Balanites wilsoniana: Regeneration with and without elephants
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Date
2007
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Publisher
Biological conservation,
Abstract
Tropical forest trees that produce large fruits and/or large seeds are believed to be dependant
on a few and often rare large vertebrates for dispersal. However, little is known about
the population dynamics of such trees when they lose their specialised dispersers. This
study examines the juvenile spatial distribution of Balanites wilsoniana, Dawe & Spraque,
which is believed to be dependant solely on elephants for dispersal, in forests with and
without elephants. Using camera traps, elephants were confirmed to be the only frugivores
feeding and thus dispersing Balanites wilsoniana fruits. There was a high density of seedlings
beneath adult trees in one forest without elephants, which was attributed to low seed
and seedling predation in this forest. Nevertheless, it was only in the forest with elephants
that juveniles were established away from adult trees. Analysis of the spatial distribution of
these juveniles by size revealed that saplings and poles are more likely to be found away
from adult trees thus providing evidence that dispersal enhances juvenile survival. This
study underlines the importance of seed dispersal for trees that cannot maintain their
populations through seedlings germinating and surviving beneath adult conspecifics.
The study also demonstrates that loss of vertebrates has ramifications for tree species
dynamics above and beyond loss of seed dispersers.
Description
Keywords
Tropical rainforest, Disturbance, Fruit size, Large vertebrates, Dispersal and predation
Citation
Babweteera, F., Savill, P., & Brown, N. (2007). Balanites wilsoniana: regeneration with and without elephants. Biological conservation, 134(1), 40-47. doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2006.08.002