African Journal of Ecology最新文献

{"title":"Uncovering Cryptic Diversity: Camera Trap Insights Into the Effects of Seasonality and Anthropogenic Presence in a Mosaic Savannah Ecosystem","authors":"Nadia Mirghani,&nbsp;Manuel Llana,&nbsp;Amanda Barciela,&nbsp;Laia Dotras,&nbsp;R. Adriana Hernandez-Aguilar,&nbsp;Jordi Galbany,&nbsp;Luis M. Carrascal","doi":"10.1111/aje.70069","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/aje.70069","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Developing comprehensive mammal inventories in protected areas with human presence is essential for effective biodiversity conservation yet remains challenging, particularly for elusive species. Camera trapping has emerged as a valuable tool for documenting mammal diversity, complementary to or as an alternative to traditional direct observation methods. We studied the Dindefelo Community Nature Reserve (Senegal), encompassing a mosaic of vegetation types with a climate characterised by marked seasonality. The local human population depends on its natural resources for subsistence, and livestock roam freely throughout the reserve. Using camera traps, we conducted a 2-year monitoring program across 29 sampling locations, accumulating 3072 trapping days (approximately 60,000 h of observation). We evaluated how vegetation types, seasonality and anthropogenic factors influenced mammal species richness and vegetation type use. We confirmed the presence of 28 medium- and large-sized mammal species. Mammal species richness varied subtly with vegetation types and seasons but no pronounced differences emerged. Human presence within the reserve had limited negative impacts on mammal species richness. Interestingly, livestock presence, exhibited a positive association with wild mammal diversity, suggesting shared resource use or similar environmental preferences. These results highlight complex interactions between wildlife and human activities. They also emphasise the importance of ongoing monitoring to detect additional rare or elusive species, improving conservation strategies in protected savannahs of western Africa where wildlife and human communities coexist.</p>","PeriodicalId":7844,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Ecology","volume":"63 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/aje.70069","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144482110","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":"Recovery of Miombo Woodland in Abandoned Lands Post-Agriculture, Charcoal Production and Logging in Central Mozambique","authors":"Sá Nogueira Lisboa,&nbsp;Frédérique Montfort,&nbsp;Clovis Grinand,&nbsp;Julie Betbeder,&nbsp;Almeida Alberto Sitoe,&nbsp;Jean-Baptiste Roelens,&nbsp;Lilian Blanc","doi":"10.1111/aje.70066","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/aje.70066","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Agricultural activities, charcoal production and commercial logging are the primary drivers of deforestation and forest degradation in Miombo woodlands (MWs), yet the abandonment of these activities can allow for ecological recovery. While previous research has largely focused on MWs recovery following agricultural disturbances, the regrowth pathways and ecological impacts of charcoal production and logging remain poorly understood. This study fills that gap by analysing vegetation recovery within a common framework across smallholder agriculture, charcoal production and commercial logging in central Mozambique, and examining the environmental and socio-economic factors that influence recovery across these disturbance types. Using remote sensing data, we identified three sites for each disturbance type and conducted forest inventories in abandoned lands on trees with diameter greater than 5 cm, applying a chronosequence approach, along with undisturbed MWs. We assessed vegetation structure parameters, species diversity metrics and conducted plot pairwise similarity comparisons for each disturbance type. A generalised additive model was used to evaluate the effects of abandonment age and external factors on vegetation structure, species diversity and composition. Our findings show that MWs recover more quickly in vegetation structure (in 30 years) than in species diversity and composition. Species composition trajectories differed among disturbance types, with Sørensen dissimilarity showing significant temporal change only in charcoal stands; although species turnover and nestedness remained largely stable over time, turnover contributed more to overall compositional dissimilarity than nestedness, suggesting that shifts were more associated with species replacement than richness differences. Species richness and the effective number of species showed no significant change with abandonment age across any disturbance type. Charcoal and logging stands displayed greater species diversity convergence compared to agricultural stands. External factors, such as proximity to temporary rivers, villages and secondary roads, as well as fire frequency, influenced recovery, with impacts varying based on disturbance type. Our findings emphasise the complexity of Miombo woodland recovery and highlight the need for long-term monitoring and management to support the resilience of these ecosystems in the face of ongoing disturbances. Future research should focus on longer timeframes, larger sample sizes, and include the natural regeneration to better understand the mechanisms behind vegetation recovery in disturbed MWs.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":7844,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Ecology","volume":"63 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144332022","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":"Effects of Organic Soil, Pit Sand and River Sand on Pupation, Survival and Emergence of Gonimbrasia belina","authors":"Fortunes Felix Matutu,&nbsp;Donald Mlambo,&nbsp;Angella Chichinye","doi":"10.1111/aje.70068","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/aje.70068","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The mopane worm, <i>Gonimbrasia belina</i>, is a vital edible insect in southern Africa, with its pupal life stage being critically dependent on soil substrate properties. This study evaluated the effects of organic soil (OS), pit sand (PS) and sandy soil (SS) on pupation success, survival and moth emergence of <i>G. belina</i> in southern Zimbabwe across natural habitats and controlled greenhouse environments. Field results showed that OS supported the highest densities of live and dead diapausing pupae, especially in pure mopane woodlands, reflecting the importance of organic matter for moisture retention. PS consistently outperformed SS, suggesting substrate texture influences pupal survival more than regional climatic variation. In greenhouse trials, PS substrates yielded the highest moth emergence rates, while mulch additions paradoxically increased live pupae but reduced emergence success. Mortality rates did not significantly differ among substrates, indicating external factors may drive pupal mortality in the wild. Seasonal and microhabitat conditions also influenced emergence, with wet seasons favouring moth eclosion. These findings highlight the trade-offs between pupation success and emergence, informing sustainable rearing practices and conservation strategies. Protecting organic-rich soils in mopane woodlands and prioritising PS substrates in captive breeding can enhance mopane worm production, which is crucial for food security and rural livelihoods under changing environmental conditions.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":7844,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Ecology","volume":"63 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144308855","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":"Frequent Prescribed Burning Contributes to the Sequestration of Soil Carbon in South African Mesic Rangeland Systems","authors":"Robyn Nicolay,&nbsp;Michelle Tedder,&nbsp;Ntuthuko Mkhize,&nbsp;Kevin Kirkman","doi":"10.1111/aje.70063","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/aje.70063","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Historically, subsistence pastoralists and ranchers have used fire as a management tool in grassy rangelands for millennia. The capacity of these ecosystems to function as carbon sinks depends heavily on management interventions. Understanding optimal fire return intervals is essential for determining how prescribed burning influences long-term carbon and nitrogen cycling. This study builds on previous research at the Ukulinga Grassland Fire Experiment (UGFE), extending beyond surface soils to assess whether fire-induced changes in soil organic carbon (SOC) and total nitrogen (TotN) persist at greater depths and over multi-decadal timescales. Using data from 20 years prior as a baseline, and with grazing excluded, we examine SOC and TotN responses directly attributable to fire as a defoliant. Here we assessed the effect of frequency and seasonal timing of prescribed fires on SOC, TotN and carbon-to-nitrogen (C:N) ratios in a South African mesic grassy rangeland system. Our findings suggest that early season, frequent prescribed burns result in greater SOC concentrations and enhanced sequestration rates compared to longer burn intervals. Over the 20-year monitoring period, frequently burnt plots showed continued carbon accumulation, while longer return intervals were associated with reduced subsoil carbon sequestration below 5 cm. These results demonstrate the resilience of mesic grasslands to frequent prescribed fire as a disturbance and highlight fire as a key abiotic driver of SOC accumulation and nutrient cycling. Our findings align with local studies in temperate South African grasslands and savannas and support the potential of frequent prescribed burning as a strategy for enhancing SOC in fire-dependent grassy ecosystems. However, these carbon benefits must be weighed against potential trade-offs, particularly with grazing productivity and plant diversity, which require further consideration in the context of sustainable land management and carbon credit schemes.</p>","PeriodicalId":7844,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Ecology","volume":"63 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/aje.70063","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144273053","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":"Tracking Scales: Community Knowledge and Pangolin Conservation in a Central African Park","authors":"Ngong K. Kaimo,&nbsp;Mvo Denis Chuo,&nbsp;Chefor Fotang,&nbsp;Theodore B. Mayaka","doi":"10.1111/aje.70064","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/aje.70064","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Pangolins are among the most heavily trafficked mammals worldwide, yet their conservation status remains poorly understood. We investigated pangolin presence, population trends, hunting methods, trade, use and cultural importance using local people's knowledge and perceptions in the communities surrounding the Campo Ma'an National Park in Cameroon. We administered semi-structured questionnaires to 250 randomly selected respondents from 15 villages surrounding the park. The most commonly recognised and sighted pangolin species were the White-bellied (<i>Phataginus tricuspis</i>) and Giant (<i>Smutsia gigantea</i>), while the Black-bellied pangolin (<i>Phataginus tetradactyla</i>) was the least frequently noted. Respondent age, occupation, and ethnicity had a significant influence on the recognition and sighting of pangolins and the perceived trend in pangolin populations. Older respondents were more likely to recognise pangolins, while younger respondents were more likely to observe them. Farmers and hunters were significantly more likely to observe pangolins compared to respondents of other occupations. People from the ethnic groups native to Campo Ma'an were more likely to recognise and see a pangolin than those from other ethnic groups. Respondents perceived a decline in all local pangolin species, with the highest perceived decline reported for the Giant pangolin and with older respondents being more likely to state that Giant pangolin populations are declining. We found evidence of pangolin hunting and trade. The White-bellied and Black-bellied pangolins were mostly captured by hand, while Giant pangolins were mostly shot. Respondents reported more frequent pangolin trade in private than public venues, indicating that they are aware of the ban on killing and trading pangolins in Cameroon. The primary reported use of pangolins was local meat consumption, but some respondents mentioned medicinal, spiritual, and decorative uses. There was minimal evidence for the cultural importance and uses of pangolins, and it was mainly noted for the Giant pangolin when it was reported. Our results suggest that local community members around Campo Ma'an are aware of pangolins in their area, including their uses and perceived population trends. This information is crucial for planning future field-based surveys.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":7844,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Ecology","volume":"63 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144264617","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":"Pollination Beyond the Usual Suspects: Endemic Neodrepanis coruscans Birds Visiting Tubular Flowers in Madagascar","authors":"Luis Navarro,&nbsp;Garbiñe Ayensa,&nbsp;Adela González-Megías,&nbsp;Ane Navarro-Ayensa,&nbsp;Agustina Ventre-Lespiaucq,&nbsp;Marcos Méndez,&nbsp;José María Gómez","doi":"10.1111/aje.70065","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/aje.70065","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Bird pollination remains understudied in Madagascar. We document the first recorded observation of common sunbird-asity <i>Neodrepanis coruscans</i> (Philepittidae), a Malagasy endemic which is not a true sunbird, visiting and potentially pollinating <i>Bakerella clavata</i>, a plant with long tubular flowers. This interaction suggests a broader, yet overlooked, role for Philepittidae in avian-mediated pollination. Our findings highlight the need for further research on avian-mediated pollination in Madagascar's unique ecosystems.</p>","PeriodicalId":7844,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Ecology","volume":"63 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/aje.70065","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144244825","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":"Trends in Richness and Occupancy of Ugandan Birds and Relation to Local Tree Cover","authors":"Ryan C. Burner,&nbsp;Evan M. Adams,&nbsp;Derek Pomeroy,&nbsp;Herbert Tushabe,&nbsp;Micheal Kibuule,&nbsp;Lars Jørgen Rostad,&nbsp;Zander S. Venter,&nbsp;Douglas Sheil","doi":"10.1111/aje.70058","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/aje.70058","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Changes in vegetation cover are occurring across sub-Saharan Africa and can have substantial effects on ecological communities, but limited data make understanding status and trends difficult for many taxa. We surveyed birds for several decades across Uganda using point counts. Using time-to-detection analysis in a trait-informed Bayesian multi-species occupancy framework, we model bird species richness as a function of year and local tree cover across 28 sites. We test for trends in richness and occupancy, and for the relationship between these and local and landscape-scale tree cover. Species richness increased at 75% of sites through the study period, and generalist bird species were most likely to be increasing in occupancy. Forest specialist bird species, and to a lesser extent generalists, responded positively to tree cover. Woody cover is changing across Uganda, with declines most pronounced in areas with the highest tree cover. This is likely to be causing declines in forest specialist species while favouring generalists. When tree cover decline is caused by conversion to croplands, rather than transitions to grasslands, grassland specialists are unlikely to benefit. Effects of climate and land use change and population pressure are likely to continue to alter woody plant cover and thus affect East African bird communities.</p>","PeriodicalId":7844,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Ecology","volume":"63 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/aje.70058","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144214076","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":"The Structure of Sunbird Floral Visitation and Pollen Transport Networks From an Afrotropical Agricultural Landscape","authors":"Emmanuel F. Mgimwa,&nbsp;Bruno A. Nyundo,&nbsp;Jasson R. John","doi":"10.1111/aje.70062","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/aje.70062","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Plant-pollinator interactions are among the most studied mutualistic interactions in terrestrial ecosystems. However, little is known about them from the agricultural landscapes within tropical forests of Africa, including the East Usambara Mountains in Tanzania. This study provides the first description of sunbird-plant pollination networks from the East Usambara Mountains. We compared the sunbird floral visitation network and pollen transport network in the agroforestry of Amani Plateau near Amani Nature Forest Reserve. For the floral visitation network, we included a network with nectar robbers and one without. Our results show that the floral visitation and pollen transport networks are structurally similar, and sunbirds visit flowering plants with a wide range of pollination syndromes. Both networks are nested, connected, and modular, so they are relatively robust and less prone to secondary extinctions. Nectar robbers affected the modularity of the network structure and confirmed the reliability of the pollen transport network in defining the most robust plant-pollinator networks. We found that sunbirds with longer beaks transport more pollen, and sunbirds can transport pollen from robbed plants. The findings of this study underscore the vital role of agricultural landscapes in conserving avian pollinators. Therefore, sustainable agricultural practices should be prioritised to mitigate agriculture's negative impact on avian pollinators.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":7844,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Ecology","volume":"63 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144197314","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":"Dietary Composition and Overlap Among Large Carnivores in Liwonde National Park, Malawi","authors":"Benford Kayuni,&nbsp;Olivia Sievert,&nbsp;Robert S. Davis,&nbsp;Tiwonge I. Mzumara","doi":"10.1111/aje.70061","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/aje.70061","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The aim of this study was to describe and compare the dietary composition of lion (<i>Panthera leo</i>), cheetah (<i>Acinonyx jubatus</i>) and spotted hyaena (<i>Crocuta crocuta</i>) populations in Liwonde National Park, Malawi. Using scat analyses and direct observations, our results indicate a high degree of dietary overlap (<i>O</i>_ab &gt; 0.70), indicative of intraguild competition, and all carnivores exhibited a dietary preference for kudu (<i>Tragelaphus strepsiceros</i>). At present, coexistence is potentially facilitated by low carnivore densities and spatiotemporal responses. We recommend that carnivore diets and niche partitioning strategies continue to be investigated as carnivore populations increase.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":7844,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Ecology","volume":"63 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144171231","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":"Influence of Invasive Tithonia rotundifolia Leachate and Litter on the Germination and Growth of Corchorus olitorius and Amaranthus hybridus","authors":"Yetunde I. Bulu,&nbsp;Omotayo R. Akinbobola,&nbsp;Adedoyin R. Adeniyi,&nbsp;Rilwan O. Ahmed","doi":"10.1111/aje.70059","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/aje.70059","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p><i>Tithonia rotundifolia</i> (Miller) S. F. Blake is an invasive weed in southwestern Nigeria that displaces native flora and creates a monoculture stand. Its impact on plant species richness has led to investigations into its invasive strategies, including its allelopathic potential. The study investigated the effects of <i>T. rotundifolia</i> leachates and litters on the germination and growth of <i>Corchorus olitorius</i> L. and <i>Amaranthus hybridus</i> L. and the influence on the soil physicochemical properties. The germination of the vegetables in aqueous leachates of <i>T. rotundifolia</i> tissues, at concentrations (%) of 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100, was compared with the control (in distilled water). Different dosages (0, 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 g) of <i>T. rotundifolia</i> litter were incorporated into a 3 kg of soil and used to monitor the growth of the test plants in a completely randomised design. Differences in treatment were subjected to Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) followed by Duncan's Multiple Range Test to determine significant effects. The dried leaf leachates completely inhibited germination at 60%–100%. They inhibited seedling growth more than stem, root and flower leachates (leaves &gt; flower &gt; root &gt; stem). Leaf litter, at low concentrations, enhanced the growth of the vegetables; highest growth parameters obtained for <i>A. hybridus</i> and <i>C. olitorius</i> were height (65.25 ± 11.29 and 40.77 ± 2.72 cm), girth (8.64 ± 0.47 and 3.09 ± 0.13 cm) and number of leaves (24.10 ± 6.24 and 21.90 ± 5.93) at 30 g and control, respectively. The organic carbon and nitrogen composition of <i>A. hybridus</i> biomass were also highest at 30 g (99.54 ± 0.64 and 3.95 ± 0.02) mg kg⁻¹. <i>T. rotundifolia</i> litter has no significant effect on the K⁺ and Na⁺ content of the soil. The OC and TN content in <i>A. hybridus</i> grown soil were significantly higher (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.05) above the 20 g litter dosage than the control, while OC in the control soil (3.36 ± 0.05 g kg⁻¹) was significantly higher (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.05) than <i>C. olitorius</i> soil treated with 40 (2.60 ± 0.04 g kg⁻¹) and 50 g (2.52 ± 0.03 g kg⁻¹) litter. These results suggest that <i>T. rotundifolia</i> has allelopathic effects at high concentrations but may improve soil fertility and plant growth at low dosages. Although at low magnitude of the biomass it serves as soil amendment, but regular removal from the field is essential to prevent biomass accumulation that will hinder seed germination and crop growth.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":7844,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Ecology","volume":"63 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144135854","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}