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Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
agricultural and biological sciences
Human impact diminishes seedling species richness in Kakamega Forest, Kenya
Basic and Applied Ecology, Volume 9, No. 4, Year 2008
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Description
Anthropogenic forest fragmentation and other kinds of human disturbance, such as selective logging, can reduce the diversity of plant and animal species. To evaluate the impact of fragmentation and small-scale disturbance on forest regeneration, we assessed species richness and total abundance of adult trees in comparison with seedlings in the heavily fragmented and disturbed Kakamega Forest, western Kenya. In nine differently disturbed 1-ha study blocks distributed across the main forest and fragments, we mapped all trees >10 cm in diameter at breast height. Additionally, we established ninety 1-m
2
seedling plots within these 1-ha study blocks which were monitored over 2.5 years. We recorded altogether 74 species of adult trees (30-43 per block) and 64 seedling species (24-41 per block). Neither fragmentation nor small-scale disturbance had an impact on adult tree species richness or total tree abundance. Yet, fragmentation and especially small-scale disturbance significantly reduced seedling species richness, particularly of late-successional species. While human impact did not affect diversity of adults, the impoverished species richness of seedlings suggests a reduced potential for regeneration and a loss of tree diversity in the long-term. © 2007 Gesellschaft für Ökologie.
Authors & Co-Authors
Farwig, Nina
Germany, Mainz
Johannes Gutenberg-universität Mainz
Kenya, Nairobi
National Museums of Kenya
Sajita, Nixon
Unknown Affiliation
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: 20
Authors: 4
Affiliations: 3
Identifiers
Doi:
10.1016/j.baae.2007.05.006
ISSN:
14391791
e-ISSN:
16180089
Study Locations
Kenya