Arthropod Diversity and Abundance Along the Kihansi Gorge (Kihansi River) in the Southern Udzungwa Mountains, Tanzania

Zilihona, Innocent; Heinonen, Jaakko; Nummelin, Matti

doi:10.2982/0012-8317(1998)87[233:adaaat]2.0.co;2

Cited by 18 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…Recent biodiversity studies in the Kihansi Gorge area have shown that many rare species of plants and animals occur there Zilihona et al 1998;Vollesen 2000;Dinesen et al 2001;Zilihona and Nummelin 2001). Strict endemics are the recently discovered Kihansi Spray Toad Nectophrynoides asperginis (Poynton et al 1998) and two new species of sacrophytic plants including the monotypic genus Kihansia (Cheek 2004).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Initial Trends of Bird Assemblages Before and After River Diversion in an Endemic-rich African Forest

Cordeiro

Lovett

Mulungu³

et al. 2006

Biodivers Conserv

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The Lower Kihansi Hydropower Project in southern Tanzania caused the diversion of the Kihansi River from the Kihansi Gorge in the year 2000. By sampling the understorey avifauna prior to diversion, we examined (i) whether the adjacent Udagaje Gorge was an adequate control for observations in the Kihansi Gorge; (ii) which species of conservation interest occurred; and, (iii) which season best suited annual monitoring. Species composition and capture rates at three and two elevational transects in the Kihansi Gorge and Udagaje Gorge, respectively, confirmed that Udagaje had a comparable avifaunal assemblage to Kihansi. The cold season was most appropriate for population monitoring because >2 times more individuals were captured in the cold than hot season at both gorges, and at least four altitudinal migrants were present in the cold but not hot season. Post-diversion sampling revealed that only the Upper Kihansi transect suffered a significant decrease in number of individuals, a result that was driven largely by a decline in the Little Greenbul, Andropadus virens. This transect is closest to the Kihansi waterfall and associated spray zone which were lost after river diversion. Lack of differences in bird communities at other transects after diversion illustrates that early post-diversion effects on birds are probably concentrated near the base of the main falls. Together with studies of other biota in Kihansi, we propose that longterm monitoring is necessary to understand the factors that regulate changes in species composition of this threatened forest site.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Initial Trends of Bird Assemblages Before and After River Diversion in an Endemic-rich African Forest

Cordeiro

Lovett

Mulungu³

et al. 2006

Biodivers Conserv

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“…Before commissioning of the hydropower plant this habitat was highly influenced by waterfall sprays that provided a unique microclimate and sustained a unique invertebrate fauna (Zilihona et al 1998b;NORPLAN 2001b,f;Zilihona and Nummelin 2001). Many taxa probably disappeared entirely from the site as a consequence of its change, as they were not sampled at all after the commissioning of the hydropower plant.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of a hydropower plant on Coleopteran diversity and abundance in the Udzungwa Mountains, Tanzania

Zilihona

Niemelä

Nummelin

2004

Biodiversity and Conservation

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Abstract. The effects of river flow diversion on biodiversity were assessed using Coleoptera as an indicator group in three habitats of the Kihansi Gorge (Udzungwa Mountains, Tanzania), before and after commissioning of a hydropower plant. Data collected using sweep netting and pitfall traps showed that the effect of diversion of the river flow was site-specific, affecting particularly the spray habitat. Rarefaction analysis of both sweep netting and pitfall samples indicated that the expected richness of Coleoptera declined significantly in all habitats after commissioning of the power plant. Sweep netting and pitfall samples showed that the highest Shannon-Wiener diversity index value before the diversion of the river flow was in the spray zone, but the index value decreased after diversion. Changes in the other two habitats were less prominent. Analysis of variance using diversity index values from five pitfall samples in each habitat type before and after commissioning indicated that there were no statistically significant differences in the diversity index between the two sampling periods or among the three habitat types. Renkonen's similarity index between habitats showed that pitfall samples had higher similarity (!87%) than did samples from sweep netting ( 69%). It is suggested that for mitigation purposes, artificial spray systems, which have been installed in other wetlands of the Kihansi Gorge, also be installed to cover the whole Lower Wetland in which this study was undertaken. In order to maintain overall biodiversity in the Kihansi Gorge, it is suggested that the ecosystem conservation approach be prioritised.

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“…The latter area has become famous because of the Kihansi spray toad, Nectophrynoides asperginis Poynton, Howell, Clarke & Lovett, 1999, which occurred in the Kihansi area but is now regarded as extinct in the wild although a reintroduction programme was started in 2013 (IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group 2015). Zilihona et al (1998) described in detail the area where I. Zilihona collected her specimens. Altitudinal range 550-750 m asl (cf.…”

Section: Distribution and Habitatmentioning

confidence: 99%

A mountain of millipedes IV: Species of Prionopetalum Attems, 1909 from the Udzungwa Mountains, Tanzania. With notes on "P." fasciatum (Attems, 1896) and a revised species key (Diplopoda, Spirostreptida, Odontopygidae)

Enghoff

2016

EJT

759

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Arthropod Diversity and Abundance Along the Kihansi Gorge (Kihansi River) in the Southern Udzungwa Mountains, Tanzania

Cited by 18 publications

References 12 publications

Initial Trends of Bird Assemblages Before and After River Diversion in an Endemic-rich African Forest

Initial Trends of Bird Assemblages Before and After River Diversion in an Endemic-rich African Forest

Effects of a hydropower plant on Coleopteran diversity and abundance in the Udzungwa Mountains, Tanzania

A mountain of millipedes IV: Species of Prionopetalum Attems, 1909 from the Udzungwa Mountains, Tanzania. With notes on "P." fasciatum (Attems, 1896) and a revised species key (Diplopoda, Spirostreptida, Odontopygidae)

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