Abstract: Pollinator decline has attracted global attention and substantial efforts are underway to respond through national pollinator strategies and action plans. These policy responses require clarity on what is driving pollinator decline and what risks it generates for society in different parts of the world. Using a formal expert elicitation process, we evaluated the relative regional and global importance of eight drivers of pollinator decline and ten consequent risks to human well-bei...
Abstract: The growing invasion of ecosystems by invasive alien plants (IAPs) has substantially affected biodiversity worldwide, compromising provision of ecosystem services. In this study, we present evidence of the impacts of an IAP, Robinia pseudoacacia L., on native plant diversity in montane rangelands of South Africa and its threats to grazing, an ecosystem service. We assessed stand characteristics, understory vegetation composition and rangeland condition similarities in invaded and u...
Abstract: The objective of the current study was to determine the potential effects of changes in climate, population density and land use land cover (LULC) on the spatial distri-bution of Adansonia digitata (baobab tree) suitable habitats in Africa using MaxEnt. Across its distribution, A. digitata is confined to Africa's mainland and isolated parts of the continent such as Madagascar. The geographical distribution of A. digitata will shrink gradually under climate change scenarios (RCP 4.5...
Abstract: Pollinator decline has attracted global attention and substantial efforts are underway to respond through national pollinator strategies and action plans. These policy responses require clarity on what is driving pollinator decline and what risks it gener ates for society in different parts of the world. Using a formal expert elicitation process, we evaluated the relative regional and global importance of eight drivers of pollinator decline and ten consequent risks to human well-be...
Abstract: A study on the spatial distribution of the silkmoth Anaphe panda (Boisduval) cocoon nests, egg clusters and the host plant Bridelia micrantha (Hochst) Baill. was conducted in two different habitats of the Kakamega Forest of western Kenya: Ikuywa (indigenous forest) and Isecheno (mixed indigenous forest). The mean densities of cocoon nests, egg clusters and B. micrantha were significantly different in the two blocks and were not semi-randomly distributed in the two habitats. The hos...
Abstract: The life cycle of the African wild silkmoth Gonometa postica Walker was studied between September 2000 and September 2001 in the Uasin Gishu District of western Kenya with Acacia mearnsii deWild and Acacia hockii deWild as host plants. The initial population of G. postica was set up from healthy live pupae in cocoons collected from host plants in the study area. Oviposition was carried out in net sleeves and small plastic cages. Moth emergence and oviposition were bimodal, occurrin...
Abstract Bushmeat hunting is widespread in villages adjacent to protected areas in Western Serengeti. However, little information is available about the role of bushmeat income in the household economy as a function of distance from the protected area boundary, preventing the formulation of informed policy for regulating this illegal trade. This study was conducted in three villages in Western Serengeti at distances of 3 (closest), 27 (intermediate) and 58km (furthest) from the boundary of S...
ABSTRACT Animal African Trypanosomosis is a Neglected Tropical Disease with significant impacts to pastoral community livelihoods. Our study sought to determine the influence of seasonal cattle movements on the prevalence of trypanosome infections in cattle in the pastoral areas of the Maasai Steppe. Identification of spatial and temporal dynamics of trypanosome infections in cattle is essential for designing effective control strategies. To identify potential hotspots of trypanosome transm...