African Journal of Ecology最新文献

{"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}

{"title":"Status Update on the Critically Endangered Upemba Lechwe (Kobus anselli)","authors":"Manuel Weber,&nbsp;Ruffin Mpanga,&nbsp;Julien Mbulanga,&nbsp;Cameron Dobbie","doi":"10.1111/aje.70060","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/aje.70060","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The Upemba Lechwe (<i>Kobus anselli</i>) persists in the Kamalondo Depression in the southern Democratic Republic of the Congo. We report sightings of 10 individuals across their historical stronghold and present the first published photograph of a live specimen. This study provides the first documented records since the species was described in 2005, and the first survey attempt in over 50 years. With an estimated population likely numbering fewer than 100 in an area with little protection, this species faces imminent extinction due to poaching. Urgent conservation measures are essential to prevent its disappearance.</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":"144135855","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":"Danger From the Sky? The Three-Dimensional Landscape of Risk of Habituated Vervet Monkeys (Chlorocebus pygerythrus) From Aerial Predation","authors":"Michaël M. D. Bazelmans,&nbsp;Gregg Jansen van Rensburg,&nbsp;Ignas M. A. Heitkönig","doi":"10.1111/aje.70057","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/aje.70057","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Predator–prey interactions are pivotal for ecosystem dynamics, with predators influencing prey not only through lethal events, but also through the establishment of a landscape of risk, that is, the spatial representation of how a prey population perceives predation risk. Habitat structure plays a crucial role in shaping this perception. A three-dimensional approach, both considering the horizontal as well as the vertical landscape dimensions has, thus far, been mostly overlooked. We hypothesize that primates in a savannah landscape perceive predation risk in a three-dimensional (3D) landscape, with both terrestrial and aerial predation risk influencing their spatial use of the environment, and that this perception is shaped by habitat structure. We employed giving-up density (GUD) as a proxy for perceived risk when foraging. A landscape of risk is observed in leafed trees, where in the central and bottom parts of the tree the lowest predation risk is perceived. When canopy cover is absent, the lowest perceived risk is on the ground instead of in the tree, indicating an impact of aerial predation risk. These findings underscore the importance of 3D landscapes and habitat structure in shaping prey spatial behaviour, demonstrating that habitat use is adjusted in response to both terrestrial and aerial threats.</p>","PeriodicalId":7844,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Ecology","volume":"63 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/aje.70057","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143949812","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":"Overview of a Game Bird Species Introduced to Reunion Island in the 18th Century, the Grey Francolin (Francolinus pondicerianus)","authors":"Lucie Gauchet,&nbsp;Ugo Herpin,&nbsp;Damien Chiron,&nbsp;Serge Garnier","doi":"10.1111/aje.70035","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/aje.70035","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The Grey Francolin (<i>Francolinus pondicerianus</i>) was introduced to Reunion Island in the XVIIIth century for hunting purposes. This species is little known locally, as it has rarely been studied as other game birds on the island. The aim of this study was to define the current state of Grey Francolin populations on Reunion Island. We showed Grey Francolin's distribution area covers today 3500 ha and is made up of two isolated and geographically opposed zones on the island. One is located in the north of the island and is mostly made up of sugarcanes fields. The second, in the South, is a secondary dry forest. We estimated a density of 9.3 ± 2.0 singing males per km² and thus an abundance of 324 ± 41 singing males on Reunion Island. Density was higher in the southern secondary dry forest zone (10.5 ± 2.8 singing males per km²) than in the northern sugarcane fields (6.6 ± 2.0 singing males per km²). From the 1950s', the Grey Francolin's distribution has shrunk and become more fragmented. The main factors implicated are changes in farming practices (mechanisation, pesticides), excessive urbanisation and, to finish, excessive hunting and poaching (in the past).</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":7844,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Ecology","volume":"63 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143949958","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":"Ecological Restoration in Semi-Arid Landscapes: Comparing Exclosures and Pasture for Vegetation, Soil Nutrients, and Carbon Stocks","authors":"Gedion Tsegay,&nbsp;George Lartey-Young,&nbsp;Marta Sibhat,&nbsp;Yun-Ze Gao,&nbsp;Xiang-Zhou Meng","doi":"10.1111/aje.70056","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/aje.70056","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Land degradation in semi-arid regions poses a major threat to Sustainable Development Goal 15 (SDG 15) by undermining ecosystem services and biodiversity. Although restoration strategies like exclosures are gaining attention, there remains a critical gap in quantifying their long-term ecological and carbon sequestration benefits, particularly in severely degraded landscapes such as Ethiopia's Tigray region. This study addresses that gap by comparing 15-year-old exclosures with adjacent open pasture using a mixed-methods approach. We assessed 62 plots (31 per land use type) for species diversity (Shannon-Wiener and Simpson indices), biomass (via allometric equations), soil properties (at 0–15 cm and 15–30 cm depths), and carbon stocks, employing Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Pearson correlation. Results showed that exclosures significantly outperformed pasture, supporting 174 plant species versus 69, higher soil organic carbon (18.71 g/100 g vs. 15.91 g/100 g at 0–15 cm, <i>p</i> &lt; 0.001), and greater above-ground biomass (40.72 t/ha vs. 14.24 t/ha, <i>p</i> &lt; 0.001). These findings underscore the potential of exclosures as a scalable and cost-effective strategy for restoring degraded semi-arid ecosystems, offering robust empirical evidence to inform national policy integration, advance SDG 15, and support climate change mitigation across similar regions globally.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":7844,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Ecology","volume":"63 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143919717","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":"Affordable Wildlife Monitoring. A New Approach to Line Transects Sampling From Vehicles","authors":"Stefano Focardi,&nbsp;Valentina La Morgia,&nbsp;Valerio Ventriglia,&nbsp;Edoardo Magherini,&nbsp;Mario Melletti","doi":"10.1111/aje.70049","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/aje.70049","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Monitoring is essential for evidence-based wildlife conservation and management. Conventional distance sampling (CDS) represents a methodology of election for population assessment of large herbivores. CDS requires that (1) animals' distribution is uniform around the transects and (2) transects must be randomly distributed over the study area. Monitoring costs are usually lower by using cars moving along dirty roads, instead of walking randomly located transects, but this choice may introduce biases in the estimate, as ungulates may avoid roads, which in their turn are not randomly distributed across the landscape. To address both problems, we used bivariate distance sampling (collecting both forward and perpendicular distances) to estimate detection probability, thus correcting for road avoidance. The resulting detection function is used as input for Density Surface Models to correct for non-random line placement. We demonstrate this methodology by considering a pilot survey of impala (<i>Aepyceros melampus</i>) and common duiker (<i>Sylvicapra grimmia</i>) in the Sandwe GMA (Zambia). Potentially, this approach can mitigate biases and increase the precision of estimates. We discuss the possibility of applying the proposed methodology for routine wildlife monitoring in underfunded areas, in Africa and elsewhere. To assist practitioners, we provide an easy-to-use R script which implements statistical procedures.</p>","PeriodicalId":7844,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Ecology","volume":"63 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/aje.70049","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143919716","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":"Amount of Organic Waste Affects the Composition and Interactions of Vertebrate Scavengers at Gambian Slaughterhouses","authors":"Michael Bode Agunbiade,&nbsp;Esteban Menares,&nbsp;Chefor Fotang,&nbsp;Mawdo Jallow,&nbsp;Fagimba Camara,&nbsp;Evidence Chinedu Enoguanbhor,&nbsp;Wakil Adebola Shittu,&nbsp;Darcy Ogada,&nbsp;Klaus Birkhofer","doi":"10.1111/aje.70045","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/aje.70045","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Slaughterhouses in The Gambia serve as critical feeding sites for diverse vertebrate scavenger communities, including hooded vultures, domestic dogs, pigs and avian species such as pied crows, black kites and cattle egrets. This study investigated how the quantity and type of organic waste influence the composition and competitive interactions of scavengers across five slaughterhouses. Using multivariate statistical models, we found that waste quantity was the strongest predictor of scavenger community composition, explaining 32.7% of the variation, with hooded vultures being most abundant at high-waste sites. Specific waste types influenced feeding behaviour, suggesting niche differentiation among species; for instance, cattle egrets focused on blood and insects, while vultures dominated meat-based resources. Competitive interactions varied by species, with domestic dogs frequently displacing vultures without physical conflict, whereas hooded vultures dominated interactions against other birds. Activity patterns revealed temporal separation, with vultures and dogs active primarily in the morning, and other avian scavengers more active in the afternoon, reducing interspecific competition. The study highlights the essential role of hooded vultures in waste management and disease mitigation but also emphasises how poor fencing facilitates mammalian access, intensifying competition and potentially threatening obligate scavengers. Improving fencing, controlling feeding, and incorporating targeted waste management strategies are recommended to support scavenger conservation and enhance ecosystem services in urbanised environments.</p>","PeriodicalId":7844,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Ecology","volume":"63 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/aje.70045","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143904938","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":"Beyond Description: Unlocking the Predictive Potential of African Ecology","authors":"Luca Luiselli,&nbsp;Nic Pacini","doi":"10.1111/aje.70053","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/aje.70053","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Ecology's strength lies in its ability to explain and predict interactions between organisms and their environment. However, African ecological research has historically been dominated by descriptive studies, focusing on biodiversity patterns, species distributions, and behavioural observations or monitoring of large mammal populations (especially in East African savannahs). This pattern has also traditionally characterised the African studies in community ecology. While valuable, these studies often fall short in providing predictive insights essential for addressing pressing ecological challenges such as climate change, species interactions and ecosystem resilience. We advocate for a paradigm shift in African community ecology—moving beyond description to hypothesis-driven, predictive research. Community ecology studies in Africa can transcend pattern documentation to uncover the mechanisms underlying ecological processes by integrating methodologies such as null models, Monte Carlo simulations and predictive modelling based upon data mining techniques. Predictive studies focusing on species interactions, community assembly and ecosystem functions have the potential to enhance both theoretical and applied ecological science, ensuring its global relevance. Curriculum reforms in ecological statistics and methodological training in African academic institutions will be crucial in fostering this transformation. As the <i>African Journal of Ecology</i> seeks to champion this transition, we urge researchers to embrace predictive frameworks that not only document biodiversity but also provide actionable insights into ecosystem dynamics. This could be achieved also by re-analysing long-term data sets that have been published in several less-distributed journals, often in other languages than English. This shift is critical to positioning African ecology at the forefront of the international ecological discourse, driving impactful conservation and management strategies.</p>","PeriodicalId":7844,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Ecology","volume":"63 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/aje.70053","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143884132","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}