African Journal of Ecology最新文献

The loss of biodiversity is one of the most critical global environmental challenges, driven by deforestation, habitat fragmentation and overexploitation. This study focuses on the biodiversity crisis in Africa, with particular emphasis on the conservation status of the giant Goliath beetles (genus Goliathus Lamarck, Scarabaeidae: Cetoniinae). These beetles, renowned for their large size and striking colouration, are endemic to sub-Saharan Africa. They face significant threats from habitat loss and, potentially, from intensive harvesting for the entomological trade. The conservation status of Goliath beetles needs to be better understood. In this paper, we perform a Red List assessment based on our research carried out opportunistically for 30 years (1994–2024). We present critical data on four taxa of the genus Goliathus: Goliathus goliatus (Linnaeus), Goliathus meleagris Sjöstedt (currently classified as a well-differentiated subspecies of G. goliatus), Goliathus regius Klug and Goliathus cacicus Olivier. Two additional species, Goliathus orientalis Moser (endemic of Tanzania and Northern Mozambique) and Goliathus albosignatus Boheman (broadly distributed in Southern and Eastern Africa), were not assessed due to a lack of original field data. From data gathered opportunistically through incidental observations and field encounters, we analyse habitat preferences, the impact of deforestation and seasonal activity patterns. Our findings highlight the vulnerability of Goliath beetles to ongoing human-induced threats and underline the need for more targeted conservation efforts. However, using Salafsky's standard classification, there were different threats affecting the various species, and the needed conservation actions should, therefore, be species-specific. We applied the 2024 International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) criteria to each species to inform future conservation strategies and support the survival of these remarkable beetles in the wild. Our assessment indicates that G. cacicus should be listed as Critically Endangered due to its catastrophic decline over recent decades, whilst G. regius qualifies as Endangered. Both species inhabit forest habitats in Western Africa. The other taxa assessed were found to be of lesser concern and evaluated as Near Threatened. This study contributes to our broader understanding of biodiversity loss in Africa, stressing the urgency of protecting critical insect populations. In particular, we present a salient example of how multiple overlapping threats endanger biodiversity across large parts of Africa, and in particular forest species in West Africa.

Symbiotic interactions between oxpeckers (Buphagus spp.) and African buffalo (Syncerus caffer) are influenced by both host characteristics and ectoparasite load. This study investigates how individual traits, such as body size, age and tick load, impact oxpecker foraging decisions. To investigate what impacts whether or not oxpeckers choose to forage on a buffalo, we used candidate generalised linear models. Our results show that oxpeckers preferentially select larger buffalo with higher-than-expected tick loads, particularly in the perianal region. These findings highlight the role of host size and parasite abundance in shaping oxpecker foraging behaviour within the savannah ecosystem.

The lion has experienced a major decline in its habitat and population size in recent years. This is explained by the transformation of its habitat and the reduction of its potential prey. Our study therefore focused on modelling its habitat and its prey and the analysis of its diet to contribute to its conservation in the Niokolo-Koba National Park (NKNP). Elevation, annual precipitation, NDVI, land cover type, distance from large water bodies, prey availability, poaching pressure and livestock pressure were used as variables in modelling the lion habitat with MaxEnt software. The model obtained with the modelling of the lion habitat performs well, with an AUC of 0.96, and indicates that the most favourable habitat for the lion is located in the centre of the park. This distribution is influenced by elevation, annual rainfall, prey availability, poaching pressure and livestock pressure.

Current knowledge situates the natural range of Preuss's red colobus (Piliocolobus preussi) within south-eastern Nigeria and western Cameroon, with the Korup National Park and its periphery being its stronghold. Nevertheless, some suggest the primate may have become extirpated in parts of the periphery of the Korup National Park. Reports from some nearby communities however suggested otherwise. Meanwhile, because of insecurity caused by a socio-political crisis affecting the two English-speaking regions since 2016, very few formal surveys of the species have been carried out. Yet, confirming the presence or absence of the species was considered important for a survey to be designed and carried out. From April to July 2024, we conducted a targeted, community-based assessment of the presence/absence of Preuss's red colobus in the south-eastern peripheral zone of Korup National Park, an area where red colobus were reported in past surveys to have been extirpated. While taking security precautions, we relied on local ethnoecological knowledge and wildlife experiences of ex-rangers and communities to inform geographic information systems-assisted mental-mapping of red colobus encounters. Our results suggest that red colobus are still present in the south-eastern peripheral zone of the Korup National Park. We offer suggestions for their conservation.

Variation in climatic conditions is expected to impact the distribution and abundance of herbivore species, which may, in turn, influence African lions (Panthera leo) ranging behaviour. This necessitates proactive management of lion populations, as ecosystems may exhibit site-specific responses to these variations. Using satellite and GPS-GSM data from 10 lions collared in three different national parks in Kenya—Meru, Nairobi, and Lake Nakuru—we calculated monthly home ranges and distance moved and studied how these were influenced by rainfall. Across all parks, lions increased their distance moved with an increase in rainfall, and male lions covered larger distances than females. Model comparisons revealed that lions in Lake Nakuru significantly expanded their home ranges with higher rainfall compared to those in Nairobi; however, lions in Nairobi covered larger distances than those in Lake Nakuru. Lions in Meru had larger home ranges compared to the other two parks, but the effect of rainfall on their home range size and movement was not significantly different from the other two parks. Our results give insight into the site-specific influence of rainfall on lion home range and movement across the parks. We call for prioritisation of conservation efforts and a site-specific, tailored approach to lion conservation and management.