Prunus africana (Hook.f.) Kalkm. is a secondary forest canopy tree species that has been declining over much of its geographical range in sub-Saharan Africa during recent decades due to unsustainable ...harvesting of its bark for the international medicinal plant trade. One of the locations where the species is experiencing rapid mortality is Isecheno study site in the Kakamega Forest, Kenya where this study was conducted. Between 1997 and 2003, 21% of the
P. africana (⩾10 cm DBH) at Isecheno died and an additional 9% experienced ⩾50% canopy dieback. However, scars from bark harvesting on
P. africana were relatively small and scarred trees were not more likely to be dead or dying than unscarred trees, suggesting that bark exploitation is not causing
P. africana mortality at Isecheno. Other possible causes that require further evaluation include disease, insect attack, nutrient deficiency, and/or climatic fluctuation. The poor regeneration of
P. africana at Isecheno can likely be explained by the relative lack of recent disturbance coupled with the thick undergrowth layer at this site.
P. africana mortality is of concern not only because the species is listed as Vulnerable by IUCN, but also because black and white colobus monkeys
Colobus guereza (Rüppell, 1835) at Isecheno exploit it as their top food species and are particularly reliant on its leaves during times of `preferred' Moraceae fruit scarcity. The anticipated continued decline of
P. africana may have adverse effects on
C. guereza feeding habits, intergroup relations, and population density at Isecheno. Conservation of
P. africana offers a formidable challenge since the species appears to require disturbance for regeneration, yet at sites where disturbance is occurring,
P. africana is often a target of bark harvesters engaging in unsustainable levels of exploitation.
Issue Title: Special Issue: Behavior, Ecology, and Conservation of Colobine Monkeys With group sizes sometimes >300 individuals, the Angolan black-and-white colobus (Colobus angolensis ruwenzorii) ...population in Nyungwe Forest, Rwanda is an intriguing exception to the tendency for folivores to live in smaller groups than expected relative to body size. Researchers have hypothesized that the unusually high quality of foliage at Nyungwe allows colobus there to avoid intragroup feeding competition, releasing constraints on the formation of large groups (Fimbel etal., 2001). We collected data on the activity and ranging patterns of a >300-member Nyungwe colobus group and compared our results to those from smaller groups in other black-and-white colobus (Colobus spp.) populations. Colobus at Nyungwe spent far more time feeding and moving (62%) and far less time resting (32%) than black-and-white colobus at any other site. The annual home range of the Nyungwe colobus was also many times larger (95% minimum convex polygon: 20.7 km^sup 2^; 95% fixed kernel: 24.4 km^sup 2^) than those for other populations. We terminated our research after the group engaged in an unprecedented migration among black-and-white colobus by moving 13 km south of their former range. Our results suggest that intragroup scramble competition may be more intense than originally believed within the large colobus groups at Nyungwe and that long periods of resource renewal may be necessary after a large colobus group passes through an area, thereby potentially helping to explain their wide ranging patterns. We discuss the socioecological convergence between the Nyungwe colobus and Chinese snub-nosed monkeys (Rhinopithecus spp.) and suggest directions for future research on the unique black-and-white colobus population at Nyungwe.PUBLICATION ABSTRACT
Eastern black-and-white colobus (Colobus guereza), or guerezas, have long been considered to be one of the most folivorous primates. I conducted a study of the feeding ecology of two guereza groups ...(T and O) over an annual cycle in the Kakamega Forest of western Kenya. I found that the annual diets of both groups comprised mostly of leaves (T: 48%, O: 57%) though fruit (T: 44%, O: 33%) also accounted for a substantial portion of the diet. In the six months when fruit was most abundant, fruit consumption constituted an average of 58% of T-group's monthly diet and 42% of O-group's monthly diet. In contrast to most previous studies of colobines, in which seeds were the primary fruit item consumed, almost all of the fruit eaten by guerezas at Kakamega consisted of whole fruits. At least 72% of the whole fruits consumed by T-and O-groups were whole fruits from trees in the Moraceae family, which dominates the tree family biomass at Kakamega. Unlike at sites where guerezas consumed fruit primarily when young leaves were scarce, at Kakamega guerezas ate fruit in accordance with its availability and irrespective of the availability of young leaves. My findings demonstrate that guerezas are more dietarily flexible than was previously known, which may help to explain why the species can survive in such a wide variety of forested habitats across equatorial Africa.PUBLICATION ABSTRACT
Long-term studies of tree population dynamics play an important role in identifying the conservation needs of tropical forest ecosystems. We examined changes in tree population structure and ...composition over an 18-year period (1981-1999) in three plots located at the center of the Isecheno study site in the Kakamega Forest, Kenya, a forest with a history of logging and other anthropogenic disturbance. DBH size class distribution took the shape of an 'inverse J' curve in both 1981 and 1999 and did not differ significantly between the two study periods. Stem density increased significantly during the study with most of the increase occurring in the smallest stem size class (10-14 cm DBH). Nearly all of the most common species in 1981 remained among the most common in 1999, though the density of pioneer species decreased by 21% during the study. Our results suggest that forest in the study plots remained relatively undisturbed and in good condition over the study period. Forest in the plots also appeared still to be recovering from the selective logging of large trees that took place at Isecheno in the 1940s. In addition to our longitudinal study, we compared tree population parameters at three additional Isecheno sites spread over a distance of 1 km that have experienced different histories of disturbance: (i) a lightly human disturbed site (LHD), (ii) a heavily human disturbed site (HHD), and (iii) a cattle disturbed site (CD). While all three sites were selectively logged in the 1940s, the main signs of disturbance today are footpaths at the LHD site, tree stumps at the HHD site, and wide cattle paths at the CD site. Not surprisingly, of the disturbed sites, the LHD site was in the best condition. Trees at the HHD site exhibited extremely poor recruitment into the small size classes, a condition that can probably be attributed to human exploitation of small trees for poles. The CD site appeared to be at an earlier successional stage than the other disturbed sites with its low mean DBH, high overall stem density, and high pioneer species stem density. Browsing and trampling of vegetation by cattle may be the source of the light gaps that have led to the abundance of pioneer species at this site. We conclude that conservation measures applied to central Isecheno, including the establishment of a forest station nearby and ranger patrols, appear to have succeeded, but that the prognosis for the Kakamega Forest in general is bleak if protection efforts are not increased in other parts of the forest, where anthropogenic disturbance remains high. We also note the considerable variation in tree population structure and composition that can occur within a small area depending on the local history of disturbance.PUBLICATION ABSTRACT
•Bamboo-eating Bale monkeys share their range with 52 endemic and/or threatened vertebrate species.•Bale monkeys meet both the flagship and umbrella species criteria.•Bamboo forest restoration and ...management strategies will help to achieve at least six UN Sustainable Development Goals.•Science-based sustainable harvest & management of bamboo would help to improve local livelihoods without significantly affecting the survival of Bale monkeys.
Forest loss and degradation are the most significant threats to terrestrial biodiversity in the tropics. Promoting flagship or umbrella species is a strategy that can be used to conserve intact forests and restore degraded ecosystems, conserve biodiversity, and achieve sustainable development goals. The Bale monkey (Chlorocebus djamdjamensis) is an arboreal, forest-dwelling, threatened primate restricted to a small range in the southern Ethiopian Highlands, which relies mostly on a single species of bamboo (Arundinaria alpina) and prefers bamboo forest habitat. Most of the Bale monkey’s range lies outside protected areas and most of its historical bamboo forest habitat is degraded or destroyed. The conservation of Bale monkeys and bamboo is highly inter-dependent; however, the value of using the Bale monkey as a flagship or umbrella species for forest restoration has not been evaluated. Here we use geographic range overlap and geospatial modeling to evaluate Bale monkeys as a flagship and/or umbrella species. We also assess if conservation intervention on behalf of Bale monkeys can help restore bamboo forest, while simultaneously providing a wide range of socioeconomic and environmental benefits. We found that Bale monkeys share their range with 52 endemic and/or threatened vertebrate species and at least 9 endemic and/or threatened plant species. Our results show that Bale monkeys meet both the flagship and umbrella species criteria to restore bamboo forest and conserve threatened co-occurring species. Since bamboo is fast-growing and can be harvested every year, we suggest that a science-based sustainable harvest and management regime for bamboo would help to improve the livelihood of both the local community and Ethiopians in general without significantly affecting the long-term survival of Bale monkeys and regional biodiversity. Further, a conservation management strategy protecting and restoring bamboo forest has the potential to achieve at least six of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Abstract Early childhood experiences have lifelong physical, social, emotional, and cognitive impacts. High quality early childhood education and care (ECEC) can put children on the path to personal ...development, lifelong learning, and future employability. Among the fastest growing ECEC options are nature-based preschools, where children spend most or all of each day outdoors in natural environments, but comparative studies of children’s behavior in nature-based versus traditional preschools are needed. We conducted an observational study comparing conflict, activity patterns, and play behavior among children at a nature preschool and a traditional preschool, both in Norway, where access to high quality ECEC is a universal right. We found that preschool children’s behavior varied with time spent outdoors in natural environments: (1) play was more physically active, less gendered, and less often incorporated human-made items at the nature preschool, (2) conflict was almost twice as common at the traditional preschool, and (3) daily group activities at the traditional preschool like sitting down to a cooked meal and gathering up and putting away toys were absent from the nature preschool. While both the traditional and nature preschools offered children equal amounts of play time and a variety of physically and socially stimulating play activities, our results suggest that access to natural environments impacts preschool children’s behavior and interactions in meaningful ways.
Résumé Les expériences de la petite enfance ont des impacts physiques, sociaux, émotionnels et cognitifs tout au long de la vie. Une éducation et un accueil de la petite enfance (EAPE) de haute qualité peuvent mettre les enfants sur la voie du développement personnel, de l’apprentissage tout au long de la vie et de l’employabilité future. Parmi les options d’EAPE qui connaissent la croissance la plus rapide figurent les écoles maternelles « dans la nature », où les enfants passent la majeure partie ou la totalité de leur journée à l’extérieur dans des environnements naturels, mais des études comparatives du comportement des enfants dans les écoles maternelles « dans la nature » et les écoles traditionnelles sont nécessaires. Nous avons mené une étude observationnelle comparant les conflits, les schémas d'activité et les comportements de jeu chez les enfants d'une école maternelle « dans la nature » et d'une école maternelle traditionnelle, toutes deux en Norvège, où l'accès à une EAPE de haute qualité est un droit universel. Nous avons constaté que le comportement des enfants d’école maternelle variait en fonction du temps passé à l'extérieur dans des environnements naturels : (1) le jeu était plus actif physiquement, moins genré et incorporait moins souvent des objets fabriqués par l'Homme à l'école maternelle « dans la nature », (2) les conflits étaient presque deux fois plus fréquents à l'école maternelle traditionnelle, et (3) les activités de groupe quotidiennes à l'école maternelle traditionnelle, comme s'asseoir pour un repas cuisiné et rassembler et ranger les jouets, étaient absentes dans l'école maternelle « dans la nature ». Alors que les écoles maternelles traditionnelles et « dans la nature » offraient aux enfants un temps de jeu égal et une variété d’activités ludiques physiquement et socialement stimulantes, nos résultats suggèrent que l’accès aux environnements naturels a un impact significatif sur le comportement et les interactions des enfants d’école maternelle.
Resumen Las experiencias de la primera infancia tienen impactos físicos, sociales, emocionales y cognitivos para toda la vida. La educación y los cuidados de calidad en la primera infancia (ECCPI) pueden encaminar a los niños hacia el desarrollo personal, el aprendizaje permanente y una futura empleabilidad. Entre las opciones de ECCPI de más rápido crecimiento se encuentran los centros preescolares basados en el contacto con la naturaleza, donde los niños pasan la mayor parte del día, incluso todo el día, al aire libre en entornos naturales. Sin embargo, se necesitan estudios comparativos del comportamiento de los niños de los centros preescolares basados en la naturaleza en comparación con los tradicionales. En este estudio observacional hemos comparado conflictos, patrones de actividad y conductas de juego entre niños de un centro preescolar basado en la naturaleza con un centro preescolar tradicional, ambos en Noruega, donde el acceso a una ECCPIes un derecho universal. Descubrimos que el comportamiento de los niños en edad preescolar variaba en relación al tiempo que pasaban al aire libre en ambientes naturales: (1) el juego era físicamente más activo, presentaba menos diferencias de género e incorporaba menos elementos artificiales en el centro preescolar basado en la naturaleza, (2) el conflicto era casi dos veces más común en el centro preescolar tradicional, y (3) las actividades grupales diarias del centro preescolar tradicional, tal como sentarse a comer o recoger y guardar los juguetes, fueron ausentes en el centro preescolar basado en la naturaleza. Si bien tanto el centro preescolar tradicional como el basado en la naturaleza ofrecieron a los niños la misma cantidad de tiempo dedicado al juego y una variedad de actividades de juego estimulantes física y socialmente, nuestros resultados sugieren que el acceso a entornos naturales tiene un impacto significativo en el comportamiento y en las interacciones entre los niños en edad preescolar.
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