African Journal of Ecology最新文献

{"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}

{"title":"Edge Influence on Avian Assemblages in an Isolated Tropical Coastal Forest Reserve, Tanzania","authors":"Jasson John,&nbsp;Flora J. Magige","doi":"10.1111/aje.70054","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/aje.70054","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Anthropogenic pressure on isolated protected areas without buffer zones is more intense at boundaries and results in an increase in edge effects. These edge effects influence the distribution and composition of various organisms. In this study, we investigated changes in bird community composition and habitat variables along an edge-to-interior gradient in an isolated coastal nature forest reserve near Dar es Salaam. Birds and habitat variables were recorded at 147 sampling points across 49 systematically placed parallel transects in three habitat treatments (edge, near-edge and interior) to determine the response of the avian community to edge effects. In total, we detected 3249 individuals representing 136 species belonging to 46 bird families, with notable variation along the edge–interior gradient. Non-forest species and forest visitors dominated the bird community, accounting for 47% and 24% of detections, respectively. Although there was a variation in avian community along the gradient, the 200 and 400 m communities were not detectably different. The edge had less ground cover compared to areas beyond 200 m from the forest edge, but no edge–interior gradient changes were observed for vertical habitat structure. A Principal Component Analysis (PCA) explained around 63.3% of the total variance across two axes, and the PERMANOVA results indicated a statistically significant difference among the habitats (<i>F</i> = 2.8386, <i>p</i> = 0.022, <i>R</i>² = 0.03793) but the low <i>R</i>² implied that the effect size was small. Although forest bird species were positively associated with vertical habitat structure, low canopy height throughout the study area and the penetration of non-forest bird species into interior habitats served as an indicator of past anthropogenic disturbances. Thus, conservation efforts should be strengthened to allow vegetation recovery, particularly given the reserve's importance for forest species, including those endemic to the coastal forest belt of Eastern Africa.</p>\u0000 </div>","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":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143889000","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 Effects of Illegal Wildlife Activities on Biodiversity in Few Selected African Countries","authors":"Ezekiel M. Goboro,&nbsp;Franco P. Mbise,&nbsp;Kelvin Ngongolo","doi":"10.1111/aje.70055","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/aje.70055","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The African continent harbours a rich array of wildlife, crucial to the ecological balance and cultural heritage of the region. However, the detrimental impacts of illegal wildlife activities pose a significant threat to the biodiversity of Africa, endangering numerous species and disrupting fragile ecosystems. Therefore, this systematic review aims to (i) examine the impacts of illegal wildlife activities on biodiversity, ecosystems and local communities; (ii) assess key drivers and trends over the past decade; and (iii) evaluate the effectiveness of conservation strategies while proposing integrated interventions. By analysing peer-reviewed literature (2013–2022), the review showed the significant ecological, social and economic consequences of these activities on conservation. Using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, the review applied rigorous inclusion criteria, ensuring methodological integrity. Relevant studies were sourced from SCOPUS, with article screening and data extraction conducted via CADIMA, underlining the comprehensive approach to assessing biodiversity threats. The review highlights the interconnected impacts of illegal wildlife activities on biodiversity, emphasising the need for stronger law enforcement, community involvement and international cooperation. It identifies knowledge gaps and calls for holistic interventions addressing both ecological and social aspects to protect Africa's biodiversity and promote sustainable coexistence. Despite a decrease in these activities over the past decade, continued efforts in law enforcement, community involvement and international cooperation are crucial. A comprehensive approach, integrating stricter regulations and sustainable economic alternatives, is essential to protect biodiversity and support local communities.</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.70055","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143889001","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":"How Does a Common Fruit Bat Respond to Habitat and Environmental Variables Within an Isolated Green Zone of an African Urban Landscape?","authors":"Michael Adjei Ayeh,&nbsp;Kofi Amponsah-Mensah,&nbsp;Lars Haubye Holbech","doi":"10.1111/aje.70039","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/aje.70039","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Given the high rate at which urban landscapes across Africa expand, continuous monitoring of adaptations and responses to ongoing habitat changes is a prerequisite for effective conservation management of key ecosystem components, hereunder important seed dispersers such as fruit bats. We used the widespread and habitat generalist Gambian Epauletted Fruit Bat <i>Epomophorus gambianus</i> as an ecological model species and tested whether environmental variables linked to urbanisation were related to aspects of their roost and foraging behavioural ecology. Within an isolated green zone (the University of Ghana campus), situated in the otherwise heavily urbanised Accra, Ghana, a prime focus was assessing the relationship between habitat and environmental features as against roost and foraging behavioural ecology. We radio-tagged and tracked a total of 11 bats, thereby detecting 22 roosts and 16 foraging trees, in which repeated bat counts, as well as environmental variables, were recorded during 3–4 months in 2022. We show that <i>E. gambianus</i> preferred older, large, shady exotic teak, mango, and the West African legume <i>Millettia thonningii</i> as roost trees, whereas Coastal golden-leaf fruit <i>Bridelia micrantha</i> and mangoes were preferred for foraging. Female roost fidelity was relatively high, with females using fewer trees more evenly than males, indicating sexual dimorphism related to larger roost and foraging ranges, higher territoriality, and more opportunistic male reproductive traits.</p>\u0000 </div>","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":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143884133","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 Heavy Metals on Insect Pollinator Diversity in Zambia's Mufulira District Mining Area","authors":"Christopher Mulwanda,&nbsp;Ngawo Namukonde,&nbsp;Vincent R. Nyirenda","doi":"10.1111/aje.70052","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/aje.70052","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Insect pollination relies on flowering plant quality, but pollutants disrupt this balance. We assessed heavy metal effects on insect pollinator diversity along a pollution gradient in Mufulira's district of the Copperbelt province, Zambia. Soil samples showed varying copper, lead, zinc and iron concentrations with distance from sources of mining pollution. Zone B, over 10 km from active mines into agricultural lands, had higher insect pollinator abundance and richness than Zone A, near active mines with heavy metals. Habitat loss from other anthropogenic activities (other than mining) reduced diversity in Zone B. Seasonal insect pollinator diversity variations were greatest in the cool-dry season. Conservation efforts should address mining pollution to protect insect pollinators.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":7844,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Ecology","volume":"63 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143875575","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":"A Multi-Species Occupancy Modelling Approach to Access the Impacts of Ecological Covariates on Terrestrial Vertebrates in a Tropical Hotspot in Central, Cameroon","authors":"Ernest D. B. Fotsing,&nbsp;Meigang M. F. Kamkeng","doi":"10.1111/aje.70048","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/aje.70048","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Mammalian communities living in tropical forests, particularly those in ecological transition zones, are under constant threat from human activities. In many regions, baseline data on mammal richness, occupancy, detection probability and the environmental factors that influence these metrics are lacking. As a key metric for guiding conservation decisions, species richness can be underestimated due to varying detection probabilities, leading to species being overlooked. Advances in technology and methodology have revolutionised wildlife monitoring, fostering the increase of multi-species occupancy models (MSOMs) for efficient studies of community, shifting focus from single species to entire communities. MSOMs, hierarchical models that share information across species via random effects, address imperfect detection to provide accurate and unbiased species richness estimates. To fill this information gap, we used cameras trap data from Mpem and Djim National Park, Central Cameroun. We used generalised linear models and a model selection approach to evaluate factors affecting species detection events. Similarly, we used MSOMs within a Bayesian hierarchical framework to evaluate our initial species richness estimate at each camera trap location and to understand the influence of environmental covariates on the occupancy and detection probability of 19 vertebrates recorded in the area to inform management decisions for these species. From 915 independent photographic events obtained over 1700 days of capture, the study results highlight the importance of habitat, distance to river, normalised difference vegetation index and topographic position index (TPI) in explaining patterns of detection events. We found that forest (GLM: <i>B</i> 0.31, IRR 1.36, CI 0.14–0.48, <i>p</i> &lt; 0.001), NDVI (GLM: <i>B</i> 0.31, IRR 1.36, CI 0.21–0.41, <i>p</i> &lt; 0.001) and TPI (GLM: <i>B</i> 0.17, IRR 1.19, CI 0.08–0.26, <i>p</i> &lt; 0.001) were positively associated with species detection events, whereas distance to river (GLM: <i>B</i> −0,19, IRR 0.83, CI 0.0.27 to (−0.11), <i>p</i> &lt; 0.001) was negatively associated with species detection events. However, the mean probability of community occupancy was 0.33 ± 0.10 [2.5%–97.5% CI: 0.17, 0.54], while the mean probability of community detection was 0.07 ± 0.02 [2.5%–95% CI: 0.04, 0.12], indicating that, on average, approximately 33% of the sites are likely to be occupied by the community of interest, with a 7% probability of detection at occupied sites. After accounting for imperfect detection, the maximum occupancy and detection probability estimated from the MSOMs were 0.88 ± 0.07 (2.5%–97.5% CI: 0.71–0.98) and 0.22 ± 0.2 (2.5%–97.5% CI: 0.18–0.27) for <i>Philantomba monticola</i>, respectively. Globally, the community responses were close to zero and relatively weak, probably due to mixed responses at the species level. Despite their weak effect, distance to road (<i>β:</i> −1.53 ","PeriodicalId":7844,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Ecology","volume":"63 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143865682","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":"What Do Male Elephants Eat When Females Are Not Around?","authors":"Geke E. Woudstra,&nbsp;Kate E. Evans,&nbsp;Stein R. Moe","doi":"10.1111/aje.70050","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/aje.70050","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Sexual variation in elephant feeding niche has been attributed to body size differences, primarily studied in areas with spatial overlap between females and males. We studied African savannah elephant (<i>Loxodonta africana</i>) foraging strategies in Makgadikgadi Pans National Park, Botswana, a population almost entirely composed of male elephants. In this context, we explored the influences of age and physical condition on the foraging strategy of males. We recorded feeding data by direct observation of different age classes and physical conditions. Younger males (10–20 years) exhibited more selective feeding behaviour (i.e., selected smaller branches, browsed for shorter periods and consumed fewer mouthfuls per feeding bout) than older males. Elephants with good physical condition exhibited a more selective feeding approach than elephants with poor physical condition. Age and physical condition did not affect the height at which they were feeding or the height of plants they were feeding on. The younger males (10–20 and 21–25 years) focused on feeding areas with their preferred species, while the oldest males selected areas that offered a high density of edible species. All-male elephant populations provide clearer insights into how males primarily adapt their individual foraging strategies to their size and physical condition.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":7844,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Ecology","volume":"63 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143865684","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":"Climate-Smart Agriculture and Human–Elephant Conflict in Southern Kenya: Intercropping With Use of a Metal Strip Deterrent Fence","authors":"Matthew J. Bowers,&nbsp;Sophia C. Corde,&nbsp;Lynn Von Hagen,&nbsp;Simon Kasaine,&nbsp;Bernard Amakobe,&nbsp;Mwangi Githiru,&nbsp;Geoffrey M. Wambugu,&nbsp;Urbanus N. Mutwiwa,&nbsp;Bruce A. Schulte","doi":"10.1111/aje.70051","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/aje.70051","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Elephant deterrent fences have become a popular strategy to mitigate human-elephant conflict in agricultural areas. It is unknown whether the adoption of climate-smart agricultural practices like intercropping could influence elephant behaviour and therefore the effectiveness of these fences. In this study in southern Kenya, the success of the Kasaine metal strip fence was compared between intercropped and monocropped fields. Results support previous research, as the Kasaine fence remained effective, suggesting the adoption of intercropping is unlikely to drastically change elephant crop foraging behaviour.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":7844,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Ecology","volume":"63 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143865683","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}