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Differences in dung beetle activity at western gorilla defecation sites in south-east Cameroon: implications for establishment of Uapaca spp. seedlings

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 January 2015

Charles-Albert Petre ,
Marie-Hélène Zinque ,
Nikki Tagg ,
Roseline-Claire Beudels-Jamar ,
Barbara Haurez ,
Jean-François Josso ,
Philippe Moretto  and
Jean-Louis Doucet
Charles-Albert Petre*
Affiliation:
Laboratory of Tropical and Subtropical Forestry, Forest Resources Management, BIOSE Department, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liège, 2 Passage des Déportés, 5030 Gembloux, Belgium Conservation Biology Unit, Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, 29 Rue Vautier, 1000 Brussels, Belgium Projet Grands Singes Cameroon, Centre for Research and Conservation, Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp, 20–26 Koningin Astridplein, 2018 Antwerp, Belgium
Marie-Hélène Zinque
Affiliation:
Laboratory of Tropical and Subtropical Forestry, Forest Resources Management, BIOSE Department, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liège, 2 Passage des Déportés, 5030 Gembloux, Belgium
Nikki Tagg
Affiliation:
Projet Grands Singes Cameroon, Centre for Research and Conservation, Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp, 20–26 Koningin Astridplein, 2018 Antwerp, Belgium
Roseline-Claire Beudels-Jamar
Affiliation:
Conservation Biology Unit, Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, 29 Rue Vautier, 1000 Brussels, Belgium
Barbara Haurez
Affiliation:
Laboratory of Tropical and Subtropical Forestry, Forest Resources Management, BIOSE Department, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liège, 2 Passage des Déportés, 5030 Gembloux, Belgium École Régionale Post-Universitaire d’Aménagement et de Gestion Intégrés des Forêts et Territoires Tropicaux (ERAIFT), B.P. 15373 Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo
Jean-François Josso
Affiliation:
Association Catharsius, Paris, France
Philippe Moretto
Affiliation:
Association Catharsius, Paris, France
Jean-Louis Doucet
Affiliation:
Laboratory of Tropical and Subtropical Forestry, Forest Resources Management, BIOSE Department, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liège, 2 Passage des Déportés, 5030 Gembloux, Belgium École Régionale Post-Universitaire d’Aménagement et de Gestion Intégrés des Forêts et Territoires Tropicaux (ERAIFT), B.P. 15373 Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo
*
2Corresponding author. Email: [email protected]
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Abstract:

For endozoochorous seed dispersal systems, the extant dung beetle assemblage at seed deposition sites may influence site suitability as burial activity may change the probability that seeds germinate and seedlings establish. This study tested if the different conditions of the two main seed-deposition habitats of a western lowland gorilla population of south-east Cameroon (sleeping sites and old secondary forest) influenced dung beetle assemblages and consequently the seed relocation patterns. In March 2012, in both habitats, burial patterns (proportion and depth) were described in eight stations based on two 300-g experimental faeces with known number of Uapaca spp. seeds (N = 75) left for 48 h, and beetle assemblages were described based on one 48h-dung-baited pitfall trapping session in five of these stations. To assess the impact of burial pattern on seedling emergence, Uapaca seedling emergence trials were performed in a nursery (75 seeds per depth treatment). Assemblage at sleeping sites had a higher species richness (non-significant) and was significantly more abundant than in old secondary forests. Conversely, significantly more seeds were buried in old secondary forests than sleeping sites and at significantly greater depths (mean: 14.9 cm vs. 8.7 cm). As trials suggested that burial depth ≥7 cm prevented Uapaca seedling emergence, dung beetles are assumed to induce seed loss more strongly in old secondary forests than sleeping sites (20.5% vs. 6.7% of initial seed crop). The demonstration that dung beetles may exert a negative influence on seed fate overall, and that the degree to which this occurs may vary depending on habitat, highlights the complexity in determining the suitability of deposition sites for recruitment.

Keywords

deposition site suitabilityforest dynamicsGorilla gorilla gorillasecondary dispersalseed dispersal effectivenesssleeping sitesUapaca spp.
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Tropical Ecology , Volume 31 , Issue 2 , March 2015 , pp. 165 - 174
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2015 

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