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Sustainable use and management of resources require regular monitoring. In the case of animals, their numbers and distributions are important in determining future trends. The data can also be used for planning and management needs such as habitat use and design of park boundaries (Norton-Griffiths, 1978). Aerial surveys in East Africa have collected data on animal numbers and other environmental parameters coinciding with wet, intermediate and dry seasons and hence determining animal movements in relation to their food supply (Western, 1975; Norton-Griffiths, 1978; Sinclair & Norton-Griffiths, 1979). Population trends of animals and their food supply has a bearing on their sustained management in an ecosystem as noted by Kalikawe & Kgathi (1993), Lamprey (1984), Kahurananga (1981), Western (1973) among others. The Department of Resource Surveys and Remote Sensing has been conducting aerial surveys in Ewaso Nyiro basin since 1977 and the cardinal objective of this paper is to present and explain an analysis of animal population trends in this basin spanning a period of 20 years, which is invaluable to the sustainable management of the basin’s biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Copyright of African Journal of Ecology is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of African Journal of Ecology is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of African Journal of Ecology is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of African Journal of Ecology is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of African Journal of Ecology is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of African Journal of Ecology is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper gives the results of a study conducted at Game Ranching Ltd, situated at the Athi Kapiti Plains, Kenya, to determine the dietary composition of cattle (Bos indicus L), kongoni (Alcephalus buselaphus Pallas) and wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus Burchell), through two forage growing seasons (wet and dry). The dietary preferences and overlaps between the species were also determined.. The diet preference of the three herbivores was determined using a microhistological analysis technique. The three dominant grasses in the ranch: Themeda triandra Fork, Digitaria macroblephara (Hack.) Stapf and Penisetum mezianum Leeke, formed the major diets of the animals. The browse component of the diets increased during the dry season by about 100% for all the animal species, with cattle always having twice as much browse as the wild herbivores. However, the animals selected similar diets in terms of plant species during both seasons but were more selective during the wet season. Dietary overlaps were always above 75%, but more than this during the dry season. The dietary overlaps were lower between cattle and wild herbivores than between the wild herbivores. The diet preference index for the animals differed from season to season, and from plant to plant.. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of African Journal of Ecology is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of African Journal of Ecology is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

A checklist of Odonata has been compiled for Kenya. It is based on an inventory of museum material, publications and personal observations made between 1978 and 1997. Changes of scientific names and synonyms are documented. The list contains 194 valid dragonfly species recorded for Kenya. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of African Journal of Ecology is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The combined chilli + metal strip and the stand-alone metal strip fence demonstrated significant deterrent effects when compared to the no deterrent control ( I p i = 0.013 & I p i = 0.019, respectively); this also was true at <=6 m (Table 1). We hypothesised that the combined chilli + metal strip fence would be the most effective at deterring elephants because of the double barriers and the multiple modalities stimulated (visual, olfactory, auditory, gustatory), ensuring that elephants retained a negative association with the fence. Chilli + metal strip fence: a combined lower metal strip fence and upper chilli pepper fence. [Extracted from the article]

Copyright of African Journal of Ecology is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Wildlife corridors are crucial for effective conservation (Kiffner, Nagar, Kollmar, & Kioko, 2016) and build the resilience of ecosystems (Duke, Hebblewhite, Paquet, Callaghan, & Percy, 2001; Newmark, 2008) by performing multiple functions (Beier & Loe, 1992; Koen, Bowman, Sadowski, & Walpole, 2014). MATERIALS AND METHODS Herbaceous plant species were sampled along twenty, 1-km long transects in five vegetation types namely: fallow, I Licium europeaneum i grassland, I Commiphora schimperi i , I Acacia mellifera i and I Acacia tortilis i bushlands. RESULTS The per cent cover and frequency of fifteen common species from the family Gramineae (Poaceae), one Cyperaceae (sedge) and fourteen dicots belonging to thirteen families are shown in Table 1. [Extracted from the article]

Although listed as of least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN SSC Antelope Specialist Group, 2017), the population of roan antelope I Hippotragus equinus langheldi i has greatly declined throughout Africa. We investigated the distribution of roan antelope in relation to the distributions of selected trace metals: cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), selenium (Se) and zinc (Zn) to determine the extent to which their concentrations may condition the roan antelope population distribution in the RNP. In conclusion, understanding the distribution of the roan antelope in relation to the distributions of seven trace metals in Ruma National Park is an important first step in establishing the degree to which trace metal deficiency or toxicity contributes to suppression of roan population growth or recovery. Further studies should investigate reproductive and immunological correlates of trace metal levels in the roan antelope diets to unravel any toxicity or deficiency associated with these and other trace metals and conclusively determine their role in suppressing roan antelope population growth or recovery. [Extracted from the article]

Copyright of African Journal of Ecology is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of African Journal of Ecology is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of African Journal of Ecology is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of African Journal of Ecology is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In this paper we compare the use of transect counts with a simpler method of investigating bird diversity and numbers, particularly in terrestrial habitats, both natural and non-natural. Transect Counts (TCs) have long been widely used, whereas Timed Species Counts (TSCs), which estimate relative abundance, are comparatively untried. We find that TSCs give results which are comparable to those from TCs in mostrespects, except that they can only be used indirectly for estimating population densities, and they give different measures of diversity. However, TSCs generate data on many more species much faster than do TCs and are therefore more cost-effective in most situations. In particular, TSCs are useful for community studies. We show, for example, that in natural habitats bird populations are positively correlatedwith the amount of woody vegetation, but not with rainfall. Diversity too increases with woody vegetation. Because TSCs are simple, more of them can be made for a given input of time, and hence more distributional data are obtained as an additional benefit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information about a study which uses data from Kakamega Forest, a tropical protected area in western Kenya, to quantify the relationship between forest loss and the number of trees cut opportunistically measured in the field. A comparison of the relationships between forest loss and four vegetation variables is also mentioned.

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Copyright of African Journal of Ecology is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of African Journal of Ecology is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of African Journal of Ecology is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of African Journal of Ecology is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of African Journal of Ecology is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of African Journal of Ecology is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of African Journal of Ecology is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of African Journal of Ecology is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of African Journal of Ecology is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of African Journal of Ecology is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The article offers an assessment of forest patches' extents and land cover changes in the Tana River Primate National Reserve, Kenya. These are evergreens riverine forest types. The forest vegetation occurs in scattered patches of various sizes in a semi-arid environment. Extensive forest disturbance in the tropical human activities caused forests, primarily agricultural development and forestry operations.

Copyright of African Journal of Ecology is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of African Journal of Ecology is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of African Journal of Ecology is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of African Journal of Ecology is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Spring water is the common source of public water supply in most rural communities of developing countries such as Kenya. The water quality and quantity may be altered due to catchments degradation. This study was carried out in Tongaren division, Nzoia River catchment. The aim of this study was to investigate and map the occurrence and distribution of springs and to determine their water quality and quantity. This study determined the spring water discharge, conductivity, turbidity, total and thermotolerant (faecal) coliforms to assess suitability and sustainability of spring water for safe drinking. Twenty-eight springs were identified and their locations mapped using Global Positioning System (GPS) geo-reference data. Discharge ranged from 0.1 to 3 l s−1, with some drying up during dry season. Total coliform was innumerable in most of the studied springs while thermotolerant (faecal) coliform counts occurred in eight springs, including four protected springs. This poses high risks of water-borne diseases. The water should be filtered and boiled prior to use for drinking. Facilitation of communities enabled development of seven springs to enhance water yield and quality. This study established high potential in the communities to develop springs and utilize the spring water as alternative source of livelihoods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of African Journal of Ecology is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of African Journal of Ecology is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of African Journal of Ecology is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of African Journal of Ecology is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of African Journal of Ecology is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

A survey for entomopathogenic nematodes in the central Rift valley region of Kenya was conducted at altitudes between 1800 and 3000 m above sea level and from croplands and noncropland habitats. The sampling depth was 0-30 cm. GPS (global positioning system) was used to measure site positions. One hundred and twelve soil samples were collected and entomopathogenic nematodes trapped through Galleria mellonella. Entomopathogenic nematode presence was demonstrated by G. mellonella mortality and viable ones bulked through the same host . Nematode recoveries from two consecutive extractions were 30% per extraction and 52% for cumulative extractions. Recoveries from agro ecological zones ranged between 18% and 71%. Recovery frequency was higher from disturbed cropland habitats than the stable noncrop habitats. Steinernema species were more frequent than Heterorhabditis (9 : 1). Nematode occurrence clustered at 2-3% carbon and pH 5.3-6.3 with no specific pattern demonstrated from soil types. Nematode species of the two genera from high altitudes lost their culturing ability within 1 month of isolation . There was a tendency for recovering both nematode genera at the shores of water bodies. This is the first report of Steinernema yirgalemense and S. weiseri in Kenya and of S. karii in the central Rift valley region. The Heterorhabditis species has not been confirmed yet. This has widened the genetic base of entomopathogenic nematodes from Kenya. The entomopathogenic nematodes are available for developement as biological control agents of athropod pests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of African Journal of Ecology is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of African Journal of Ecology is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

A selected set of wild herbivores on Lewa Wildlife Conservancy (LWC) and Ol Pejeta Ranch were evaluated for their utility value by productivity indexing based on a computer bio-economic model, Prying Livestock Productivity (PRY). PRY derives productivity of species based on feed energy efficiency (FEE). The respective FEE indices (Kenya shillings, Ksh, per kilogram dry matter, Ksh kg−1 DM) for consumptive use only on LWC and Ol Pejeta Ranch for zebra, buffalo, impala, giraffe and eland were 9.23 and 9.20; 4.70 and 4.74; 4.05 and 3.42; 7.34 and 7.24; 6.21 and 6.06. With non-consumptive use included in productivity assessments on LWC and Ol Pejeta Ranch, the respective indices for zebra, buffalo, impala, giraffe and eland were 15.52 and 9.98; 21.10 and 6.34; 9.85 and 4.69; 14.41 and 9.92; 12.72 and 16.05. The buffalo and eland were the most productive species on LWC and Ol Pejeta Ranch respectively, while the impala was the least productive on the two units. Most herbivores on LWC were more productive than the same species on Ol Pejeta Ranch when touristic value was included in the indexing. However, without tourism, species in the two units had similar index values, except for the impala. It was concluded that tourism provides the main economic justification for utilization and conservation of the herbivores. Résumé Un ensemble sélectionné d'herbivores sauvages de Lewa Wildlife Conservancy et du Ol Pejeta Ranch a étéévalué pour leur valeur utile au moyen d'un index de la productivité, en se basant sur un modèle bio-économique informatisé, PRY. Le PRY fait dériver la productivité des espèces sur la base de l'efficience énergétique alimentaire (FEE). Les indices FEE respectifs (Ksh/kg MS), pour la consommation uniquement, à LWC et à Ol Pejeta Ranch, étaient pour les zèbres, buffles, impalas, girafes et élands, de 9,23 et 9,20; 4,70 et 4,74; 4,05 et 3,42; 7,34 et 7,24; 6,21 et 6,06. Usage non alimentaire inclus dans les évaluations de la productivité, ces indices étaient respectivement de 15,52 et 9,98; 21,10 et 6,34; 9,85 et 4,69; 14,41 et 9,92; 12,72 et 16,05. Les buffles et les élands étaient les espèces les plus productives aux deux endroits, tandis que l'impala était la moins productive de chaque côté. La plupart des herbivores de LWC étaient plus productifs que la même espèce au Ol Pejeta Ranch lorsque la valeur touristique était incluse dans l'index. Mais sans le tourisme, les espèces des deux unités avaient des index de valeur similaire, excepté l'impala. On en a conclu que le tourisme représente la justification économique principale pour l'utilisation et la conservation d'herbivores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of herbal remedies is usually perceived as a rural phenomenon, hence it is usually not clear whether they are an accepted mode of healthcare system in urban areas. This study aimed at investigating the role of herbal medicines in managing diarrhoea in an urban centre, document important plants utilized and their conservation status. The results indicate that diarrhoea is a serious problem in Thika urban slums. Ninety-eight per cent in the study area had suffered had suffered diarrhoea in the recent past (during the last 1 year). In regard to the mode of treatment sought for this condition, 97.45% had used herbal preparations. The majority (52.5%) first seek treatment for diarrhoea from herbalists before going to the hospital. More people (23.7%) in the study area seek herbal preparations for diarrhoea management because they consider them more effective than biomedicines, compared with 13.2% who opt for the herbal concoctions because they are cheap. A large diversity of species (41 species in 25 families) is used in diarrhoea management. The most common plants include Senna didymobotrya (Fresen.) Irwin & Barney, Physalis Peruvian L., and Cucurbita maxima Lam. Most of these are obtained from wild habitats, hence their conservation status needs to be addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]