Survey of Loxodonta africana (Elephantidae)‐caused bark injury on Adansonia digitata (Malavaceae) within Pendjari Biosphere Reserve, Benin

This study assessed the level of bark damage on baobab trees (Adansonia digitata) as caused by elephants (Loxodonta africana), and the possibility of finding refuges where baobab could escape bark damage within the Pendjari Biosphere Reserve (PBR). Distributions of elephants and baobab trees within...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	African journal of ecology Vol. 52; no. 4; pp. 385 - 394
Main Authors:	Kassa, Barthelemy D, Fandohan, Belarmain, Azihou, Akomian F, Assogbadjo, Achille E, Oduor, Ayub M.O, Kidjo, Ferdinand C, Babatoundé, Séverin, Liu, Jian, Glèlè Kakaï, Romain
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	Oxford Published for the East African Wild Life Society by Blackwell Scientific Publications 01-12-2014 Blackwell Publishing Ltd Blackwell
Subjects:	Adansonia digitata Animal populations Animal, plant and microbial ecology Applied ecology bark bark damage intensity bio-reserves Biological and medical sciences biosphere carrying capacity Conservation, protection and management of environment and wildlife correlation distribution Elephants Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology genotype Habitats Loxodonta africana national parks Parks, reserves, wildlife conservation. Endangered species: population survey and restocking Plant populations Plant resistance population structure surveys tree girth class distribution Trees West Africa Benin West Africa Sub-Saharan Africa Africa Proboscidea Tropical zone Injury bark damage intensity Bark Loxodonta africana tree girth class distribution Biosphere reserve distribution Vertebrata Mammalia West Africa bio-reserves Tree Damage Ungulata
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Summary:	This study assessed the level of bark damage on baobab trees (Adansonia digitata) as caused by elephants (Loxodonta africana), and the possibility of finding refuges where baobab could escape bark damage within the Pendjari Biosphere Reserve (PBR). Distributions of elephants and baobab trees within the PBR were compared using presence records of both species taken along transect lines. Two sites (National Park vs. hunting zone) that differ in elephant density were compared for intensity of bark damage and correlations between the intensity of bark damage and stem size of the baobab trees and population structure of the baobab trees. Elephants and baobabs showed co‐occurrence in PBR suggesting that there is nowhere to hide for baobabs. The intensity of bark damage was positively correlated with elephant density and baobab girth. Baobab population girth classes were not significantly different in areas with and without bark damage. Future studies should test whether there are certain baobab genotypes that can resist elephant damage. It could also be tested whether effective conservation of elephants in the PBR has resulted in a bull‐biased population over its carrying capacity.
Bibliography:	http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/aje.12131 National Natural Science Foundation of China - No. 312111172; No. 312111182 ark:/67375/WNG-ZRKTV76Q-D Cleveland Zoological Society International Young Scientist Fellowships of the Chinese Academy of Sciences - No. 2012Y1ZA0009; No. 2012Y1ZA0011 Plate S1 Recent bark damage to a baobab tree.Plate S2 Tusked baobab tree with a cracked trunk.Plate S3 A Baobab tree that had undergone debarking but later recovered: points (a) are parts which were previously damaged; point (b) freshly damaged parts. Cleveland Metroparks Zoo istex:40380B1DA02D47ABE8C3D3BFFDA02BBE5D74C3A4 ArticleID:AJE12131
ISSN:	0141-6707 1365-2028
DOI:	10.1111/aje.12131