Does Forest Fragmentation and Selective Logging Affect Seed Predators and Seed Predation Rates of Prunus africana (Rosaceae)?

2007

Forest fragmentation and selective logging can influence the life cycle of tropical tree species at several levels, e.g., by lowering pollination, by limiting seed dispersal, and by increasing seed predation. Understanding human-induced modifications in ecosystem processes such as seed predation is essential for conservation management of threatened species. We studied the impact of forest fragmentation and selective logging on seed predation of the endangered tree Prunus africana in the tropical rain forest of Kakamega, Kenya. We quantified the activity of seed predators in the main forest, forest fragments, and in sites of different logging intensity in the dry and rainy seasons of 2003 a…