Forest Structure and Composition of Trees in Two Sympatric Anthropoid Primates' Habitat in Ghana

Abstract

Tree composition, density and diversity were assessed within a monkey sanctuary that has been tempered with by human beings. The study took place in Buabeng-Fiema monkey Sanctuary in Ghana to document the vegetation structure of the non-human primate habitat. The habitat types were stratified into three as natural forest, mixed forest and cultivated area and 20 plots of dimensions 20m X 25m were established in each of the habitat types. All trees ‰¥ 10 cm diameter at breast height were identified and measured. In the mean number of trees per hectare was 17.5 (S.D=5.5, N=20), 12.7 (S.D=3.6, N=20) and 7.4 (S.D=7.4, N=20) in the natural forest , mixed forest and cultivated area respectively. The diversity, relative density and relative dominance differed in all the three habitat types. Moreover, the number of trees reduced with increasing height and basal area in all the three habitat types. The variations in the three habitat type provides good resources that may be required by the primates for survival but can promote and deepen human wildlife conflict.

Keywords

• Anthropoid monkey, Buabeng-Fiema, habitat types, wildlife sanctuary

FOREST STRUCTURE AND COMPOSITION OF TREES IN HABITAT OF PRIMATES IN GHANA

Öz

Bu çalışmada insanlar tarafından açığa çıkarılmış bir maymun korunağı alanında ağaç türü bileşimi, yoğunluğu ve çeşitliliği incelenmiştir. Çalışma Buabeng-Fiema’da (Gana) yer alan ve insansız bir bölge olan primat yaşam alanındaki bitki yapısını ortaya çıkarmak için maymun korunağı alanında yürütülmüştür. Yaşam alanındaki bitki toplumu doğal orman, karışık orman ve suni bitkilendirilmiş alan olarak üç sınıfta incelenmiş olup her bir alandan 20’şer tane 20m x 25m’lik alanlar örneklenmiştir. Göğüs yüksekliği çapı 10cm’den büyük olan bütün bireyler teşhis edilmiş ve ölçülmüştür. Hektardaki ortalama ağaç sayısı doğal orman, karışık orman ve suni bitkilendirilmiş alanda sırasıyla 17.5 (S.D=5.5, N=20), 12.7 (S.D=3.6, N=20) ve 7.4 (S.D=7.4, N=20) olarak tespit edilmiştir. Tür çeşitliliği, bağıl yoğunluk ve bağıl başatlık değerleri bakımından her üç habitat için de farklı sonuçlar elde edilmiştir. Ayrıca her üç habitatta da ağaç sayısı azaldıkça ağaç boyu ve göğüs yüzeyi alanı artmıştır. Habitatlardaki orman kuruluşlarındaki çeşitlilik primatların yaşamı için gerekli kaynakları tatmin edici düzeyde sunmakla birlikte insan-vahşi yaşam çatışmasını tetikleme potansiyeli taşımaktadır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• İnsansı maymun, Buabeng-Fiema, Habitat türleri, Vahşi yaşam habitatları.

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