with a focus on etiology, natural hosts, zoonotic reservoirs, and transmission mechanisms. We also discuss the reasons why the African continent is the most affected region and identify steps to contain this virus.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sahil Jain
- Department of Biotechnology, Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology, Patiala 147004, Punjab, India
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Svetlana Khaiboullina
- Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, 420008 Kazan, Tatarstan, Russia
| | - Ekaterina Martynova
- Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, 420008 Kazan, Tatarstan, Russia
| | - Sergey Morzunov
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557, USA
- Correspondence: (S.M.); or (M.B.); Tel.: +1-775-682-6230 (S.M.); +91-175-2393118 (M.B.); Fax: +91-175-2364498 (M.B.)
| | - Manoj Baranwal
- Department of Biotechnology, Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology, Patiala 147004, Punjab, India
- Correspondence: (S.M.); or (M.B.); Tel.: +1-775-682-6230 (S.M.); +91-175-2393118 (M.B.); Fax: +91-175-2364498 (M.B.)
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Raji IA, Downs CT. Ficus-frugivore interactions, especially in areas of land-use change, in Africa: A systematic review. ACTA OECOLOGICA 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.actao.2021.103774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
|
4
|
Chuma VJUR, Norris D. Contribution of Vouacapoua americana fruit-fall to the release of biomass in a lowland Amazon forest. Sci Rep 2021; 11:4302. [PMID: 33619342 PMCID: PMC7900201 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-83803-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2020] [Accepted: 02/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Fruit-fall provides the transfer of biomass and nutrients between forest strata and remains a poorly understood component of Amazon forest systems. Here we detail fruit-fall patterns including those of Vouacapoua americana a Critically Endangered timber species across 25 km2 of lowland Amazon forest in 2016. We use multi-model comparisons and an ensemble model to explain and interpolate fruit-fall data collected in 90 plots (totaling 4.42 ha). By comparing patterns in relation to observed and remotely sensed biomass estimates we establish the seasonal contribution of V. americana fruit-fall biomass. Overall fruit-fall biomass was 44.84 kg ha−1 month−1 from an average of 44.55 species per hectare, with V. americana dominating both the number and biomass of fallen fruits (43% and 64%, number and biomass respectively). Spatially explicit interpolations provided an estimate of 114 Mg dry biomass of V. americana fruit-fall across the 25 km2 area. This quantity represents the rapid transfer by a single species of between 0.01 and 0.02% of the overall above ground standing biomass in the area. These findings support calls for a more detailed understanding of the contribution of individual species to carbon and nutrient flows in tropical forest systems needed to evaluate the impacts of population declines predicted from short (< 65 year) logging cycles.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Victor Juan Ulises Rodriguez Chuma
- Postgraduate Program in Tropical Biodiversity, School of Environmental Sciences, Federal University of Amapá, Rod. Juscelino Kubitscheck, km 02, Macapá, 68903-419, Brazil
| | - Darren Norris
- Postgraduate Program in Tropical Biodiversity, School of Environmental Sciences, Federal University of Amapá, Rod. Juscelino Kubitscheck, km 02, Macapá, 68903-419, Brazil. .,Ecology and Conservation of Amazonian Vertebrates Research Group, Federal University of Amapá, Rod. Juscelino Kubitscheck, km 02, Macapá, 68903-419, Brazil.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Chitayat AB, Wich SA, Lewis M, Stewart FA, Piel AK. Ecological correlates of chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) density in Mahale Mountains National Park, Tanzania. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0246628. [PMID: 33577598 PMCID: PMC7880473 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0246628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2020] [Accepted: 01/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding the ecological factors that drive animal density patterns in time and space is key to devising effective conservation strategies. In Tanzania, most chimpanzees (~75%) live outside national parks where human activities threaten their habitat's integrity and connectivity. Mahale Mountains National Park (MMNP), therefore, is a critical area for chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) in the region due to its location and protective status. Yet, despite its importance and long history of chimpanzee research (>50 years), a park-wide census of the species has never been conducted. The park is categorized as a savanna-woodland mosaic, interspersed with riparian forest, wooded grassland, and bamboo thicket. This heterogeneous landscape offers an excellent opportunity to assess the ecological characteristics associated with chimpanzee density, a topic still disputed, which could improve conservation plans that protect crucial chimpanzee habitat outside the park. We examined the influence of fine-scale vegetative characteristics and topographical features on chimpanzee nest density, modeling nest counts using hierarchical distance sampling. We counted 335 nests in forest and woodland habitats across 102 transects in 13 survey sites. Nests were disproportionately found more in or near evergreen forests, on steep slopes, and in feeding tree species. We calculated chimpanzee density in MMNP to be 0.23 ind/km2, although density varied substantially among sites (0.09-3.43 ind/km2). Density was associated with factors related to the availability of food and nesting trees, with topographic heterogeneity and the total basal area of feeding tree species identified as significant positive predictors. Species-rich habitats and floristic diversity likely play a principal role in shaping chimpanzee density within a predominately open landscape with low food abundance. Our results provide valuable baseline data for future monitoring efforts in MMNP and enhance our understanding of this endangered species' density and distribution across Tanzania.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Adrienne B. Chitayat
- Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Serge A. Wich
- Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Matthew Lewis
- Loango Gorilla Project (Gabon), Max-Planck-Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Fiona A. Stewart
- School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, United Kingdom
- Department of Anthropology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Alex K. Piel
- Department of Anthropology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Potts KB, Watts DP, Langergraber KE, Mitani JC. Long-term trends in fruit production in a tropical forest at Ngogo, Kibale National Park, Uganda. Biotropica 2020; 52:521-532. [PMID: 33692573 PMCID: PMC7939021 DOI: 10.1111/btp.12764] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2019] [Accepted: 12/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Fruit production in tropical forests varies considerably in space and time, with important implications for frugivorous consumers. Characterizing temporal variation in forest productivity is thus critical for understanding adaptations of tropical forest frugivores, yet long-term phenology data from the tropics, in particular from African forests, are still scarce. Similarly, as the abiotic factors driving phenology in the tropics are predicted to change with a warming climate, studies documenting the relationship between climatic variables and fruit production are increasingly important. Here we present data from 19 years of monitoring the phenology of 20 tree species at Ngogo in Kibale National Park, Uganda. Our aims were to characterize short- and long-term trends in productivity and to understand the abiotic factors driving temporal variability in fruit production. Short-term (month-to-month) variability in fruiting was relatively low at Ngogo, and overall fruit production increased significantly through the first half of the study. Among the abiotic variables we expected to influence phenology patterns (including rainfall, solar irradiance, and average temperature), only average temperature was a significant predictor of monthly fruit production. We discuss these findings as they relate to the resource base of the frugivorous vertebrate community inhabiting Ngogo.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kevin B. Potts
- The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Arizona State University, 1100 McAllister Ave., Tempe, Arizona 85287, USA
| | - David P. Watts
- Department of Anthropology, Yale University, 10 Sachem Street, New Haven, Connecticut 06511, USA
| | - Kevin E. Langergraber
- School of Human Evolution and Social Change & Institute of Human Origins, Arizona State University, P.O. Box 872402, Tempe, Arizona 85287, USA
| | - John C. Mitani
- Department of Anthropology, University of Michigan, 101 West Hall, 1085 South University Avenue, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Beirne C, Meier AC, Brumagin G, Jasperse-Sjolander L, Lewis M, Masseloux J, Myers K, Fay M, Okouyi J, White LJT, Poulsen JR. Climatic and Resource Determinants of Forest Elephant Movements. Front Ecol Evol 2020. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2020.00096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
|
8
|
Beirne C, Nuñez CL, Baldino M, Kim S, Knorr J, Minich T, Jin L, Xiao S, Mbamy W, Obiang GN, Masseloux J, Nkoghe T, Ebanega MO, Rundel C, Wright JP, Poulsen JR. Estimation of gut passage time of wild, free roaming forest elephants. WILDLIFE BIOLOGY 2019. [DOI: 10.2981/wlb.00543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Beirne
- C. Beirne, C. L. Nuñez, M. Baldino, S. Kim, J. Knorr, T. Minich, J. Masseloux, J. P. Wright and J. R. Poulsen ✉ , Nicholas School of the Environment, PO Box 90328, Duke Univ., Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Chase L. Nuñez
- C. Beirne, C. L. Nuñez, M. Baldino, S. Kim, J. Knorr, T. Minich, J. Masseloux, J. P. Wright and J. R. Poulsen ✉ , Nicholas School of the Environment, PO Box 90328, Duke Univ., Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Melissa Baldino
- C. Beirne, C. L. Nuñez, M. Baldino, S. Kim, J. Knorr, T. Minich, J. Masseloux, J. P. Wright and J. R. Poulsen ✉ , Nicholas School of the Environment, PO Box 90328, Duke Univ., Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Seokmin Kim
- C. Beirne, C. L. Nuñez, M. Baldino, S. Kim, J. Knorr, T. Minich, J. Masseloux, J. P. Wright and J. R. Poulsen ✉ , Nicholas School of the Environment, PO Box 90328, Duke Univ., Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Julia Knorr
- C. Beirne, C. L. Nuñez, M. Baldino, S. Kim, J. Knorr, T. Minich, J. Masseloux, J. P. Wright and J. R. Poulsen ✉ , Nicholas School of the Environment, PO Box 90328, Duke Univ., Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Taylor Minich
- C. Beirne, C. L. Nuñez, M. Baldino, S. Kim, J. Knorr, T. Minich, J. Masseloux, J. P. Wright and J. R. Poulsen ✉ , Nicholas School of the Environment, PO Box 90328, Duke Univ., Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Lingrong Jin
- L. Jin and S. Xiao, Dept of Biology, Duke Univ., Durham, NC, USA
| | - Shuyun Xiao
- L. Jin and S. Xiao, Dept of Biology, Duke Univ., Durham, NC, USA
| | - Walter Mbamy
- W. Mbamy, G. N. Obiang, T. Nkoghe and M. O. Ebanega, Dépt de Géographie, Univ. Omar Bongo, Libreville, Gabon
| | - Guichard Ndzeng Obiang
- W. Mbamy, G. N. Obiang, T. Nkoghe and M. O. Ebanega, Dépt de Géographie, Univ. Omar Bongo, Libreville, Gabon
| | - Juliana Masseloux
- C. Beirne, C. L. Nuñez, M. Baldino, S. Kim, J. Knorr, T. Minich, J. Masseloux, J. P. Wright and J. R. Poulsen ✉ , Nicholas School of the Environment, PO Box 90328, Duke Univ., Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Tanguy Nkoghe
- W. Mbamy, G. N. Obiang, T. Nkoghe and M. O. Ebanega, Dépt de Géographie, Univ. Omar Bongo, Libreville, Gabon
| | - Médard Obiang Ebanega
- W. Mbamy, G. N. Obiang, T. Nkoghe and M. O. Ebanega, Dépt de Géographie, Univ. Omar Bongo, Libreville, Gabon
| | - Colin Rundel
- C. Rundel, Dept of Statistical Science, Duke Univ., Durham, NC, USA
| | - Justin P. Wright
- C. Beirne, C. L. Nuñez, M. Baldino, S. Kim, J. Knorr, T. Minich, J. Masseloux, J. P. Wright and J. R. Poulsen ✉ , Nicholas School of the Environment, PO Box 90328, Duke Univ., Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - John R. Poulsen
- C. Beirne, C. L. Nuñez, M. Baldino, S. Kim, J. Knorr, T. Minich, J. Masseloux, J. P. Wright and J. R. Poulsen ✉ , Nicholas School of the Environment, PO Box 90328, Duke Univ., Durham, NC 27708, USA
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Abwe EE, Morgan BJ, Tchiengue B, Kentatchime F, Doudja R, Ketchen ME, Teguia E, Ambahe R, Venditti DM, Mitchell MW, Fosso B, Mounga A, Fotso RC, Gonder MK. Habitat differentiation among three Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzee ( Pan troglodytes ellioti) populations. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:1489-1500. [PMID: 30805176 PMCID: PMC6374666 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2018] [Revised: 10/29/2018] [Accepted: 12/04/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Ecological niche models (ENMs) are often used to predict species distribution patterns from datasets that describe abiotic and biotic factors at coarse spatial scales. Ground-truthing ENMs provide important information about how these factors relate to species-specific requirements at a scale that is biologically relevant for the species. Chimpanzees are territorial and have a predominantly frugivorous diet. The spatial and temporal variation in fruit availability for different chimpanzee populations is thus crucial, but rarely depicted in ENMs. The genetic and geographic distinction within Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes ellioti) populations represents a unique opportunity to understand fine scale species-relevant ecological variation in relation to ENMs. In Cameroon, P. t. ellioti is composed of two genetically distinct populations that occupy different niches: rainforests in western Cameroon and forest-woodland-savanna mosaic (ecotone) in central Cameroon. We investigated habitat variation at three representative sites using chimpanzee-relevant environmental variables, including fruit availability, to assess how these variables distinguish these niches from one another. Contrary to the assumption of most ENM studies that intact forest is essential for the survival of chimpanzees, we hypothesized that the ecotone and human-modified habitats in Cameroon have sufficient resources to sustain large chimpanzee populations. Rainfall, and the diversity, density, and size of trees were higher at the rainforest. The ecotone had a higher density of terrestrial herbs and lianas. Fruit availability was higher at Ganga (ecotone) than at Bekob and Njuma. Seasonal variation in fruit availability was highest at Ganga, and periods of fruit scarcity were longer than at the rainforest sites. Introduced and secondary forest species linked with anthropogenic modification were common at Bekob, which reduced seasonality in fruit availability. Our findings highlight the value of incorporating fine scale species-relevant ecological data to create more realistic models, which have implications for local conservation planning efforts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ekwoge E. Abwe
- Department of BiologyDrexel UniversityPhiladelphiaPennsylvania
- Ebo Forest Research ProjectYaoundéCameroon
- San Diego Zoo GlobalSan DiegoCalifornia
| | - Bethan J. Morgan
- Ebo Forest Research ProjectYaoundéCameroon
- San Diego Zoo GlobalSan DiegoCalifornia
| | | | | | - Roger Doudja
- Ministry of Forestry and WildlifeYaoundéCameroon
| | | | - Eric Teguia
- Wildlife Conservation SocietyYaoundéCameroon
| | | | | | - Matthew W. Mitchell
- Department of BiologyDrexel UniversityPhiladelphiaPennsylvania
- Department of BiologyUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPennsylvania
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
10
|
Mills EC, Poulsen JR, Fay JM, Morkel P, Clark CJ, Meier A, Beirne C, White LJT. Forest elephant movement and habitat use in a tropical forest-grassland mosaic in Gabon. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0199387. [PMID: 29995886 PMCID: PMC6040693 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0199387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2017] [Accepted: 06/06/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Poaching of forest elephants (Loxodonta cyclotis) for ivory has decimated their populations in Central Africa. Studying elephant movement can provide insight into habitat and resource use to reveal where, when, and why they move and guide conservation efforts. We fitted 17 forest elephants with global positioning system (GPS) collars in 2015 and 2016 in the tropical forest-grassland mosaic of the Wonga Wongué Presidential Reserve (WW), Gabon. Using the location data, we quantified movement distances, home ranges, and habitat use to examine the environmental drivers of elephant movements and predict where elephants occur spatially and temporally. Forest elephants, on average, traveled 2,840 km annually and had home ranges of 713 km2, with males covering significantly larger home ranges than females. Forest elephants demonstrated both daily and seasonal movement patterns. Daily, they moved between forest and grassland at dawn and dusk. Seasonally, they spent proportionally more time in grassland than forest during the short-wet season when grasses recruit. Forest elephants also traveled faster during the short-wet season when fruit availability was greatest, likely reflecting long, direct movements to preferred fruiting tree species. Forest elephants tended to select areas with high tree and shrub density that afford cover and browse. When villages occurred in their home ranges elephants spent a disproportionate amount of time near them, particularly in the dry season, probably for access to agricultural crops and preferred habitat. Given the importance of the grassland habitat for elephants, maintenance of the forest-grassland matrix is a conservation priority in WW. Law enforcement, outreach, and education should focus on areas of potential human-elephant conflict near villages along the borders of the reserve. GPS-tracking should be extended into multi-use areas in the peripheries of protected areas to evaluate the effects of human disturbance on elephant movements and to maintain connectivity among elephant populations in Gabon.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emily C. Mills
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - John R. Poulsen
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - J. Michael Fay
- Agence Nationale des Parcs Nationaux, Batterie IV, Libreville, Gabon
| | | | - Connie J. Clark
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Amelia Meier
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Christopher Beirne
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Lee J. T. White
- Agence Nationale des Parcs Nationaux, Batterie IV, Libreville, Gabon
- Institut de Recherche en Écologie Tropicale, Libreville, Gabon
- African Forest Ecology Group, School of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Scotland, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Ley AC, Herzog P, Lachmuth S, Abwe AE, Christian MF, Sesink Clee PR, Abwe EE, Morgan BJ, Gonder MK. Phenotypic variability along a climatic gradient in a perennial afrotropical rainforest understorey herb. Basic Appl Ecol 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.baae.2018.02.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
|
12
|
|
13
|
Turkalo AK, Wrege PH, Wittemyer G. Slow intrinsic growth rate in forest elephants indicates recovery from poaching will require decades. J Appl Ecol 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.12764] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Andrea K. Turkalo
- The Wildlife Conservation Society; B.P. 1053 Bangui Central African Republic
- The Elephant Listening Project; Bioacoustics Research Program; Cornell Lab of Ornithology; Ithaca NY USA
| | - Peter H. Wrege
- The Elephant Listening Project; Bioacoustics Research Program; Cornell Lab of Ornithology; Ithaca NY USA
| | - George Wittemyer
- Department of Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Biology; Colorado State University; Fort Collins CO USA
- Save The Elephants; PO Box 54667 Nairobi Kenya
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Harrison ME, Zweifel N, Husson SJ, Cheyne SM, D'Arcy LJ, Harsanto FA, Morrogh‐Bernard H, Purwanto A, Rahmatd , Santiano , Vogel ER, Wich SA, Noordwijk MA. Disparity in Onset Timing and Frequency of Flowering and Fruiting Events in Two Bornean Peat‐Swamp Forests. Biotropica 2015. [DOI: 10.1111/btp.12265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mark E. Harrison
- Department of Geography University of Leicester University Road Leicester LE1 7RH U.K
- Orangutan Tropical Peatland Project Jl. Semeru 91 Palangka Raya 73112 Central Kalimantan Indonesia
| | - Nicole Zweifel
- Anthropological Institute and Museum University of Zurich 8057 Zürich Switzerland
- Tuanan Orangutan Research Project Jl. Cendrawasih 7 Palangka Raya 73111 Indonesia
| | - Simon J. Husson
- Orangutan Tropical Peatland Project Jl. Semeru 91 Palangka Raya 73112 Central Kalimantan Indonesia
| | - Susan M. Cheyne
- Orangutan Tropical Peatland Project Jl. Semeru 91 Palangka Raya 73112 Central Kalimantan Indonesia
- Department of Zoology Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU) Recanati‐Kaplan Centre University of Oxford Tubney House Abingdon Road Tubney OX13 5QL U.K
| | - Laura J. D'Arcy
- Orangutan Tropical Peatland Project Jl. Semeru 91 Palangka Raya 73112 Central Kalimantan Indonesia
- Conservation Programmes Zoological Society of London Regent's Park London NW1 4RY U.K
| | - Fransiskus A. Harsanto
- Orangutan Tropical Peatland Project Jl. Semeru 91 Palangka Raya 73112 Central Kalimantan Indonesia
- Centre for the International Cooperation in Sustainable Management of Tropical Peatlands University of Palangka Raya Palangka Raya 73112 Central Kalimantan Indonesia
| | - Helen C. Morrogh‐Bernard
- Orangutan Tropical Peatland Project Jl. Semeru 91 Palangka Raya 73112 Central Kalimantan Indonesia
- University of Exeter College of Life and Environmental Science Washington Singer Building Perry Road Exeter EX4 4QG U.K
| | - Ari Purwanto
- Orangutan Tropical Peatland Project Jl. Semeru 91 Palangka Raya 73112 Central Kalimantan Indonesia
- Centre for the International Cooperation in Sustainable Management of Tropical Peatlands University of Palangka Raya Palangka Raya 73112 Central Kalimantan Indonesia
| | - Rahmatd
- Tuanan Orangutan Research Project Jl. Cendrawasih 7 Palangka Raya 73111 Indonesia
| | - Santiano
- Orangutan Tropical Peatland Project Jl. Semeru 91 Palangka Raya 73112 Central Kalimantan Indonesia
- Centre for the International Cooperation in Sustainable Management of Tropical Peatlands University of Palangka Raya Palangka Raya 73112 Central Kalimantan Indonesia
| | - Erin R. Vogel
- Tuanan Orangutan Research Project Jl. Cendrawasih 7 Palangka Raya 73111 Indonesia
- Department of Anthropology Rutgers The State University of New Jersey New Brunswick NJ U.S.A
| | - Serge A. Wich
- Tuanan Orangutan Research Project Jl. Cendrawasih 7 Palangka Raya 73111 Indonesia
- School of Natural Sciences & Psychology Liverpool John Moores University Liverpool U.K
- Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics University of Amsterdam Science Park 904 1098 XH Amsterdam The Netherlands
| | - Maria A. Noordwijk
- Anthropological Institute and Museum University of Zurich 8057 Zürich Switzerland
- Tuanan Orangutan Research Project Jl. Cendrawasih 7 Palangka Raya 73111 Indonesia
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Butt N, Seabrook L, Maron M, Law BS, Dawson TP, Syktus J, McAlpine CA. Cascading effects of climate extremes on vertebrate fauna through changes to low-latitude tree flowering and fruiting phenology. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2015; 21:3267-77. [PMID: 25605302 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.12869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2014] [Accepted: 01/06/2015] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Forest vertebrate fauna provide critical services, such as pollination and seed dispersal, which underpin functional and resilient ecosystems. In turn, many of these fauna are dependent on the flowering phenology of the plant species of such ecosystems. The impact of changes in climate, including climate extremes, on the interaction between these fauna and flora has not been identified or elucidated, yet influences on flowering phenology are already evident. These changes are well documented in the mid to high latitudes. However, there is emerging evidence that the flowering phenology, nectar/pollen production, and fruit production of long-lived trees in tropical and subtropical forests are also being impacted by changes in the frequency and severity of climate extremes. Here, we examine the implications of these changes for vertebrate fauna dependent on these resources. We review the literature to establish evidence for links between climate extremes and flowering phenology, elucidating the nature of relationships between different vertebrate taxa and flowering regimes. We combine this information with climate change projections to postulate about the likely impacts on nectar, pollen and fruit resource availability and the consequences for dependent vertebrate fauna. The most recent climate projections show that the frequency and intensity of climate extremes will increase during the 21st century. These changes are likely to significantly alter mass flowering and fruiting events in the tropics and subtropics, which are frequently cued by climate extremes, such as intensive rainfall events or rapid temperature shifts. We find that in these systems the abundance and duration of resource availability for vertebrate fauna is likely to fluctuate, and the time intervals between episodes of high resource availability to increase. The combined impact of these changes has the potential to result in cascading effects on ecosystems through changes in pollinator and seed dispersal ecology, and demands a focused research effort.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nathalie Butt
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions and School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Qld, 4072, Australia
| | - Leonie Seabrook
- School of Geography, Planning and Environmental Management, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Qld, 4072, Australia
| | - Martine Maron
- School of Geography, Planning and Environmental Management, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Qld, 4072, Australia
| | - Bradley S Law
- Forest Science Unit, NSW Primary Industries, Locked Bag 5123, Parramatta, NSW, 2124, Australia
| | - Terence P Dawson
- School of the Environment, University of Dundee, Perth Rd, Dundee, DD1 4HN, UK
| | - Jozef Syktus
- School of Geography, Planning and Environmental Management, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Qld, 4072, Australia
- Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts, Ecosciences Precinct, Dutton Park, Qld, 4102, Australia
| | - Clive A McAlpine
- School of Geography, Planning and Environmental Management, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Qld, 4072, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Motsch P, Le Flohic G, Dilger C, Delahaye A, Chateau-Smith C, Couette S. Degree of terrestrial activity of the elusive sun-tailed monkey (Cercopithecus solatus) in Gabon: Comparative study of behavior and postcranial morphometric data. Am J Primatol 2015; 77:1060-74. [DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2014] [Accepted: 06/02/2015] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Peggy Motsch
- Unité de Recherche en Écologie et Santé; Centre International de Recherches Médicales de Franceville (CIRMF); Franceville Gabon
| | - Guillaume Le Flohic
- Unité de Recherche en Écologie et Santé; Centre International de Recherches Médicales de Franceville (CIRMF); Franceville Gabon
- African Parks; Unité de Gestion; Service Conservation & Recherche; National Park of Odzala-Kokoua; Brazzaville Republic of the Congo
| | - Carole Dilger
- Unité de Recherche en Écologie et Santé; Centre International de Recherches Médicales de Franceville (CIRMF); Franceville Gabon
| | - Alexia Delahaye
- Unité de Recherche en Écologie et Santé; Centre International de Recherches Médicales de Franceville (CIRMF); Franceville Gabon
| | | | - Sebastien Couette
- UMR uB/CNRS 6282 Biogéosciences; Université de Bourgogne; 6 Bd Gabriel; Dijon France
- Laboratoire EPHE Paléobiodiversité et Evolution; Université de Bourgogne; 6 Bd Gabriel; Dijon France
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Le Flohic G, Motsch P, DeNys H, Childs S, Courage A, King T. Behavioural ecology and group cohesion of juvenile western lowland gorillas (Gorilla g. gorilla) during rehabilitation in the Batéké Plateaux National Park, Gabon. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0119609. [PMID: 25811467 PMCID: PMC4374851 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0119609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2013] [Accepted: 02/02/2015] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Rehabilitation of animals followed by reintroduction into the wild can benefit conservation by supplementing depleted wild populations or reintroducing a species in an area where it has been extirpated or become extinct. The western lowland gorilla (WLG, Gorilla g. gorilla) is persistently poached; infants are often illegally traded and used as pets. Some are confiscated and rehabilitated, then kept in sanctuaries or reintroduced into the wild. Prior to reintroduction, the ability of the orphans to survive independently in their environment needs to be assessed. Here, we performed a multivariate analysis, including diet composition, activity-budget, and pattern of strata using of a group of five juvenile WLG in the process of rehabilitation and distinguished three sub-periods of ecological significance: the high furgivory period, the Dialium fruits consumption period, and the high folivory period. The consequences of these variations on their well-being (play behaviour) and the group cohesion (spatial proximity and social interactions) were examined. Like wild WLGs, diets shifted seasonally from frugivorous to folivorous, while the same staple foods were consumed and large amounts of Dialium fruits were seasonally gathered high in trees. When succulent fruit intake was the highest, thus providing high energy from sugar, juveniles spent less time feeding, more time playing and group cohesion was the highest. Conversely, the cohesion decreased with increasing folivory, individuals spent more time feeding and less time playing together. Nonetheless, the group cohesion also decreased after the death of one highly social, wild-born orphan. This may underscore the importance of skilled individuals in the cohesion and well-being of the entire group and, ultimately, to rehabilitation success. This study evaluates the rehabilitation success with regards to the methods used and highlights the need to consider a set of individual and environmental factors for enhancing rehabilitation while preserving the local biodiversity and individual well-being.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Guillaume Le Flohic
- The Aspinall Foundation, Projet Protection des Gorilles, Franceville, Gabon
- African Parks Network, Parc National d'Odzala-Kokoua, Unité de Gestion, Brazzaville, République du Congo
| | - Peggy Motsch
- Centre International de Recherches Médicales de Franceville, Franceville, Gabon
| | - Hélène DeNys
- The Aspinall Foundation, Projet Protection des Gorilles, Franceville, Gabon
| | - Simon Childs
- The Aspinall Foundation, Projet Protection des Gorilles, Franceville, Gabon
| | - Amos Courage
- The Aspinall Foundation, Port Lympne Wild Animal Park, Hythe, Kent, Great Britain
| | - Tony King
- The Aspinall Foundation, Port Lympne Wild Animal Park, Hythe, Kent, Great Britain
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Etiendem DN, Tagg N. Feeding Ecology of Cross River Gorillas (Gorilla gorilla diehli) at Mawambi Hills: The Influence of Resource Seasonality. INT J PRIMATOL 2013. [DOI: 10.1007/s10764-013-9739-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
|
19
|
The Value of Measuring Food Availability on the Ground for a Semiterrestrial Frugivore, the Tana River Mangabey (Cercocebus galeritus) of Kenya. INT J PRIMATOL 2013. [DOI: 10.1007/s10764-013-9716-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
|
20
|
Hanya G, Tsuji Y, Grueter CC. Fruiting and flushing phenology in Asian tropical and temperate forests: implications for primate ecology. Primates 2013; 54:101-10. [DOI: 10.1007/s10329-012-0341-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2012] [Accepted: 12/24/2012] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
|
21
|
Benavides JA, Godreuil S, Bodenham R, Ratiarison S, Devos C, Petretto MO, Raymond M, Escobar-Páramo P. No evidence for transmission of antibiotic-resistant Escherichia coli strains from humans to wild western lowland gorillas in Lopé National Park, Gabon. Appl Environ Microbiol 2012; 78:4281-7. [PMID: 22492436 PMCID: PMC3370549 DOI: 10.1128/aem.07593-11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2011] [Accepted: 03/12/2012] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The intensification of human activities within the habitats of wild animals is increasing the risk of interspecies disease transmission. This risk is particularly important for great apes, given their close phylogenetic relationship with humans. Areas of high human density or intense research and ecotourism activities expose apes to a high risk of disease spillover from humans. Is this risk lower in areas of low human density? We determined the prevalence of Escherichia coli antibiotic-resistant isolates in a population of the critically endangered western lowland gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) and other wild mammals in Lopé National Park (LNP), Gabon, and we tested whether the observed pattern could be explained by bacterial transmission from humans and domestic animals into wildlife populations. Our results show a high prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacterial isolates in humans and low levels in gorillas and other wildlife. The significant differences in the genetic background of the resistant bacteria isolated from humans and gorillas suggest that transmission is low or does not occur between these two species. These findings indicate that the presence of antibiotic-resistant strains in wildlife do not imply direct bacteria transmission from humans. Thus, in areas of low human density, human-wildlife E. coli transmission seems to be low. The presence of antibiotic-resistant isolates in gorillas may be better explained by other mechanisms for resistance acquisition, such as horizontal gene exchange among bacteria or naturally acquired resistance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Julio Andre Benavides
- CNRS-Institut des Sciences de l’Evolution de Montpellier, Université de Montpellier II, Place Eugéne Bataillon, Montpellier, France.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
22
|
Kuzmin IV, Bozick B, Guagliardo SA, Kunkel R, Shak JR, Tong S, Rupprecht CE. Bats, emerging infectious diseases, and the rabies paradigm revisited. EMERGING HEALTH THREATS JOURNAL 2011; 4:7159. [PMID: 24149032 PMCID: PMC3168224 DOI: 10.3402/ehtj.v4i0.7159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2011] [Revised: 05/31/2011] [Accepted: 05/31/2011] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
The significance of bats as sources of emerging infectious diseases has been increasingly appreciated, and new data have been accumulated rapidly during recent years. For some emerging pathogens the bat origin has been confirmed (such as lyssaviruses, henipaviruses, coronaviruses), for other it has been suggested (filoviruses). Several recently identified viruses remain to be ‘orphan’ but have a potential for further emergence (such as Tioman, Menangle, and Pulau viruses). In the present review we summarize information on major bat-associated emerging infections and discuss specific characteristics of bats as carriers of pathogens (from evolutionary, ecological, and immunological positions). We also discuss drivers and forces of an infectious disease emergence and describe various existing and potential approaches for control and prevention of such infections at individual, populational, and societal levels.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ivan V Kuzmin
- Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA;
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
23
|
Head JS, Boesch C, Makaga L, Robbins MM. Sympatric Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes troglodytes) and Gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) in Loango National Park, Gabon: Dietary Composition, Seasonality, and Intersite Comparisons. INT J PRIMATOL 2011. [DOI: 10.1007/s10764-011-9499-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 124] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
|
24
|
Hanya G, Aiba SI. Fruit fall in five warm- and cool-temperate forests in Yakushima, Japan. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2010. [DOI: 10.1007/s11632-010-0403-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
|
25
|
Seed dispersal of the Brazil nut tree (Bertholletia excelsa) by scatter-hoarding rodents in a central Amazonian forest. JOURNAL OF TROPICAL ECOLOGY 2010. [DOI: 10.1017/s0266467410000027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Abstract:We know surprisingly little about the fate of seeds of the Brazil nut tree (Bertholletia excelsa) under natural conditions. Here we investigate seed removal, predation and caching of Brazil nuts by scatter-hoarding rodents in the wet and dry seasons, based on an experimental approach using 900 thread-marked seeds. We tracked the fate of seeds handled by these animals to examine how seasonal food availability may influence caching rates, dispersal distances and cache longevity. Most seeds exposed to dispersal trials were removed by scatter-hoarders during the first week in both seasons and seeds were generally buried intact in single-seeded caches within 10 m of seed stations. Seeds were removed significantly faster and buried at greater distances during the dry season. The proportion of seeds buried intact was considerably higher in the wet season (74.4%) than in the dry season (38.2%). Most (99.4%) of the 881 primary caches monitored were recovered, but these had a significantly shorter lifetime in the dry season. Our results show that rodents are highly skilled at retrieving buried Brazil nuts and that caching behaviour appears to be affected by seasonal resource abundance. Reduced seed availability due to intensive harvest could potentially create a dry-season scenario where most seeds succumb to pre-dispersal predation, thereby adversely affecting the natural regeneration of Brazil nut trees.
Collapse
|
26
|
Phenological patterns of Ficus in relation to other forest trees in southern India. JOURNAL OF TROPICAL ECOLOGY 2009. [DOI: 10.1017/s0266467400010865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACTThe importance of figs as keystone resources depends partly on their year-round fruiting pattern. However, most non-equatorial fig species show seasonality in reproductive phenology. If fig and other species' fruiting peaks coincide, the importance of figs as key resources during lean fruiting periods may be reduced. Fig and other forest tree phenology was studied in a deciduous and an evergreen site in the Western Ghats, southern India, from January 1991 to May 1992. In the deciduous site, most non-fig flowering and leaf flushing occurred during the two dry seasons, while most fruiting occurred during the dry and early wet seasons. In the evergreen site, all non-fig tree phenological stages – flowering, fruiting and leaf flushing – were concentrated during the two dry seasons annually (dry and post-monsoon). Individual fig trees produced crops one to three times annually, at different times of the year for different trees. Fig community fruiting peaks in the evergreen site coincided with fruiting peaks of the other forest trees, but in the deciduous site occurred slightly offset from non-fig fruiting peaks. The role of figs as key resources is likely to differ among forests, and to depend on factors such as diversity of fruiting pattern among fig species, fig tree density and territoriality of frugivores.
Collapse
|
27
|
The effects of commercial mechanised selective logging on a transect in lowland rainforest in the Lopé Reserve, Gabon. JOURNAL OF TROPICAL ECOLOGY 2009. [DOI: 10.1017/s0266467400007987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACTPlots of 1.25 and 11.25 ha were enumerated for trees and lianes ≥10 cm and trees ≥70 cm dbh respectively along a line transect in the Lopé Reserve, Gabon. In the small plot 511 trees and lianes of 116 species were found, and 175 trees of 48 species were present in the large plot. The plots were then subject to commercial mechanised logging and the enumerations were repeated once logging had been completed. The extraction rate was two trees ha−1 and in the large plot a total of 31 (17.7%) trees representing 20.6% of the total original basal area died. Incidental damage in the small plot resulted in the loss of 10.8% of trees and lianes present, and 12.9% of the original basal area. Canopy cover was reduced by 10%. Damage levels were low compared with figures from most other tropical regions. The relevance of these figures to forest management in Gabon are discussed.
Collapse
|
28
|
Seed production by Gilbertiodendron dewevrei in the Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park, Congo, and its implications for large mammals. JOURNAL OF TROPICAL ECOLOGY 2009. [DOI: 10.1017/s0266467400011056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
|
29
|
Protecting seeds from primates: examples from Diospyros spp. in the Lopé Reserve, Gabon. JOURNAL OF TROPICAL ECOLOGY 2009. [DOI: 10.1017/s0266467400009573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACTThe fruit of six species of Diospyros (Ebenaceae) provide food for eight species of diurnal primates in the Lopé Reserve, Gabon. Both succulent flesh and immature seeds are eaten but patterns of consumption vary among the primate species. Interactions between D. mannii, which has very large fruit (9 cm × 7 cm) and seeds (5 cm × 2 cm), and primates were observed in detail. D. mannii fruit are unusual, being covered by a dense mat of irritant hairs that are largely retained, but become looser on ripening, when fruit are abscissed. Primates do not eat immature seeds of this species but do predate on seeds of some other Diospyros species. Ripe flesh (and ripe seeds) of D. mannii are eaten by gorillas and chimpanzees but not by monkeys. Comparison of fruit characters and of feeding patterns of primates for the six Diospyros species suggests that large seeds are potentially vulnerable to high levels of predation but the presence of irritant hairs provides protection during fruit development. Abscission of ripe fruit (shown only by D. mannii) appears to afford additional protection from predation on ripe seeds by arboreal monkeys. These observations underline the complexity of plant-animal interactions in tropical forests and suggest that some fruit characters have evolved to reduce seed loss during maturation.
Collapse
|
30
|
Potts KB, Chapman CA, Lwanga JS. Floristic heterogeneity between forested sites in Kibale National Park, Uganda: insights into the fine-scale determinants of density in a large-bodied frugivorous primate. J Anim Ecol 2009; 78:1269-77. [PMID: 19523110 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2656.2009.01578.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
1. Despite a long history of research on the influence of fruit availability on the population density of large-bodied vertebrate frugivores, operational understanding of the factors regulating density in these taxa remains elusive. We propose that fruit resources can be distinguished from one another on the basis of their functional role for the animals in question, and that such a classification system can aid in identifying the most influential determinants of frugivore density. 2. We compared the availability of several resource classes between two sites in Kibale National Park, Uganda separated by only 12 km yet differing threefold in density of chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes). 3. We categorized plant species used for fruit by chimpanzees according to their availability relative to habitat-wide fruit productivity, and by their tendency towards inter-individual fruiting synchrony. We predicted that the site of high chimpanzee density would support a higher density of food plant species tending to produce crops during periods of high habitat-wide productivity [high fruit abundance (HFA foods)] and of those tending to fruit synchronously among individuals during times of low habitat-wide availability (sLFA foods). The first food class should provide chimpanzees with a high nutrient density (and thus promote population growth), whereas the second should provide stable subsistence during lean periods and thus a temporally consistent resource base. 4. Counter to our prediction, only sLFA resources were more abundant at the site of high chimpanzee density than at the site of low density. We suggest that sLFA resources are most important in influencing density of large-bodied frugivores.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kevin B Potts
- Yale University Department of Anthropology, New Haven, CT 06520, USA.
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
31
|
Morgan BJ. Sacoglottis gabonensis- a keystone fruit for forest elephants in the Réserve de Faune du Petit Loango, Gabon. Afr J Ecol 2009. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2028.2007.00897.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
|
32
|
Groseth A, Feldmann H, Strong JE. The ecology of Ebola virus. Trends Microbiol 2007; 15:408-16. [PMID: 17698361 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2007.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 160] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2007] [Revised: 06/19/2007] [Accepted: 08/03/2007] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Since Ebola virus was first identified more than 30 years ago, tremendous progress has been made in understanding the molecular biology and pathogenesis of this virus. However, the means by which Ebola virus is maintained and transmitted in nature remains unclear despite dedicated efforts to answer these questions. Recent work has provided new evidence that fruit bats might have a role as a reservoir species, but it is not clear whether other species are also involved or how transmission to humans or apes takes place. Two opposing hypotheses for Ebola emergence have surfaced; one of long-term local persistence in a cryptic and infrequently contacted reservoir, versus another of a more recent introduction of the virus and directional spread through susceptible populations. Nevertheless, with the increasing frequency of human filovirus outbreaks and the tremendous impact of infection on the already threatened great ape populations, there is an urgent need to better understand the ecology of Ebola virus in nature.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Allison Groseth
- Special Pathogens Program, National Laboratory for Zoonotic Diseases and Special Pathogens, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, 1015 Arlington St., Winnipeg, MB R3E 3R2, Canada
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
33
|
Tweheyo M, Babweteera F. Production, seasonality and management of chimpanzee food trees in Budongo Forest, Uganda. Afr J Ecol 2007. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2028.2007.00765.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Fred Babweteera
- Department of Forest Biology and Ecosystems Management, Faculty of Forestry and Nature Conservation, Makerere University, PO Box 7062 Kampala, Uganda
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
|
35
|
McLaren KP, McDonald MA. Seasonal Patterns of Flowering and Fruiting in a Dry Tropical Forest in Jamaica1. Biotropica 2005. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1744-7429.2005.00075.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
|
36
|
Wallace RB. Seasonal Variations in Diet and Foraging Behavior of Ateles chamek in a Southern Amazonian Tropical Forest. INT J PRIMATOL 2005. [DOI: 10.1007/s10764-005-6458-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
|
37
|
Yamagiwa J, Basabose AK. Diet and seasonal changes in sympatric gorillas and chimpanzees at Kahuzi-Biega National Park. Primates 2005; 47:74-90. [PMID: 16142424 DOI: 10.1007/s10329-005-0147-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2004] [Accepted: 01/22/2005] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Based on 8 years of observations of a group of western lowland gorillas (Gorilla beringei graueri) and a unit-group of chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) living sympatrically in the montane forest at Kahuzi-Biega National Park, we compared their diet and analyzed dietary overlap between them in relation to fruit phenology. Data on fruit consumption were collected mainly from fecal samples, and phenology of preferred ape fruits was estimated by monitoring. Totals of 231 plant foods (116 species) and 137 plant foods (104 species) were recorded for gorillas and chimpanzees, respectively. Among these, 38% of gorilla foods and 64% of chimpanzee foods were eaten by both apes. Fruits accounted for the largest overlap between them (77% for gorillas and 59% for chimpanzees). Gorillas consumed more species of vegetative foods (especially bark) exclusively whereas chimpanzees consumed more species of fruits and animal foods exclusively. Although the number of fruit species available in the montane forest of Kahuzi is much lower than that in lowland forest, the number of fruit species per chimpanzee fecal sample (average 2.7 species) was similar to that for chimpanzees in the lowland habitats. By contrast, the number of fruit species per gorilla fecal sample (average 0.8 species) was much lower than that for gorillas in the lowland habitats. Fruit consumption by both apes tended to increase during the dry season when ripe fruits were more abundant in their habitat. However, the number of fruit species consumed by chimpanzees did not change according to ripe fruit abundance. The species differences in fruit consumption may be attributed to the wide ranging of gorillas and repeated usage of a small range by chimpanzees and/or to avoidance of inter-specific contact by chimpanzees. The different staple foods (leaves and bark for gorillas and fig fruits for chimpanzees) characterize the dietary divergence between them in the montane forest of Kahuzi, where fruit is usually scarce. Gorillas rarely fed on insects, but chimpanzees occasionally fed on bees with honey, which possibly compensate for fruit scarcity. A comparison of dietary overlap between gorillas and chimpanzees across habitats suggests that sympatry may not influence dietary overlap in fruit consumed but may stimulate behavioral divergence to reduce feeding competition between them.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Juichi Yamagiwa
- Laboratory of Human Evolution Studies, Graduate School of Sciences, Kyoto University, Sakyo, Kyoto, 606-8502, Japan.
| | | |
Collapse
|
38
|
|
39
|
Blake S, Inkamba-Nkulu C. Fruit, Minerals, and Forest Elephant Trails: Do All Roads Lead to Rome?1. Biotropica 2004. [DOI: 10.1646/03215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
|
40
|
Rogers ME, Abernethy K, Bermejo M, Cipolletta C, Doran D, McFarland K, Nishihara T, Remis M, Tutin CEG. Western gorilla diet: A synthesis from six sites. Am J Primatol 2004; 64:173-92. [PMID: 15470742 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.20071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 206] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The objective of this paper is to collate information on western gorilla diet from six study sites throughout much of their current range, including preliminary information from two sites (Afi and Lossi), where studies of diet have begun only recently. Food lists were available from each site, derived from indirect signs of gorilla feeding (such as feces), with some observational data. Important staple, seasonal, and fallback foods have been identified, and a number of striking similarities across sites have been revealed based on a much larger data set than was previously available. It was confirmed that the western gorilla diet is always eclectic, including up to 230 items and 180 species. The greatest diversity is found among the fruit species eaten, fruit being included in western gorilla diets from all sites and throughout most or all of the year. Eight plant families provide important foods at five, or all six, sites, suggesting that it may be possible in the future to predict which habitats are the most suitable for gorillas. Gorillas exploit both rare and common forest species. Similarities and differences among sites can be explained superficially on the basis of geography and the past history of the forest. Gorilla density across sites appears to be most affected by the density of monocotyledonous bulk food plants, but its relationship to the density of important tree food species has yet to be tested.
Collapse
|
41
|
|
42
|
Tutin CE, Ham RM, White LJ, Harrison MJ. The primate community of the Lopé Reserve, Gabon: diets, responses to fruit scarcity, and effects on biomass. Am J Primatol 2000; 42:1-24. [PMID: 9108968 DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1098-2345(1997)42:1<1::aid-ajp1>3.0.co;2-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 167] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
The diets of all diurnal primates (Gorilla g. gorilla, Pan t. troglodytes, Mandrillus sphinx, Colobus satanas, Cercocebus albigena, Cercopithecus nictitans, C. pogonias, C. cephus) in the Lópe Reserve, central Gabon, are described from qualitative and quantitative data collected over 10 years. A total of 397 foods were recorded, of which 91% were from plants. The diet of seven of the eight species were numerically dominated by fruit, the exception being Colobus satanas with a diet dominated by seeds. When proportion of feeding time was examined, fruit remained the dominant food class for six species, while Cercocebus albigena, like the black colobus, spent most time feeding on seeds. The number of foods recorded per species ranged from 46-220, but dietary breadth of the four species that have not been subjects of detailed study was certainly underestimated. Almost half of the foods (46%) were eaten by only one species, and only four (1%) were recorded for all eight species. At Lópe, fruit is scarce for 2-3 months during the annual dry season, and fruit crop failures can prolong this period of scarcity to as many as 8 months in some years. When fruit is scarce, the diets of all the species changed to include more nonfruit foods, but chimpanzees and the three species of guenons maintained a fruit dominated diet. The total biomass of the Lópe primate community is 374 kg/km2, which is low compared to other sites in tropical Africa. Within the Lópe community, biomass correlates negativity with degree of frugivory, suggesting that fruit availability may be critical, but this does not explain the low total biomass compared to other sites. Neither floristic diversity nor the composition of the primate community at Lópe can account for the biomass. While historical events such as climate-induced changes in forrest cover, disease, or impact of human activities cannot be ruled out, we conclude that the most likely explanation of low primate biomass is the occurrence of an ecological "catastrophe" in the fairly recent past from which populations have not yet recovered. We believe that the most likely scenario was climate-mediated disturbance of flowering of important fruit food species. Prolonged fruit scarcity would have caused mortalities and affected the most frugivorous species more severely.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- C E Tutin
- Centre International de Recherches Médicales de Franceville, Gabon
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
43
|
Williams RJ, Myers BA, Eamus D, Duff GA. Reproductive Phenology of Woody Species in a North Australian Tropical Savanna1. Biotropica 1999. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1744-7429.1999.tb00411.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
|
44
|
Whitney KD, Smith TB. Habitat use and resource tracking by African Ceratogymna hornbills: implications for seed dispersal and forest conservation. Anim Conserv 1998. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-1795.1998.tb00018.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
|
45
|
|