Palynological analysis of faecal matter in African Forest Elephants Loxodonta cyclotis (Mammalia: Proboscidea: Elephantidae) at Omo Forest Reserve, Nigeria
The factors affecting African Forest Elephants include food availability, demand for ivory and changes in land-use. In order to survive, they tend to traverse considerable distances in search of food; on such occasions they are trapped and killed for their ivory. This present study is aimed at asse...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wildlife Information Liaison Development Society
2019-08-01
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| Series: | Journal of Threatened Taxa |
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| Online Access: | https://www.threatenedtaxa.org/index.php/JoTT/article/view/4639 |
| _version_ | 1818265065508306944 |
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| author | Okwong John Walter Olusola Helen Adekanmbi Omonu Clifford |
| author_facet | Okwong John Walter Olusola Helen Adekanmbi Omonu Clifford |
| author_sort | Okwong John Walter |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The factors affecting African Forest Elephants include food availability, demand for ivory and changes in land-use. In order to survive, they tend to traverse considerable distances in search of food; on such occasions they are trapped and killed for their ivory. This present study is aimed at assessing the faecal matter of elephants, and at providing information on the season of ingestion and foraging preferences of these elephants. Faecal matter was collected at nine different locations for one year before being processed and subjected to standard palynological laboratory procedures. The analyses showed that the samples had moderately abundant and diversified palynomorphs. A total of 27 palynomorphs belonging to 22 families with a total count of 2,895 accounting for 94.34% were found to be eaten, while other plant fragments (epidermal cells, xylem vessel elements, and seeds) accounted for 5.66%. The wet and dry seasons accounted for 73.26% and 26.74% respectively. Epidermal cells and xylem vessel elements recorded (70.76%) and (29.2%) during the dry and wet seasons, respectively. In the palynological analysis, pollen of Balanites wilsoniana, Desplatsia subericarpa, Chrysophyllum albidum, among others were recovered in the faecal matter. Pollen analysis of faecal matters provided no information about the quantitative composition of the natural vegetation of elephants, but rather valuable information about their diet. It is recommended that these preferentially foraged parent plants should be cultivated on a large scale. This would potentially reduce competition for food and movement of these animals to other greener areas, consequently leading to poaching. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-12T19:44:53Z |
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| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0974-7893 0974-7907 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-12T19:44:53Z |
| publishDate | 2019-08-01 |
| publisher | Wildlife Information Liaison Development Society |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Threatened Taxa |
| spelling | doaj.art-373588cc00784276b62b408f681ea1a02022-12-22T00:14:07ZengWildlife Information Liaison Development SocietyJournal of Threatened Taxa0974-78930974-79072019-08-011110143091431710.11609/jott.4639.11.10.14309-143174639Palynological analysis of faecal matter in African Forest Elephants Loxodonta cyclotis (Mammalia: Proboscidea: Elephantidae) at Omo Forest Reserve, NigeriaOkwong John Walter0Olusola Helen Adekanmbi1Omonu Clifford2Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos, 100213, Nigeria.Center for Biodiversity Conservation and Ecosystem Management, University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos, 100213, Nigeria.Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria, P.M.B 5054, Jericho, Ibadan, Nigeria.The factors affecting African Forest Elephants include food availability, demand for ivory and changes in land-use. In order to survive, they tend to traverse considerable distances in search of food; on such occasions they are trapped and killed for their ivory. This present study is aimed at assessing the faecal matter of elephants, and at providing information on the season of ingestion and foraging preferences of these elephants. Faecal matter was collected at nine different locations for one year before being processed and subjected to standard palynological laboratory procedures. The analyses showed that the samples had moderately abundant and diversified palynomorphs. A total of 27 palynomorphs belonging to 22 families with a total count of 2,895 accounting for 94.34% were found to be eaten, while other plant fragments (epidermal cells, xylem vessel elements, and seeds) accounted for 5.66%. The wet and dry seasons accounted for 73.26% and 26.74% respectively. Epidermal cells and xylem vessel elements recorded (70.76%) and (29.2%) during the dry and wet seasons, respectively. In the palynological analysis, pollen of Balanites wilsoniana, Desplatsia subericarpa, Chrysophyllum albidum, among others were recovered in the faecal matter. Pollen analysis of faecal matters provided no information about the quantitative composition of the natural vegetation of elephants, but rather valuable information about their diet. It is recommended that these preferentially foraged parent plants should be cultivated on a large scale. This would potentially reduce competition for food and movement of these animals to other greener areas, consequently leading to poaching.https://www.threatenedtaxa.org/index.php/JoTT/article/view/4639dietivorypalynomorph typespollensamplingsouthwestern nigeriavegetation |
| spellingShingle | Okwong John Walter Olusola Helen Adekanmbi Omonu Clifford Palynological analysis of faecal matter in African Forest Elephants Loxodonta cyclotis (Mammalia: Proboscidea: Elephantidae) at Omo Forest Reserve, Nigeria Journal of Threatened Taxa diet ivory palynomorph types pollen sampling southwestern nigeria vegetation |
| title | Palynological analysis of faecal matter in African Forest Elephants Loxodonta cyclotis (Mammalia: Proboscidea: Elephantidae) at Omo Forest Reserve, Nigeria |
| title_full | Palynological analysis of faecal matter in African Forest Elephants Loxodonta cyclotis (Mammalia: Proboscidea: Elephantidae) at Omo Forest Reserve, Nigeria |
| title_fullStr | Palynological analysis of faecal matter in African Forest Elephants Loxodonta cyclotis (Mammalia: Proboscidea: Elephantidae) at Omo Forest Reserve, Nigeria |
| title_full_unstemmed | Palynological analysis of faecal matter in African Forest Elephants Loxodonta cyclotis (Mammalia: Proboscidea: Elephantidae) at Omo Forest Reserve, Nigeria |
| title_short | Palynological analysis of faecal matter in African Forest Elephants Loxodonta cyclotis (Mammalia: Proboscidea: Elephantidae) at Omo Forest Reserve, Nigeria |
| title_sort | palynological analysis of faecal matter in african forest elephants loxodonta cyclotis mammalia proboscidea elephantidae at omo forest reserve nigeria |
| topic | diet ivory palynomorph types pollen sampling southwestern nigeria vegetation |
| url | https://www.threatenedtaxa.org/index.php/JoTT/article/view/4639 |
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