Forest Elephant Movements in Central Africa: Megafauna Need Megaspaces

Blake, Stephen; Maisels, Fiona

doi:10.1007/978-3-031-27030-7_3

Cited by 4 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 132 publications

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“…were also found to be among the most frequently occurring seeds in chimpanzee dung (22–43%, depending on the sample sites) in Uganda (Wrangham et al, 1994). Forest elephants are also known to disperse Marantaceae seeds, which were found in 5.7% of elephant dung in Northern Republic of Congo (Blake, 2002).…”

Section: Figurementioning

confidence: 99%

The puzzling ecology of African Marantaceae forests

Pouteau,

Picard,

Doumenge

et al. 2024

American J of Botany

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Marantaceae forests are tropical rainforests characterized by a continuous understory layer of perennial giant herbs and a near absence of tree regeneration. Although widespread in West‐Central Africa, Marantaceae forests have rarely been considered in the international literature. Yet, they pose key challenges and opportunities for theoretical ecology that transcend the borders of the continent. Specifically, we ask in this review whether open Marantaceae forests and dense closed‐canopy forests can be considered as one of the few documented examples of alternative stable states in tropical forests. First, we introduce the different ecological factors that have been posited to drive Marantaceae forests (climate, soil, historical and recent anthropogenic pressures, herbivores) and develop the different hypotheses that have been suggested to explain how Marantaceae forests establish in relation with other vegetation types (understory invasion, early succession after disturbance, and intermediate successional stage). Then, we review the underlying ecological mechanisms that can explain the stability of Marantaceae forests in the long term (tree recruitment inhibition, promotion of and resilience to fire, adaptive reproduction, maintenance by megaherbivores). Although some uncertainties remain and call for further empirical and theoretical research, we found converging evidence that Marantaceae forests are associated with an ecological succession that has been deflected or arrested. If verified, Marantaceae forests may provide a useful model to understand critical transitions in forest ecosystems, which is of particular relevance to achieve sustainable forest management and mitigate global climate change.

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Section: Figurementioning

confidence: 99%

The puzzling ecology of African Marantaceae forests

Pouteau,

Picard,

Doumenge

et al. 2024

American J of Botany

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“…African forest elephants (Loxodonta cyclotis) are critically endangered , facing severe threats from poaching and deforestation with estimated population losses of 62% in central Africa from 2002-2011(Maisels et al, 2013. Despite their recent, broad-scale decline and listing as a separate species in 2021 (Hart et al, 2021), forest elephants are understudied due to poor visibility in African tropical forests.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Additional fauna-including humans, maintain elephant trail systems and utilize them to access rivers, bais, and hard-to-access regions of the forest (Blake, 2002;Remis and Robinson, 2020).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Using a multiscale lidar approach to determine variation in canopy structure from African forest elephant trails

Keany,

Burns,

Abraham

et al. 2023

Preprint

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Recently classified as a unique species by the IUCN, African forest elephants (Loxodonta cyclotis) are critically endangered due to severe poaching. With limited knowledge about their ecological role due to the dense tropical forests they inhabit in central Africa, it is unclear how the Afrotropics would change if forest elephants were to go extinct. Although their role as seed dispersers is well known, they may also drive large-scale processes that determine forest structure, through the creation of elephant trails and browsing the understory and allowing larger, carbon-dense trees to succeed. Multiple scales of lidar were collected by NASA in Lopé National Park, Gabon from 2015-2022. Utilizing two airborne lidar datasets and one spaceborne lidar in an African forest elephant stronghold, detailed canopy structural information was used in conjunction with elephant trail data to determine how forest structure varies on and off trails. Forest above elephant trails displayed different structural characteristics than forested areas off trails, with lower canopy height, canopy cover, and different vertical distribution of plant mass. Less plant area density was found on trails at 1 m in height, while more vegetation was found at 12 m, compared to off trail locations. Trails with previous logging history had lower plant area in the top of the canopy.

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Roadkill risk model of black bear (Ursus americanus) in Mexico

Zarco-González,

Monroy-Vilchis

2023

Environ Monit Assess

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Forest Elephant Movements in Central Africa: Megafauna Need Megaspaces

Cited by 4 publications

References 132 publications

The puzzling ecology of African Marantaceae forests

The puzzling ecology of African Marantaceae forests

Using a multiscale lidar approach to determine variation in canopy structure from African forest elephant trails

Roadkill risk model of black bear (Ursus americanus) in Mexico

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