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Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
agricultural and biological sciences
Exotic guavas are foci of forest regeneration in Kenyan farmland
Biotropica, Volume 40, No. 1, Year 2008
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Description
Fruiting trees in degraded areas are attractive for frugivorous birds and may become centers of regeneration. However, a number of tree species in degraded areas are exotic species. Thus, the question arises whether these exotic species can also act as foci for forest regeneration. In the farmland adjacent to Kakamega Forest, Kenya, we investigated the frugivore assemblage in, and seed rain and seedling establishment under, 29 fruiting exotic guava trees (Psidium guajava) at different distances to the forest. The results show that 40 frugivorous bird species visited guava trees. All of the seed and 82 percent of the seedling species found under the treecrowns were animal dispersed, 58 and 57 percent of them late-successional species, respectively. Path analysis revealed that the abundance of frugivorous birds, seeds, and seedlings did not decrease up to a distance of 2 km from the forest. Surprisingly, the abundance of frugivorous shrubland birds, animal-dispersed seeds, and late-successional seeds showed an increase with increasing distance from forest. Even though they are exotics, fruiting guava trees may have a positive effect on forest regeneration and might prove valuable for management plans concerning forest restoration. © 2007 The Author(s).
Authors & Co-Authors
Berens, Dana G.
Germany, Mainz
Johannes Gutenberg-universität Mainz
Kenya, Nairobi
National Museums of Kenya
Farwig, Nina
Germany, Mainz
Johannes Gutenberg-universität Mainz
Kenya, Nairobi
National Museums of Kenya
Schaab, Gertrud
Germany, Karlsruhe
Hochschule Karlsruhe - Technik Und Wirtschaft
Böhning-Gaese, Katrin
Germany, Mainz
Johannes Gutenberg-universität Mainz
Kenya, Nairobi
National Museums of Kenya
Statistics
Citations: 63
Authors: 4
Affiliations: 3
Identifiers
Doi:
10.1111/j.1744-7429.2007.00338.x
ISSN:
00063606
e-ISSN:
17447429
Study Locations
Kenya