A5034050826- Plant and animal studies
- Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies
- Plant Parasitism and Resistance
- Animal Ecology and Behavior Studies
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
- Species Distribution and Climate Change
- Coleoptera Taxonomy and Distribution
- Scarabaeidae Beetle Taxonomy and Biogeography
- African Botany and Ecology Studies
- Lepidoptera: Biology and Taxonomy
Charles University
2019-2022
University of Buea
2019
The biodiversity of West and Central Africa is understudied, including butterflies moths (Lepidoptera). Cameroon, through its position in between few biogeographic regions diversity habitats, an important hotspot lepidopteran diversity. However, the country also ranks low when it comes to local knowledge. During our long-term ecological projects Cameroonian part Gulf Guinea Highlands, we collected rich material moths, a number interesting faunistic records.In this study, report 31 species...
Abstract Aim Temporal dynamics of biodiversity along tropical elevational gradients are unknown. We studied seasonal changes Lepidoptera the only complete forest gradient in Afrotropics. focused on shifts species richness patterns, turnover communities and species’ ranges, latter often serving as an indicator global change effects mountain ecosystems. Location Mount Cameroon, Cameroon. Taxon Butterflies moths (Lepidoptera). Methods quantitatively sampled nine groups by bait‐trapping (16,800...
Abstract Butterflies and moths are conspicuous flower visitors but their role in plant-pollinator interactions has rarely been quantified, especially tropical rainforests. Moreover, we have virtually no knowledge of environmental factors affecting the lepidopterans pollination networks. We videorecorded flower-visiting butterflies hawkmoths on 212 plant species (> 26,000 recorded hrs) along complete elevational gradient rainforests Mount Cameroon dry wet seasons. Altogether, 734 visits by...
Despite a growing number of studies, the role pollinators as selection agent for nectar traits remains unclear. Moreover, lack data from some biogeographic regions prohibits us determining their general importance and global patterns. We analyzed carbohydrate determined main 66 plant species in tropical forests Mount Cameroon (tropical West Africa). The measured included total sugar amounts proportions sucrose hexoses (i.e., glucose fructose). report properties plants visited by five...
Natural disturbances are essential for tropical forests biodiversity. In the Afrotropics, megaherbivores have played a key role before their recent decline. Contrastingly to savanna elephants, forest elephants' impact on ecosystems remains poorly studied. Few decades ago, Mount Cameroon were divided by lava flows, not being crossed local population of elephants until now. We assessed communities trees, butterflies and two guilds moths in disturbed undisturbed split longest flow. surveyed 32...
Abstract Mechanisms structuring tropical communities are still under‐studied, especially in Afrotropical rainforests. Although insect herbivores considered to depend on plant diversity, we hypothesized that vegetation structure, together with other microhabitat characteristics, can be more important for some insects. Here, compared habitat associations of fruit‐feeding butterflies and moths, two ecologically different groups Lepidoptera, three rainforest localities foothills Mount Cameroon,...
Abstract The pollination syndrome hypothesis predicts that plants pollinated by the same pollinator group bear convergent combinations of specific floral traits. Nevertheless, some studies have shown relatively low predictive power for these trait combinations. This discrepancy may be caused changes in importance traits shaping interactions under different environmental conditions and groups. To test this, we studied systems along an elevational gradient on Mount Cameroon during wet dry...
Abstract Butterflies and moths are well-visible flower visitors. Nevertheless, almost no quantification of their role in plant-pollinator interactions exists at a community level, especially from tropical rainforests. Moreover, we have virtually knowledge on environmental other factors affecting lepidopteran visits. We focused the butterflies hawkmoths as visitors rainforests Mount Cameroon, its elevational seasonal changes. also analysed preferences to selected floral traits, with specific...
Abstract Natural disturbances are essential for dynamics of tropical rainforests, contributing to their tremendous biodiversity. In the Afrotropical megaherbivores have played a key role before recent decline. Although influence savanna elephants on ecosystems has been documented, close relatives, forest elephants, remain poorly studied. Few decades ago, in unique ‘natural enclosure experiment’ Mount Cameroon, West/Central Africa, rainforests were divided by lava flows which not crossed...