Elephant‐induced damage drives spatial isolation of the dioecious palmBorassus aethiopumMart. (Arecaceae) in the Pendjari National Park, Benin

Abstract

Spatial patterns (SP) of treefall by elephants is known to be clustered across landscapes as a result of food selection and group foraging. Yet, few studies have explicitly elucidated how elephant pressure (EP) alters SP and tree‐to‐tree distance of tree species especially for dioecious plant species, at stand scale. Using the pair‐correlation function and distance to the nearest neighbour on spatial data from five plots of 1–1.5 ha, this article compared SP of damaged and undamaged individuals and tree‐to‐tree distance of the dioecious palm Borassus aethiopum Mart. in stands of low versus high EP in the Pendjari National Park. We tested the hypothesis that high EP would modify SP and results into isolated adults. Nested ANOVAs were used to compare distances. The overall SP of individuals did not vary, but distance among living adults was twofold extended in stands of high EP. The Janzen–Connell escape hypothesis is supported by our data for ungrazed saplings. The study concluded that increasing EP reduces density and induces spatial isolation of adults that may increase pollination failure and threat persistence of B. aethiopum.

Habitat biophysical and spatial patterns assessment within Oti-Keran-Mandouri protected area network in Togo

“…On the other hand, confined population of elephant exert a damaging influence on their habitat. For instance, this effect has already been described in the biosphere reserve of Pendjari where elephants are responsible of inducing bark damage to baobab trees (Adansonia digitata) (Kassa et al, 2013) and to drive spatial isolation in Borassus aethiopum (Salako et al, 2015). A landscape level management of elephant population would alleviate their damaging effect in confined habitat.…”

Perceived Effects of Elephants (Loxodonta africana Cuvier) Presence and Impacts on Ecosystem Services Supply in the Pendjari Biosphere Reserve, West Africa

“…Several ecological studies were conducted in line with its potential for medicinal resources (Dossou-Yovo, Vodouhe, & Sinsin, 2014), biodiversity conservation, and plant dynamics (Atanasso et al, 2019;Azihou, Gle`le`Kakaı¨, Bellefontaine, & Sinsin, 2013;Kiansi, 2011;Mensah et al, 2016;Vodouheˆ, Coulibaly, Ade´gbidi, & Sinsin, 2010). Recent studies also reported the potential damages caused by elephants in the Pendjari Biosphere reserve (Kassa et al, 2014;Salako et al, 2015). However, we lack information about its potential for ES supply.…”

Local Perceptions of Interactions Between Elephants and Borassus Aethiopum Mart. (Arecaceae) in the Pendjari National Park in Benin

“…Impact of elephants on woody vegetation has led to concern about possible extirpation of plant species which persistence depends on forest or woodland habitat (Botes et al, 2006). For example, elephant damage has resulted in dramatic changes in the population structure of Adansonia digitata L. (Kassa et al, 2014), Acacia tortilis Hayne (Mwalyosi, 1985), and Borassus aethiopum Mart (Salako et al, 2016). Besides, a study by Morrison et al (2016) has particularly highlighted the strong insights into dramatic recent declines of individual trees over the 5 years period in Serengeti National Park in northern Tanzania.…”

“…Protected areas, particularly national parks are thought to be integral for its conservation in Benin because of the very limited anthropogenic pressure in these areas (Adomou et al, 2011). However, B. aethiopum provides important food resources for elephants and as such undergoes important damage in the Pendjari National Park (PNP) in Benin (Salako et al, 2016) as elsewhere in Africa (Giffard, 1967;Arbonnier, 2004). Elephants cause damage to the trees by uprooting them with their faces, breaking them with their tusks, extracting the palm heart as well as its fruits, thus posing a serious conservation issue (Salako et al, 2016).…”

“…However, B. aethiopum provides important food resources for elephants and as such undergoes important damage in the Pendjari National Park (PNP) in Benin (Salako et al, 2016) as elsewhere in Africa (Giffard, 1967;Arbonnier, 2004). Elephants cause damage to the trees by uprooting them with their faces, breaking them with their tusks, extracting the palm heart as well as its fruits, thus posing a serious conservation issue (Salako et al, 2016). There has been an increasing effort to describe the impact of elephants on woody vegetation (Lombard et al, 2001).…”