The Role of Sykes Monkeys (Cercopithecus Mitis Albogularis) in Natural Forest Regeneration in Gede Ruins Forest, Kilifi County, Kenya

Abstract

Primates are known in maintaining plant population and forest regeneration. They swallow and defecate, regurgitate or spit large quantities of viable seeds away from the parent plant. This study was conducted in Gede Ruins forest to establish the role of Sykes monkeys (Cercopithecus mitis albogularis) and dung beetles in maintenance of community structure and species composition through seed dispersal. The objectives were to determine: forest structure and species composition; seed dispersal by Sykes monkeys and complementary role of dung beetles; and to establish the viability of dispersed seeds by the monkeys. The forest was stratified into primary and secondary forest and data collected during rainy and dry periods for seasonal comparative studies. Two groups of habituated monkeys were studied; provisioned and free ranging groups. Age classes in the forest exhibited a reversed exponential curve a characteristic of a regenerating forest. Lack of marked difference in vegetation structure and species composition between primary and secondary forest suggest that secondary forest had regained most of its diversity attributed to seed dispersal and successful regeneration and recruitment. The monkeys dispersed diverse seeds to at least 5 m from mother tree crucial for maintenance of plant population and diversity in the forest. Seasonality and provisioning were the key factors that significantly affected seed dispersal by Sykes monkeys and hence forest regeneration. Dung beetles played a complementary role through seed cleaning, rolling away dung with seeds to suitable microsites and burrowed dung balls in forest litter precluding seed predation. Ingestion significantly reduced latency period and enhanced germination success implying that endozoochory was critical for regeneration of Gede forest. Sykes monkeys were, therefore, effective and efficient seed dispersers because they; moved large numbers of seeds, did not decrease seed viability and dispersed array of species. This suggests that enhancing population of the monkeys in Coastal forests of Kenya is critical for natural forest regeneration for conservation and management of fragmented and degraded forests. Key words; Forest regeneration; seed dispersal; Sykes monkeys; dung beetles; Gede ruins forest