Conservation and human livelihoods at the crossroads: Local needs and knowledge in the management of Arabuko Sokoke Forest

Chiawo, David; Kombe, Wellington N.; Craig, Adrian J. F.

doi:10.1111/aje.12462

Cited by 4 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 34 publications

(47 reference statements)

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“…The accessibility of these sites was also a crucial criterion for selecting the study locations. A series of seasonal wetlands run north-south along the length of the forest where the more clay-rich red soils underlie the permeable white sandy soil of the Brachystegia (Chiawo et al, 2018). There are two wet seasons: April-June (long rains) and November-December (short rains).…”

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The common vegetation Acacia nilotica, Lamprothamus zanguebarica, Thespecia danis, Flueggia virosa, Terminaria spinosa, Diospyros cornii, Senna simea, and tree/shrub species are dominant in the ecosystem (Osio, 2015). This region is cited to have a favorable climate and wild ecosystem for the thriving of insects, but it is also surrounded by communities in which the consumption of edible insects is popular (Chiawo et al, 2018)). The study was interested in researching the phenotypic characteristics of edible caterpillar species and identifying their host plants, it was important to choose a region in which culture, ecosystem, and insect species blend.…”

Section: Kaya Fungomentioning

confidence: 99%

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Exploring Phenotypic Characteristics of Edible Caterpillars and Indigenous Knowledge of Host Plants in the Coastal Forest Ecosystems for Improved Food Security

Katana,

Mosi,

Oyieke

2024

East Afr. j. agric. biotechnol.

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Edible caterpillars have nutritional and economic value, thus providing food security at the household level during their harvesting seasons. Despite the significant value of these insects, they are harvested seasonally, and there is little or no documented research about the edible caterpillar species and their phenotypic characteristics, their host plants, and the effects of ecosystem utilization on the insects. This study explored the phenotypic characteristics of edible caterpillars and the indigenous knowledge of their host plants in selected coastal forest ecosystems, aiming to contribute to the improvement of food security. The study adopted a cross-sectional observational study design, involving data collection on caterpillar phenotypic characteristics and interviewing local communities on host plant preferences. One-way ANOVA was used to test for significant differences in phenotypic characteristics (body weight, body length, and body girth) among the four caterpillar species. The Chi-Square test was used to examine the association between caterpillar species and their preferred host plants. The findings show that the region is dominated by four edible species of caterpillars: Bunea alcinoe, Gonimbrasia zambezina, Gynanisa maja, and Menipe spp. These caterpillar species have distinct and discernible differences in their phenotypic characteristics, specifically in terms of body weight, body length, body girth, body color, as well as body texture with a significance level of 0.000. These variations in physical traits suggest that each species has evolved unique adaptations to their respective environments and may have different ecological roles within their habitats. These species also have varying preferences for different host plants, making each species unique. The preferred host plant species supporting the caterpillars were: Balanites wilsoniana for B. alcinoe, Mangifera indica for G. zambezina, Acacia gourmaensis for G. maja, and Ochna mossambicensis for Menipe spp. The study revealed significant associations between caterpillar species and their preferred host plants, indicating that the local community possesses specific indigenous knowledge regarding the preferred host plants for edible caterpillars in the study area

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Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Kaya Fungomentioning

confidence: 99%

Exploring Phenotypic Characteristics of Edible Caterpillars and Indigenous Knowledge of Host Plants in the Coastal Forest Ecosystems for Improved Food Security

Katana,

Mosi,

Oyieke

2024

East Afr. j. agric. biotechnol.

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“…The reduction of ASF and modification of adjacent habitats can be traced to beyond 1960s due to licensed and unlicensed cutting of timber trees (12). However, the levels of unsustainable forest use have intensified, with increasing human populations resulting in higher levels of dependence on the forest for both domestic and commercial resources (13). Meanwhile, Arabuko Sokoke Forest is rapidly gaining a reputation in ecotourism for tourists with an interest in birds.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The forest avifauna of Arabuko Sokoke Forest and adjacent modified habitats

Chiawo

2021

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Arabuko Sokoke Forest (ASF) is the largest area of coastal forest remaining in East Africa and a major Important Bird Area in mainland Kenya. The study analysed data from point count surveys over 15 months in three land use types; primary forest (PF), plantation forest (PL), and farmlands (FM), and compared these to the first comprehensive bird checklist for the forest, as well as recent surveys from other studies. Avifaunal diversity and abundance were compared using multivariate analysis to determine bird responses to different land use characteristics. The primary forest held a distinctive bird community, while the bird communities of farmlands and plantation forest were more similar to each other. Land use had a significant effect on overall avian diversity and abundance. The current forest avifauna was divided into forest specialists (16 species), forest generalists (26 species) and forest visitors (30 species). Seven species of forest specialist and generalists recorded prior to 1980 may no longer occur in the forest. Of 38 specialists and generalists recorded in our point counts, 19 were also recorded on farmland and 28 in plantations. One forest specialist, the Green Barbet, was most encountered outside the forest. Future research should focus on habitat use by these bird species, and the extent of movement by forest birds between the remaining patches of coastal forest. Patterns of habitat use by birds in the area suggest that vegetation heterogeneity and habitat complexity are especially significant in sustaining diverse and abundant bird populations. The management of plantations and farmland will be critical for the conservation of forest generalists and forest visitors.

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