African Journal of Ecology最新文献

{"title":"Spatial Determinants of Animal Roadkill Occurrence and Hotspots, With Implications for Wildlife Conservation Along Nairobi-Mombasa Highway","authors":"Peter Kibobi,&nbsp;Johnstone Kimanzi,&nbsp;Joseph Koskey,&nbsp;Mary Wykstra","doi":"10.1111/aje.70077","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/aje.70077","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The continuous expansion of global road networks, driven by increasing human populations, poses an emerging threat to animal populations through vehicle collisions. This study identifies the causal factors and hotspots of animal roadkill along a 72 km stretch of the Nairobi–Mombasa Highway (from Kyumvi to Sultan-Hamud) and recommends appropriate mitigation measures to enhance wildlife conservation. Data on roadkill incidents were collected from 2013 to 2018 through road patrols conducted by field scouts. Environmental variables, including water points, corners, vegetation, culverts, migratory routes, settlements, slopes, land use, and fences, were gathered using Geographic Information System (GIS) techniques. A presence-absence binary logistic regression model within a GIS environment was employed to identify significant environmental drivers of roadkill and to map hotspots. A total of 408 roadkill incidents (0.944 roadkill km⁻¹ y⁻¹) were recorded, comprising 51 species from six animal groups. Wild herbivores (13 species) and carnivores (14 species) constituted the majority of the documented wildlife, with a density of 0.204 and 0.157 fatalities per kilometre of road per year, respectively. Roadkill incidents for all species combined were significantly higher in areas near migratory routes, settlements, culverts, and corners, while they were lower in grassland, dwarf shrub grassland, open shrub areas, and near fences. However, the roadkill of different animal groups was influenced by distinct sets of factors. Most roadkill hotspots were located between Konza Center and Salama Town, with birds having the shortest stretch and herbivores and carnivores having the longest stretches. Roadkill can be mitigated by establishing road signs, fences, speed bumps, overpasses, and underpasses, and maintaining a cleared vegetation zone along the road. These findings can assist wildlife managers and infrastructure engineers in incorporating wildlife welfare and the concerns and attitudes of local communities when planning and developing linear infrastructure projects.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":7844,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Ecology","volume":"63 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144673163","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Ecology of an Elephant Kill: Lion Defleshing of an African Elephant in the Okavango Delta (Botswana), and Limited Kleptoparasitic Opportunities for Meat-Eating Scavengers","authors":"Manuel Domínguez-Rodrigo,&nbsp;Enrique Baquedano","doi":"10.1111/aje.70079","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/aje.70079","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Here, we document the immediate aftermath of a lion predation event on a juvenile elephant in a private concession near the southeastern border of the Moremi Game Reserve (Okavango delta, Botswana). The carcass was monitored over a four-week period to assess patterns of defleshing and scavenger activity. Lions were the primary consumers, rapidly defleshing most anatomical regions within the first week, with minimal evidence of early hyena involvement. Hyenas appeared later but had little impact on the bone assemblage, likely due to food abundance in the ecosystem. Remarkably, soft tissue structures like podal pads remained intact after a month. These observations have implications for paleoanthropology, suggesting that bulk meat from megafaunal carcasses would only have been accessible to early hominins under confrontational scavenging scenarios. Additionally, the data provide ecological insight into carnivore competition and resource use in high-biomass landscapes.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":7844,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Ecology","volume":"63 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144647333","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Mapping the Ecological Niche of a Key West African Species: Terminalia leiocarpa","authors":"Fabrice Jean Eudes Crédo Gahounga,&nbsp;Esaïe Tchetan,&nbsp;Sedami Igor Armand Yevide,&nbsp;Dagbédji Florent Eudes Sobakin,&nbsp;Francisca Deguenon Aïzoun,&nbsp;Pierre Koufo N'po,&nbsp;Thierry Dehouegnon Houehanou,&nbsp;Pascal Abiodoun Olounlade,&nbsp;Adandé Belarmain Fandohan","doi":"10.1111/aje.70078","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/aje.70078","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p><i>Terminalia leiocarpa</i> (DC.) Baill is a tree species widely used in ethnoveterinary practices, human medicine, furniture and charcoal making. Our study aimed to (i) map the favourable areas for the species in Benin, both currently and in the future, and (ii) analyse the biotic and abiotic factors affecting the structure and availability of <i>T. leiocarpa</i>. To achieve this goal, a dendrometric inventory of 141 plots across the three climate zones of Benin was carried out. This included the collection of soil type and insect attack data at the plot level, as well as climate data downloaded from the WorldClim 2 platform. Dendrometry parameters, such as basal area, tree height and diameter, Lorey height and importance value index (IVI) were calculated, and generalised linear mixed models, were established to determine the effects of biotic (diameter of heterospecific trees, density and diameter of conspecific trees) and abiotic (mean of daily temperature variation (bio2) and annual precipitation (bio12)) factors on these parameters. The future distribution areas of <i>T. leiocarpa</i> in Benin were projected under SSP 2–4.5 and SSP 5–8.5 scenarios using Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt). The results predicted a decrease in the suitable areas of 22% and 33% under the SSP 2–4.5 and SSP 5–8.5 scenarios, respectively. Our results also showed that conspecific tree diameter (<i>β</i> = 0.34; <i>p</i> = 0.000) and conspecific tree density (<i>β</i> = 0.02; <i>p</i> = 0.036) were positively associated with the tree height, while bio2 (<i>β</i> = −0.32; <i>p</i> = 0.039) and bio12 (<i>β</i> = −0.01; <i>p</i> = 0.004) had a negative effect on <i>T. leiocarpa</i> diameter. These results should help us to understand the ecological niche and to take the necessary steps upstream to contribute to the conservation and sustainable use of <i>T. leiocarpa</i>. Future studies could focus on analysing the impact of environmental factors on juvenile growth and survival.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":7844,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Ecology","volume":"63 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144635237","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Influence of Habitat Heterogeneity and Rainfall on Small Mammal Diversity and Reproduction in an Ethiopian Landscape","authors":"Mengistu Wale,&nbsp;Afework Bekele,&nbsp;Mesele Yihune,&nbsp;Aleksey A. Martynov,&nbsp;Leonid A. Lavrenchenko","doi":"10.1111/aje.70073","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/aje.70073","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The influence of habitat heterogeneity and rainfall on small mammal diversity and reproduction was studied in Chimit Kola. Data were collected using a grid and line trapping design in six representative habitats. Species identification and data analysis were performed using molecular techniques and R programming software. A total of 11 species were captured with an overall trap success of 25.6%. <i>Mastomys awashensis</i> was the most abundant, followed by <i>Acomys louisae</i>, and the least was <i>Crocidura parvipes</i>. Species richness and diversity were the highest in the riverine forest and the least in the fallowland habitats. The riverine forest had the highest abundance, followed by grassland and the least was in the forest. The abundance and reproductive activities of most small mammals were significantly higher during the wet season than during the dry season. Pregnancy was biased towards the right uterine horn compared to the left. The diversity and reproduction of small mammals are influenced by habitat productivity, which in turn is associated with seasonal rainfall, reflecting the significance of habitat heterogeneity and seasonal resource availability for the conservation of species.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":7844,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Ecology","volume":"63 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144598306","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"How Much Does Light Pollution Alter Vector Disease Transmission at Scale?","authors":"Bernard W. T. Coetzee,&nbsp;Layla van Zyl","doi":"10.1111/aje.70067","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/aje.70067","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Artificial light at night (ALAN) is increasingly recognised as a global change driver due to its widespread use and ecological impacts. ALAN influences mosquitoes under laboratory conditions, altering the biting propensity of diurnal <i>Aedes</i> mosquitoes while suppressing that of nocturnal <i>Anopheles</i> species complexes, the primary malaria vectors in Africa. This study models ALAN's effects on mosquito vectorial capacity using the R package AnophelesModel, incorporating lab and field data on mosquito biting behaviour and light sources. Findings suggest ALAN may influence malaria transmission dynamics, underscoring the need for further investigation at household and larger ecological scales. However, small reductions in biting propensity alone mean ALAN has a smaller impact compared to other interventions.</p>","PeriodicalId":7844,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Ecology","volume":"63 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/aje.70067","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144589666","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Microcosms and Mesocosms: Small-Scale Experiments, Big Impacts for Tropical Ecology","authors":"Luca Luiselli,&nbsp;Nic Pacini","doi":"10.1111/aje.70076","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/aje.70076","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Microcosms and mesocosms—controlled experimental ecosystems—have revolutionised ecological research by providing a bridge between theoretical models and real-world complexity. These systems allow researchers to isolate and manipulate environmental variables, enhancing our understanding of ecological processes such as nutrient cycling, species interactions, and climate change effects. In Africa, where biodiversity is rich but ecological data are often limited, microcosm and mesocosm studies present a powerful yet underutilised tool. They offer cost-effective solutions for assessing ecosystem resilience, testing conservation strategies, predicting responses to direct anthropogenic pressures and to climate change, revealing the competitive advantage of invasive taxa. This review explores the theoretical foundations and practical applications of microcosms and mesocosms in experimental ecology, emphasising their potential for African ecosystems and providing numerous example case studies including suggestions for mesocosm design. We discuss their role in aquatic and terrestrial studies, challenges in their implementation, and how they can be adapted to local contexts; finally, we provide suggestions for further studies. Given Africa's diverse landscapes—from savannahs to rainforests and wetlands—these experimental systems hold promise for addressing pressing environmental challenges. By integrating microcosm and mesocosm research with field studies, African ecologists can generate robust, scalable insights that inform policy and conservation efforts across the continent.</p>","PeriodicalId":7844,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Ecology","volume":"63 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/aje.70076","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144589665","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Identifying the Substrate and Vegetation Characteristics Driving Population Densities in the Buckspoor Spider, Seothyra schreineri","authors":"Charles R. Haddad,&nbsp;Daryl Codron,&nbsp;Ruan Booysen","doi":"10.1111/aje.70074","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/aje.70074","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Buckspoor spiders (Araneae: Eresidae: <i>Seothyra</i> Purcell) are a distinct lineage of burrow-inhabiting web-building spiders endemic to the arid and semi-arid parts of southern Africa. We investigated the role of substrate and vegetation characteristics on site selection in <i>Seothyra schreineri</i> Purcell in the xeric Nama Karoo of the western Free State Province, South Africa. We studied web densities in two 0.5 ha plots in an open habitat grazed by sheep and found declining web densities with increasing distance from the border fence. Web densities in the 1 m² plots were negatively correlated with increasing grass density, positively correlated with increasing percentage fine gravel, whereas shrub cover, litter, hard soil and stones had a very weak effect. Our results indicate that the spatial distribution of fine gravel in Nama Karoo landscapes is a key factor determining the occurrence of <i>S. schreineri</i>, a finding that can guide future sampling efforts, leading to a more complete prediction of the species' distribution and, ultimately, its overall conservation status.</p>","PeriodicalId":7844,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Ecology","volume":"63 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/aje.70074","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144537174","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Stakeholder Perspectives on the Current Decision-Making Process of Invasive Alien Plant Management","authors":"Current Masunungure,&nbsp;Agripa Ngorima,&nbsp;Amanda Manyani,&nbsp;Mwazvita T. B. Dalu,&nbsp;Tatenda Dalu","doi":"10.1111/aje.70075","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/aje.70075","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Effective management responses to different risks posed by invasive alien plants (IAP) rely on the ability to assess the appropriateness of the decision-making process involved. IAP management is highly dynamic and complex, involving diverse stakeholders and it remains unclear whether the current decision-making processes are appropriate for managing IAP. However, there have been some notable successes both locally and elsewhere in the world. Here, 30 key informant interviews were conducted with private landowners (<i>n</i> = 7), natural resource managers from government parastatals (<i>n</i> = 7), private sector (<i>n</i> = 5), non-governmental organisations (NGO) practitioners (<i>n</i> = 6) and researchers (<i>n</i> = 5) involved in IAP management, to better understand the perspectives on the current decision-making process. In addition, the compliance of the current IAP decision-making process to the principles of robust decision-making was assessed. The availability of a plethora of management plans, science-based decisions, the creation of jobs, flexible process and coordination were frequently identified strengths. Furthermore, the results showed no significant differences among stakeholder groups in how the respondents characterise their current IAP decision-making process, with infrequent mention of the principles of robust decision-making. The findings demonstrate how infrequently the principles of robust decision-making are incorporated into the current IAP decision-making process. Incorporating the principles of robust decision-making offers an avenue for improving the decision-making process for invasive alien plant management.</p>","PeriodicalId":7844,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Ecology","volume":"63 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/aje.70075","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144537175","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Behavioural Trade-Offs in Impala: The Influence of Predators and Social Structure on Foraging and Vigilance","authors":"Ellie N. Freidly,&nbsp;Matthew A. Wuensch,&nbsp;Taylor C. Michael,&nbsp;David Ward","doi":"10.1111/aje.70070","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/aje.70070","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Group-dwelling mammalian herbivores (e.g., impala) often have to balance between the amount of time spent foraging and being vigilant. Vigilance behaviour (scanning for predators) helps reduce predation risk while prey are vulnerable during foraging events. Impalas typically occur in either territorial herds containing dominant males, females and juveniles, or bachelor herds that contain only subordinate males. To assess how factors such as sex, social structure and the presence or absence of predators may affect impala behaviour, we examined the vigilance and foraging behaviour of impalas, both inside a game reserve with limited large predators as well as in the Kruger National Park, in eastern South Africa, with many predators present. In the low-predator environment, dominant males in territorial herds spent more time vigilant than females and juveniles, and males in territorial herds spent more time vigilant than males in bachelor herds. When comparing vigilance behaviour in areas with and without predators, females and bachelor males exhibited no difference in their behaviour between locations. Surprisingly, dominant males in territorial herds were more vigilant in low-predator environments than in high-predator environments (Kruger), which may suggest that vigilance by dominant males is directed towards competitor males rather than predators.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":7844,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Ecology","volume":"63 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144537173","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Presence of Servals (Leptailurus serval) in a Mature, Closed-Canopy Tropical Moist Montane Rainforest Ecosystem Challenges Conventional Range Maps","authors":"Emma E. M. Evers,&nbsp;Philbert Ndahayo,&nbsp;Felix Mulindahabi,&nbsp;Jean Pierre Ntibabarira,&nbsp;Drew A. Bantlin","doi":"10.1111/aje.70072","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/aje.70072","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Despite its widespread occurrence across Sub-Saharan Africa, the serval (<i>Leptailurus serval</i>) remains largely understudied, especially within Central and Western Africa. Historically regarded as a savanna specialist, servals are thought to be absent from dense, rainforest habitat (IUCN habitat class 1.9). Here, we present evidence of servals occupying tropical moist montane forest across several years, in Nyungwe National Park, Rwanda. We highlight the potential knowledge gap in the currently-accepted IUCN serval range map and the importance of increasing research efforts in understudied areas across Central and Western Africa to improve understanding of species' presence and ecology in these systems.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":7844,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Ecology","volume":"63 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144537143","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}