Browsing by Author "McNeilage, Alastair"

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    Census of the mountain gorilla Gorilla beringei beringei population in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda
    (Oryx, 2006) McNeilage, Alastair; Robbins, Martha M.; Gray, Maryke; Olupot, William; Babaasa, Dennis; Bitariho, Robert; Kasangaki, Aventino; Rainer, Helga; Asuma, Steven; Mugiri, Ghad; Baker, Julia
    Mountain gorillas Gorilla beringei beringei are Critically Endangered, with just two small populations: in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in south-western Uganda and the nearby Virunga Volcanoes on the borders with Rwanda and Uganda. A survey of the Bwindi population was carried out in 2002 and results were compared with the previous census in 1997. Our estimate of total population size increased over that period by c. 7% to 320 individuals and the structure and distribution of the population were largely unchanged. Signs of human disturbance were more common in 2002 than 1997, and gorillas tended to be found in areas of relative low disturbance. This suggested that disturbance could be a constraint on population growth and distribution but demographic stochasticity may also be responsible for the observed level of population change over a short time period. Other potential limiting factors, including habitat availability and disease, are discussed. While conservation activities in Bwindi have probably contributed to the stability of the population, strengthening of law enforcement and continued vigilance are needed to ensure the population’s long-term growth and survival
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    Gap characteristics and regeneration in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda
    (African Journal of Ecology, 2004) Babaasa, Dennis; Eilu, Gerald; Kasangaki, Aventino; Bitariho, Robert; McNeilage, Alastair
    Before Bwindi Impenetrable forest, Uganda, became a national park in 1991, there was a high level of human activity in much of the forest, especially cutting of large trees for timber by pitsawyers. This created extensive gaps in this tropical Afromontane rain forest. We quantified and compared tree regeneration in three sites that were logged at different intensities. Gap sizes in Bwindi, even under fairly natural conditions are very large (mean ¼ 4460.1 m2). Logging further enlarged the gap sizes and had a negative impact on tree regeneration. The study shows the strong role of logging disturbance in promoting an alternative successional pathway, where the large gaps created by logging are in a low-canopy state dominated by a dense tangle of herbs, shrubs, and herbaceous or semiwoody climbers. We recommend periodic monitoring of gap size and tree regeneration in the gaps to ascertain the trend of recovery from past logging disturbance.
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    Links between anthropogenic perturbations and benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages in Afromontane forest streams in Uganda
    (Hydrobiologia, 2006) Kasangaki, Aventino; Babaasa, Dennis; Efitre, Jackson; McNeilage, Alastair
    Relationships between environmental variables and benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages were investigated among several sites that varied in disturbance history in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, an Afromontane site in East Africa. Environmental variables were correlated with the level of past catchment disturbance – logging, agricultural encroachment, and present tourism activity. For example, sites in medium and high disturbance categories had higher values of specific conductance and lower water transparency than low disturbance category sites, these environmental variables may therefore act indicators of ecological quality of rivers. Environmental variables such as conductivity and water transparency were found to be good predictors of benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages, with anthropogenically stressed sites having lower diversity than the reference sites. Impacted sites were dominated by tolerant taxa such as chironomid and leeches, while ‘clean water’ taxa such as Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and Trichoptera dominated at minimally impacted sites. Comparison of sites with different disturbance histories provided evidence for differences in benthic macroinvertebrate communities that reflect the state of forest restoration and recovery. We recommend quarterly monitoring of water quality to act as an early warning system of deterioration and tracking ecological recovery of previously impacted sites.