This study tests the justi¢cation for displacement and compensation of persons in a previously settled land for natural ecological recovery, and helps in the understanding of patch dynamics in a semi-mountain tropical rain forest environment. The study area comprised parts of the Mbwa River Tract in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda that had been settled and cultivated for at least 20 years prior to park reclassi¢cation. The extent, state and speed of regeneration of the cleared forest (CF) after resettlement were not known. There was therefore need for a baseline study as prerequisite for future ecological monitoring of forest recovery. Strip-plots at 200 m intervals running across the tract were therefore established for this study.1.17 km 2 of forest had been cleared for cultivation inthe tract and regeneration in adjacent forest (MF) was better than in the CF, based on the abundance of seedlings. The CF was more diverse in species composition than the MF, and with predominantly pioneer tree species growing. The CF was ecologically important as a water catchment area and a habitat for several animal species, and there were indications that it was heading for ecological recovery.Re¨sumeC ette e¨tude ve¨ri¢e l'opportunite¨de de¨placer et de compenser des personnes qui quittent un terrain ante¨rieurement occupe¨pour permettre une reconstitution e¨cologique naturelle, et elle aide a© comprendre la dynamique des parcelles dans un environnement tropical semi-montagneux de foreª t pluviale. L'aire couverte par l'e¨tude comprenait des portions de la valle¨e de la rivie© re Mbwa dans le Parc National de la foreª t Impe¨ne¨trable de Bwindi, en Ouganda, qui avaient e¨te¨occupe¨es et cultive¨es pendant au moins 20 ans avant la reclassi¢cation du parc. L'ampleur, l'e¨tat et la vitesse de re¨ge¨ne¨ration de la foreª t coupe¨e (CF) apre© s le de¨placement des personnes n'e¨taient pas connus. Il fallait donc conduire une e¨tude de base comme pre¨alable au futur controª le e¨cologique continu de la re¨ge¨ne¨ration de la foreª t. On a e¨tabli dans cette zone des bandes de terrain e¨carte¨es de 200 m les unes des autres pour re¨aliser cette e¨tude.1,17 km 2 de foreª t avait e¨te¨coupe¨e poureª tre cultive¨e dans cette zone, et la re¨ge¨ne¨ration de la foreª t adjacente (MF) e¨tait meilleure que dans la CF, si l'on se base sur l'abondance de jeunes plants. La CF avait une composition d'espe© ces plus diverse que la MF et les espe© ces d'arbres qui y poussaient e¨taient principalement des espe© ces pion-nie© res. La CF e¨tait e¨cologiquement importante parce que c'est une aire de captage d'eau et l'habitat de plusieurs espe© ces animales, et on a pu voir des signes qui montrent qu'on va vers un re¨tablissement e¨cologique.
Explaining patterns of diversity, and abundance across sites is a central aim of community ecology. Avian communities have been the focus of many studies on species diversity. To be able to explain patterns of waterbirds in wetlands of eastern Uganda, we conducted a rapid assessment in 48 wetlands (38 swamps, two rice paddies and eight lakes) using total counts. We examined waterbird assemblages in these wetlands in relation to wetland area, wetland type, water depth, water pH and the time of year/season. Statistical analysis were conducted using Genstat Version 8.1 (VSN Intl.2003, in which General Linear Mixed Models were used to examine the variations. In total, 9,410 birds from 64 species and 17 families were recorded. Species diversity and overall abundance varied significantly among wetland types and between seasons. Rice paddies were both more species-diverse than lakes and swamps. Wetland area had significant independent and positive effects on the waterbird community. In addition to explaining differences among wetland types in waterbird numbers, water depth had a positive effect on some aspects of the waterbird community with no significant effect of pH. These results imply that an interplay of factors is responsible for the pattern and structure of waterbird communities on wetlands in eastern Uganda.
Aim: To assess knowledge levels on schistosomiasis in farmers and laborers working in paddy rice fields in eastern Uganda.
Variations in the factors affecting prey availability directly impact on the spatial dispersion of foraging birds. The feeding success and efficiency of the Black-headed Heron (Ardea melanocephala) was examined in the different growth stages/phases of paddy rice, namely: Ploughed fields, Phase 1 fields (2 weeks-1 month after sowing) and Harvested fields. Feeding success of the Black-headed Heron varied significantly across the rice growth stage. This variation was explained by a combination of factors such water depth, waterbird abundance, Nearest Neighbor Distance (NND) and food or prey abundance (except amphibian abundance). Statistical analysis were conducted using Genstat Version 8.1 (VSN Intl.2003, in which a General Linear Mixed Model were used to examine the variation in each behavioural measure. Foraging in aggregations on rice paddies seems to be more beneficial to the Black-headed Heron. The closeness to a conspecific had a positive effect on the feeding efficiency of the Black-headed Heron as they foraged on fields with abundant prey (Phase 1) and a negative effect on fields with less abundant prey (Ploughed fields). Generally, the data seem to suggest that there is a functional relationship between the Black-headed Heron, and prey abundance, and the absence of interference competition on rice fields.
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