Abstract
One hundred and eighteen (118) tree species were identified, among which 58 species produced fruit within the two-year study. Fruit of only 26.3% of the latter is eaten by chimpanzees. The consumption of each of these fruits was generally low, with only two species constituting more than 25% consumption. Only about 1.7% of woody biomass is relied upon by chimpanzees in Kalinzu for food. The major tree species in chimpanzee diet monitored showed that fruit production varies monthly and seasonally. Apart from Musanga leo-errerae and Ficus spp. whose fruiting was consistent throughout the year, general fruit phenology was positively correlated with rainfall. Only three species namely: Craterispermum laurinum, Aframomum angustifolium and Beilschmiedia ugandensis produced fruit in the dry seasons. Correlation between fruit availability and consumption was significantly positive for only one species, Landlophia dawei. This indicated that frugivory of chimpanzees in Kalinzu was not opportunistic; they search for what they like to eat. Chimpanzees would have to range furthest in periods of scarcity and asynchronous fruiting hence a lot of energy expenditure in the food search alone. Therefore, diversity in fruit phenology is important for chimpanzees’ energy conservation, health and survival. Selective logging and other selective human activities that involve cutting down trees that are palatable would in future affect the food diversity and consequently the health of frugivores if not done sustainably. Since patterns of fruit phenology are also linked to patterns of rainfall, changes in the former can assist in predicting the influence of climate change on food availability for big frugivores like chimpanzees.
Highlights
Knowing the dynamics of fruit production is important for understanding great apes’ ecology, as fruit provides a nutritious resource for most of them in tropical African regions
Comparison of fruit phenology is important for understanding the ecological differences in great apes among different study sites
The patterns of fluctuation in party size of chimpanzees are different among four chimpanzee study sites and it was suggested that the differences in dynamics of fruit production among sites were the cause [9]
Summary
Knowing the dynamics of fruit production is important for understanding great apes’ (chimpanzees, gorillas, and bonobos) ecology, as fruit provides a nutritious resource for most of them in tropical African regions. Comparison of fruit phenology is important for understanding the ecological differences in great apes among different study sites. The annual and seasonal fluctuations in fruit production are distinct, and a period of fruit scarcity exists at all study sites [14]. In Lopé National Park (Gabon), fruit abundance peaks in the early rainy season and fruits are scarce during the long dry seasons. Fruit abundance peaks may occur during the mid-rainy season and become scarce during the dry season [2] [6] [15]. In the two sites of West Africa, Taï National Park (Cotê d’Ivore) and Bossou (Guinea), fruits tend to be abundant during the dry season [13] [19]. Even within the same habitat, patterns of fruit production differ among species, plant life forms, and vegetation types, and periods of fruit scarcity vary
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