Farwig N, Bleher B, Böhning-Gaese K Consequences of forest fragmentation on frugivores, seed dispersal and genetic structure of Prunus africana populations in Kenya

mist-nets in three study sites, in primary forest and in 5-year-old and 10-year-old logged forests, in Sungai Lalang Forest Reserve, West Malaysia. A total of 58 species (271 individuals) was recorded in primary forest, 62 species (288 individuals) in 5-yearold logged forest, and 61 species (386 individuals) in 10-year-old logged forest. Assessment of feeding guilds indicated that insectivorous interior forest species dominated in primary forest, and frugivore/insectivore and nectarivore/insectivore species of secondary forest and forest edge in logged forest. The study revealed significant changes in species composition after logging, with retention of many original species but declines or disappearances in others. At the same time, secondary growth or colonizing species increased. This implies that the sensitivity of birds, particularly those of the understorey, to changes in forest condition may provide direct indications of the health of tropical forest ecosystems. Thus the maintenance of core components of biodiversity, such as understorey avifauna, may be key to the sustainable management and long-term productivity of tropical forests.