Spatial patterns of tree recruitment in East African tropical forests that have lost their vertebrate seed dispersers
The direct removal of adult trees by logging affects tree recruitment in tropical rain forests. However, secondary effects of logging, such as loss of vertebrate seed dispersers may also affect tree recruitment. We studied the recruitment and spatial distribution of five tree species namely <em&g...
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Journal article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Cambridge University Press
2010
|
| Subjects: |
| _version_ | 1797053318772555776 |
|---|---|
| author | Babweteera, F Brown, N |
| author_facet | Babweteera, F Brown, N |
| author_sort | Babweteera, F |
| collection | OXFORD |
| description | The direct removal of adult trees by logging affects tree recruitment in tropical rain forests. However, secondary effects of logging, such as loss of vertebrate seed dispersers may also affect tree recruitment. We studied the recruitment and spatial distribution of five tree species namely <em>Balanites wilsoniana, Celtis zenkeri, Chrysophyllum albidum, Cordia millenii</em> and <em>Ricinodendron heudelotii</em> in Kibale, Budongo and Mabira Forests in Uganda. These forests have been subjected to varying degrees of disturbance leading to changes in their vertebrate seed dispersers. Vertebrate frugivores of the five tree species were identified. Three 1-ha plots were established around adult trees of the same five species in each forest and the distance from the juveniles to the nearest adult conspecific was measured to generate a recruitment curve. Frugivore visitation rates were high in the less disturbed Budongo and Kibale (2.2 and 1.6 individuals h⁻¹ respectively) compared with the highly disturbed Mabira (0.9 individuals h⁻¹). In the frugivore-impoverished forest, 70-90% of juveniles established beneath adult conspecifics, whereas in the less-disturbed forests juveniles were established up to 80 m from adult conspecifics. Shade-tolerant species capable of recruiting beneath adult conspecifics appeared to maintain their populations without dispersal. Consequently, disturbances leading to significant loss of vertebrates may alter tree recruitment and spatial distribution with consequences for long-term population viability of shade-intolerant tropical trees. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-06T18:42:09Z |
| format | Journal article |
| id | oxford-uuid:0d3f6f11-2959-482b-b116-7e46ef3ccd50 |
| institution | University of Oxford |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-06T18:42:09Z |
| publishDate | 2010 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | oxford-uuid:0d3f6f11-2959-482b-b116-7e46ef3ccd502022-03-26T09:39:27ZSpatial patterns of tree recruitment in East African tropical forests that have lost their vertebrate seed dispersersJournal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:0d3f6f11-2959-482b-b116-7e46ef3ccd50Plant SciencesEnglishOxford University Research Archive - ValetCambridge University Press2010Babweteera, FBrown, NThe direct removal of adult trees by logging affects tree recruitment in tropical rain forests. However, secondary effects of logging, such as loss of vertebrate seed dispersers may also affect tree recruitment. We studied the recruitment and spatial distribution of five tree species namely <em>Balanites wilsoniana, Celtis zenkeri, Chrysophyllum albidum, Cordia millenii</em> and <em>Ricinodendron heudelotii</em> in Kibale, Budongo and Mabira Forests in Uganda. These forests have been subjected to varying degrees of disturbance leading to changes in their vertebrate seed dispersers. Vertebrate frugivores of the five tree species were identified. Three 1-ha plots were established around adult trees of the same five species in each forest and the distance from the juveniles to the nearest adult conspecific was measured to generate a recruitment curve. Frugivore visitation rates were high in the less disturbed Budongo and Kibale (2.2 and 1.6 individuals h⁻¹ respectively) compared with the highly disturbed Mabira (0.9 individuals h⁻¹). In the frugivore-impoverished forest, 70-90% of juveniles established beneath adult conspecifics, whereas in the less-disturbed forests juveniles were established up to 80 m from adult conspecifics. Shade-tolerant species capable of recruiting beneath adult conspecifics appeared to maintain their populations without dispersal. Consequently, disturbances leading to significant loss of vertebrates may alter tree recruitment and spatial distribution with consequences for long-term population viability of shade-intolerant tropical trees. |
| spellingShingle | Plant Sciences Babweteera, F Brown, N Spatial patterns of tree recruitment in East African tropical forests that have lost their vertebrate seed dispersers |
| title | Spatial patterns of tree recruitment in East African tropical forests that have lost their vertebrate seed dispersers |
| title_full | Spatial patterns of tree recruitment in East African tropical forests that have lost their vertebrate seed dispersers |
| title_fullStr | Spatial patterns of tree recruitment in East African tropical forests that have lost their vertebrate seed dispersers |
| title_full_unstemmed | Spatial patterns of tree recruitment in East African tropical forests that have lost their vertebrate seed dispersers |
| title_short | Spatial patterns of tree recruitment in East African tropical forests that have lost their vertebrate seed dispersers |
| title_sort | spatial patterns of tree recruitment in east african tropical forests that have lost their vertebrate seed dispersers |
| topic | Plant Sciences |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT babweteeraf spatialpatternsoftreerecruitmentineastafricantropicalforeststhathavelosttheirvertebrateseeddispersers AT brownn spatialpatternsoftreerecruitmentineastafricantropicalforeststhathavelosttheirvertebrateseeddispersers |