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Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
Mixed-forest species establishment in a monodominant forest in Central Africa: Implications for tropical forest invasibility
PLoS ONE, Volume 9, No. 5, Article e97585, Year 2014
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Description
Background: Traits of non-dominant mixed-forest tree species and their synergies for successful co-occurrence in monodominant Gilbertiodendron dewevrei forest have not yet been investigated. Here we compared the tree species diversity of the monodominant forest with its adjacent mixed forest and then determined which fitness proxies and life history traits of the mixed-forest tree species were most associated with successful co-existence in the monodominant forest. Methodology/Principal Findings: We sampled all trees (diameter in breast height [dbh]≥10 cm) within 6x1 ha topographically homogenous areas of intact central African forest in SE Cameroon, three independent patches of G. dewevrei-dominated forest and three adjacent areas (450-800 m apart). Monodominant G. dewevrei forest had lower sample-controlled species richness, species density and population density than its adjacent mixed forest in terms of stems with dbh≥10 cm. Analysis of a suite of population-level characteristics, such as relative abundance and geographical distribution, and traits such as wood density, height, diameter at breast height, fruit/seed dispersal mechanism and light requirement-revealed after controlling for phylogeny, species that co-occur with G. dewevrei tend to have higher abundance in adjacent mixed forest, higher wood density and a lower light requirement. Conclusions/Significance: Our results suggest that certain traits (wood density and light requirement) and population-level characteristics (relative abundance) may increase the invasibility of a tree species into a tropical closed-canopy system. Such knowledge may assist in the pre-emptive identification of invasive tree species. © 2014 Peh et al.
Authors & Co-Authors
Peh, Kelvin S.H.
United Kingdom, Southampton
University of Southampton
United Kingdom, Leeds
University of Leeds
United Kingdom, Cambridge
University of Cambridge
Sonké, Bonaventure
Cameroon, Yaounde
Université de Yaoundé I
Séné, Olivier
Cameroon, Yaounde
Ministry of Scientific Research and Innovation-cameroon
Djuikouo, Marie Noël Kamdem
Cameroon, Buea
University of Buea
Nguembou, Charlemagne K.
Kenya, Nairobi
African Forest Forum
Taedoumg, Hermann Evariste
Cameroon, Yaounde
Université de Yaoundé I
Begne, Serge K.
United Kingdom, Leeds
University of Leeds
Cameroon, Yaounde
Cameroon Biodiversity Conservation Society
Lewis, Simon L.
United Kingdom, Leeds
University of Leeds
United Kingdom, London
University College London
Statistics
Citations: 26
Authors: 8
Affiliations: 9
Identifiers
Doi:
10.1371/journal.pone.0097585
e-ISSN:
19326203
Study Design
Cross Sectional Study
Study Locations
Cameroon