Journal of East African Natural History最新文献

{"title":"The Status of Flora and Fauna in the Nzoia River Drainage Basin in Western Kenya","authors":"O. Nasirwa, Beryl A. Bwong, P. Malonza, V. Muchai, D. Wasonga, J. M. Ngwava, J. Musina, Sikenykeny Kipkorir, Ednah Kulola, T. Mwinami, W. Kinuthia, M. Mutua, Augustine Luanga, Laban Njoroge, Gilbert K. Kosgey, Tom Akelo, S. Musila, Immaculate Muthoni, O. Mwebi, Ben Nyakundi, Judith W. Nyamai, Mathias Mbale, K. Matheka, Thomas Mwadime, P. Musili","doi":"10.2982/028.110.0101","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2982/028.110.0101","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT The species richness of flora and fauna in the Nzoia River drainage basin is documented through a study of museum specimens, catalogues and databases. The catchment area and basin covers 2.2% (12900/580367 km2) of Kenya's total land area with an altitudinal range of 1140 to 4300 m and varied ecosystem and land uses. We recorded approximately 9.3% (3239/34677) of Kenya's current known species of vascular plants, invertebrates (insects and spiders), fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals. Bird species made up the highest proportion 58.3% (650/1114) of the national total followed by amphibians 37.3% (41/110), reptiles 45.0% (86/191), mammals 31.3% (122/390), vascular plants 17.9% (1251/7000), fish 6.7% (58/872) (32.2% (58/180) for freshwater fish only) and invertebrates (insects and spiders) 4.1% (1031/25000). Ninety-five species recorded in this area are endemic to Kenya and 42 globally threatened. The species recorded contribute to several ecosystem services including pest control, pollination, bio-indicators, medicine and cosmetics, building materials, ecotourism, research and education. Data available differed substantially across counties and taxon groups with gaps apparent in five counties (Bungoma, Busia, Elgeyo Marakwet, Siaya and Usain Gishu) and four taxa plants, invertebrates, fungi and bacteria where a dearth of information exists. To fill these gaps we recommend prioritisng future survey effort on taxa and counties with fewer than 10% of the total numbers of records.","PeriodicalId":143820,"journal":{"name":"Journal of East African Natural History","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-07-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"133147326","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Annotated Checklist of the Plants of Arabuko-Sokoke Forest, Coastal Kenya","authors":"A. Githitho","doi":"10.2982/028.110.0102","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2982/028.110.0102","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT A total of 605 vascular plant species, including flowering plants, gymnosperms and ferns, are included in this annotated checklist for Arabuko-Sokoke Forest Reserve in Kilifi County in the Coast Region of Kenya. Out of these 491 are supported by a voucher specimen in the East African herbarium, and 106 are sight records, whereas an additional 8 are cited from the Flora of Tropical East Africa (FTEA). This total represents approximately 9% and 18% respectively of the flora of Kenya and the coastal region (K7 of FTEA). Taxa are distributed in 103 families and 389 genera, the largest families being Leguminosae (Fabaceae) with 62 taxa, Rubiaceae with 53 and Malvaceae with 26. The largest genera include Grewia, Cyperus, Ficus and Ipomoea. For each record a name, a cited specimen or sight record, a short general description, and its known phytogeographic distribution is provided. Globally threatened species are also indicated. The conservation importance of Arabuko-Sokoke is discussed.","PeriodicalId":143820,"journal":{"name":"Journal of East African Natural History","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-07-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"129487277","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Ann Birnie: In Memoriam","authors":"","doi":"10.2982/028.109.0203","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2982/028.109.0203","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":143820,"journal":{"name":"Journal of East African Natural History","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-03-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"125810510","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Growth Rates in the Giant Rosette Plants Dendrosenecio adnivalis and Lobelia wollastonii on the Ruwenzori Mountains, Uganda","authors":"T. Struhsaker","doi":"10.2982/028.109.0202","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2982/028.109.0202","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Stem lengths of Dendrosenecio adnivalis and Lobelia wollastonii were measured three times over 5.5 years in the Ruwenzori Mountains, Uganda. These are the only growth data for these two species. Both species had highly variable growth rates. Absolute growth rates in D. adnivalis were not related to the number of rosettes, inflorescences or initial height of plants. The D. adnivalis that were shorter at the beginning of the study grew proportionately faster than did taller individuals. Growth rate was positively associated with annual rainfall for D. adnivalis on the Ruwenzori Mountains, D. keniodendron on Mount Kenya, and D. battiscombei on the Aberdare Mountains. Lobelia wollastonii that were taller at the beginning of the study had greater absolute growth rates than did shorter plants. There was no significant relationship between the initial height and proportional increase in height for L. wollastonii. Growth rate and height are unreliable indicators of age for both species.","PeriodicalId":143820,"journal":{"name":"Journal of East African Natural History","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-03-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"123700562","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Distance from the Tourist Trail and Daylight Condition Affect the Abundance of Mwanza Flat-Headed Rock Agama (Agama mwanzae) in Saanane National Park, Tanzania","authors":"D. M. Gunda, Ladislaus W. Kahana. Obeid Mahenya, T. J. Sylvina, Abraham Eustace","doi":"10.2982/028.109.0201","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2982/028.109.0201","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT For newly established protected areas, it is important to document the abundance, structure and distribution of the species within the landscape. Here we assessed the variation in total abundance as well as female, male and juvenile abundance of Mwanza flat-headed rock agama (Agama mwanzae) in Saanane National Park, Tanzania, in relation to daylight condition (sunny and non-sunny) and proximity to humans. Twenty-three points of 50-meter radius were randomly placed and thoroughly searched for A. mwanzae. Of 364 individual Mwanza flat-headed rock agamas recorded, 85% were adults and 15% were juveniles. Among adults, 45% were males and 55% were females. Daylight condition was observed to affect total abundance and the abundance of females, males and juveniles of A. mwanzae, with higher abundance being in sunny periods as compared to non-sunny periods. Distance from the tourist trail was the best predictor for total abundance and the abundance of females and juveniles but not males, with abundance decreasing moving away from the tourist trail. Therefore, we suggest these factors be considered when surveying agamas elsewhere.","PeriodicalId":143820,"journal":{"name":"Journal of East African Natural History","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-12-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"116540478","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"First Observation of Vervet Monkeys Chlorocebus pygerythrus Feeding on Seagrass Thalassodendron ciliatum along the Tanzanian Coast","authors":"John V Lyakurwa","doi":"10.2982/028.109.0102","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2982/028.109.0102","url":null,"abstract":"The vervet monkey, Chlorocebus pygerythrus (F. Cuvier, 1821), is among the most abundant and widely distributed primates in eastern and southern Africa (Butynski et al., 2013). In Tanzania, it is found throughout most of the country, and in some places, forages in human settlement areas (Foley et al., 2014). Chlorocebus pygerythrus is an opportunistic omnivore, with flowers, leaves, seeds and invertebrates contributing a major part of its diet (Struhsaker, 1967; Wrangham & Waterman, 1981; Lee & Hauser, 1998; Butynski et al., 2013; Foley et al., 2014). Vervet monkeys are known to feed on terrestrial grasses e.g. Panicum spp, Sporobolus spp, Cynodon spp and Cenchrus mezianus (Leeke) Morrone (Struhsaker, 1967; Butynski et al., 2013), but there are no records of seagrasses as part of their diet. This note reports the first observation of C. pygerythrus feeding on the seagrass Thalassodendron ciliatum (Forssk.) Hartog (Cymodoceaceae) at Saadani National Park, on the shores of the Indian Ocean. Saadani National Park is one of 22 national parks in mainland Tanzania, and the only one bordering the Indian Ocean (TANAPA, 2020). It comprises the former Mkwaja ranch area, former Saadani game reserve and the Zaraninge forest (Treydte et al., 2005) and is located within the Zanzibar-Inhambane phytochorion (White, 1983). The mean annual temperature in the park is 25°C (Treydte et al., 2005) with the annual rainfall considerably variable between years (Tobler et al., 2003), generally averaging to 900 mm per annum (Treydte et al., 2005). Rainfall in the park is bimodal with a short rainy season from October to December and a long rainy season from March to early June (Treydte et al., 2005; Cochard & Edwards, 2011). Like most of the Western Indian Ocean, the hydrography of Saadani coast is shaped by northeast and southeast monsoon winds which occur between November to March and May to September respectively (Richmond, 2002; Lymo, 2011; Semba et al., 2019). The surface water temperature ranges from 20 to 30°C and is higher during northeast monsoon winds (Richmond, 2002; Lymo, 2011; Peter et al., 2018). At least 10 seagrass species are known along the Western Indian Ocean (Richmond, 2002; Gullstrom et al., 2002) with Thalassodendron ciliatum being among the most common (Gullstrom et al., 2002). A group of 22 vervet monkeys were observed on 31 August 2019 foraging along the shores of the Saadani National Park (6°01'42\"S, 38°46'44\"E ) for two hours from 10:00 h to 12:00 h during the low tide. The monkeys spent almost half of the time feeding on the terrestrial herbs Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers., Sporobolus sp, Panicum sp and Anthericum sp on the supralittoral zone, before entering the littoral zone where they foraged on drift patches of the seagrass Thalassodendron ciliatum (figures 1 & 2). Identification of the seagrass followed Richmond (2002). The monkeys were observed eating rhizomes and shoots of T. ciliatum while avoiding the roots and leaves. Both direct mouth s","PeriodicalId":143820,"journal":{"name":"Journal of East African Natural History","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-07-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"123166552","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A Checklist of the Spiders of Tanzania","authors":"A. Russell-Smith","doi":"10.2982/028.109.0101","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2982/028.109.0101","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT A checklist of all published spider species from Tanzania is provided. For each species, the localities from which it was recorded are noted and a gazetteer of the geographic coordinates of all but a small minority of these localities is included. The results are discussed in terms of family species richness, the completeness of our knowledge of the spider fauna of this country and the likely biases in family composition.","PeriodicalId":143820,"journal":{"name":"Journal of East African Natural History","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-07-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"122300278","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Avifaunal Biodiversity in Peril: Pre- and Post-Vegetation Clearance Survey of Avifauna in a Fragmented Thicket in an Urban Landscape, Dar Es Salaam City, Tanzania","authors":"C. Werema, R. Senzota, Nassoro Mohamed","doi":"10.2982/028.108.0202","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2982/028.108.0202","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT In contrast to the bird faunas of most protected areas in Tanzania, those found in urban areas have poorly been studied. In December 2009 and May 2010, using mist netting and audiovisual observations, we undertook surveys of birds at Kituo cha Biomazingira Dar es Salaam (KIBIDA), a privately owned 6 ha area, as an initial attempt to ascertain which bird species are found there. In 2012 and 2017 this 6 ha area (dominated by thickets) was cleared by unknown people further reducing it to about one-third and one-sixth of the original area, respectively. This led us to further assess whether the birds were negatively affected by habitat reduction after one-third and one-sixth of the study area remained. In both cases we continued to use mist nets augmented by audio-visual observations of birds. We detected a total of 98 species of which 62, 48, 53 and 42 were recorded before wood vegetation in the original 6 ha area was cleared, during clearing, two years and six years after it was cleared, respectively. Some of the species detected were forest-dependent and Palaearctic migrants suggesting that remnant thickets and forest patches in urban landscapes are important for conservation of forest dependent and migrant birds. Twenty-two species that were detected before the wood vegetation in the area was cleared were neither found during the time of clearance nor after clearance suggesting possible emigration or local extinction. Similarly, 44 species that were not found in the study area prior to clearance were either observed or mist netted afterwards as a result of turnover in species composition during the sampling period. The results suggest that there is a need to continue to protect KIBIDA and other similar habitats in urban landscapes in order to preserve their avifauna. The results further imply that should such habitats continue to be cleared for provision of settlement, some of the bird species found in them will be lost leading to local extinction. As such, the study recommends conserving thickets and forest patches in urban landscapes as habitats for birds and other fauna.","PeriodicalId":143820,"journal":{"name":"Journal of East African Natural History","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"124358426","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Mike Bingham: In Memoriam4 September 1936–4 January 2019","authors":"B. Bytebier","doi":"10.2982/028.108.0201","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2982/028.108.0201","url":null,"abstract":"You may wonder why the Journal of East African Natural History should publish an obituary for a naturalist who was born in South Africa and spent almost his entire professional life in Zimbabwe and Zambia. The reason is that, in my personal opinion, Mike has had an indirect, but nevertheless important, impact on conservation in East Africa, and Tanzania in particular. I will explain. I first met Mike in Harare in 1997 during a symposium organised by the Zimbabwe Orchid Society to celebrate their 50 anniversary. That is where I heard for the first time about \"chikanda\" and how the Zambian crave for chikanda was quickly depleting Zambian ground orchid populations. Chikanda is a savoury snack made of cooked, grounded peanuts and chillies that is turned into a cake or polony by adding pounded orchid tubers. The peculiar starches in the orchid tubers help to solidify the cake as it cools off. The tubers mostly come from the orchid genera Disa, Satryrium and Habenaria, but other genera of orchidoid orchids are also used. The harvesting the tubers is a destructive activity as it will kill the particular orchid plant. Historically, chikanda was only consumed on a local scale in northern Zambia. However, it became a popular snack in the bars of Lusaka and from there spread throughout the country. Chikanda is now sold by street vendors all over Zambia. As a result, the demand for orchid tubers gradually increased and soon tubers were also being harvested from suitable areas in the Tanzania, DR Congo, Angola and Malawi. Mike was aware of the increasing destructive effect that the harvesting of chikanda tubers had on orchid populations in central and east Africa and started spreading the message through lectures, popular articles and personal contacts with conservationists. Indeed, this is how I came to know about it. The information also reached Drs. Davenport and Ndangalasi, who did a study on the harvesting and trade of orchid tubers in Tanzania. In 2001, they published a report in which it was estimated that 3 million tubers, weighing 60 metric tonnes, were being harvested for the Zambian market from the southern highlands of Tanzania, particularly from the Kitulo Plateau near Mbeya. The shock and outrage on the devastating effect of the orchid tuber trade that this report created, prompted the government of Tanzania to declare the Kitulo Plateau as a National Park in 2005. While Mike was certainly not directly involved in the establishment of the Kitulo National Park, he was at the forefront of spreading the message about how the unsustainable harvesting of orchid tubers was depleting orchid diversity hotspots in Africa. Indirectly thus, he contributed to conservation in East Africa and in this regard, I believe our readership will be interested in the legacy of this great naturalist.","PeriodicalId":143820,"journal":{"name":"Journal of East African Natural History","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"123570130","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Reptiles of Mkomazi National Park, Tanzania an Updated Checklist with Some Aspects of Biogeography","authors":"Glory W. Summay, Kevin E. Lyakurwa, John V Lyakurwa, C. Werema, Tito J. Lanoy, R. Okick","doi":"10.2982/028.108.0203","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2982/028.108.0203","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT The Mkomazi National Park (MNP) is a protected area representing three major biomes, yet it remains poorly known from a herpetological perspective. Intensive surveys for reptiles were carried out in the MNP during dry and wet seasons in 2018, with the main focus of updating the existing data and assessing the influence of the three biomes on the park's species composition. Various methods were used to document 55 species, most of which were found during the dry season. The checklist of reptiles of MNP is now updated to 73 species, 97% of which are typical of the Somalia-Maasai biome, equivalent to 54% of all Somalia-Maasai biome species in Tanzania. The MNP was found to be the most discordant in species composition from the contiguous Pare and Usambara Mountains, the latter two areas harbouring Afromontane forest-dependent species. We recommend surveys at Kinondu, Ibaya and Maji Kununua hills and foothills along the West Usambara and South Pare Mountains in order to confirm Afromontane species in MNP.","PeriodicalId":143820,"journal":{"name":"Journal of East African Natural History","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"133811247","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}