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Fruiting phenology of fig trees in Kalinzu Forest, Uganda
Author(s) -
Muhanguzi Hosea D. R.,
Ipulet Perpetua
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
african journal of ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.499
H-Index - 54
eISSN - 1365-2028
pISSN - 0141-6707
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2028.2011.01301.x
Subject(s) - abundance (ecology) , biology , intraspecific competition , rainforest , phenology , species richness , ecology , species diversity , ficus , botany
The study determined the abundance and species composition of fig trees that fruited in the different forest types of Kalinzu Forest Reserve (KFR), Uganda. It also assessed the seasonal variations in abundance and species composition of the fig trees, the relationships between the fruiting patterns and rainfall and the figs’ inter‐ and intraspecific patterns of fruiting episodes. Sixteen fig species represented by 515 individuals were monitored monthly from December 2007 to January 2010. Most individuals and species that fruited were in the secondary forest types (the Musanga ‐ and Parinari ‐dominated secondary forests) and abundances of individuals of the different species were significantly associated with particular forest types. One colonizing species ( Ficus sur ) was the most abundant species that fruited and was mostly recorded in the secondary forests. Species composition and abundances of trees that fruited varied seasonally, and only the abundances of two canopy species ( Ficus lingua and Ficus sansibarica ) were significantly related with monthly rainfall. Most species experienced at least four fruiting phases, and F. sur displayed the longest episode covering 22 months. The results suggest that the past intensive logging in KFR promoted the regeneration of a diversity of fig species, and most species generally experience community‐wide asynchronous fruiting.