TITLE:
Influence of Elephant-Driven Vegetation Structure and Altitudinal Gradient on the Occurrence of the Endemic Mount Cameroon Francolin
AUTHORS:
Francis Guetse, Tsi Evaristus Angwafo
KEYWORDS:
Elephant Disturbances, Altitudinal Gradient, Ecosystem Engineer, Endemic Mount Cameroon Francolin, Vegetation Structure
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Access Library Journal,
Vol.13 No.1,
January
26,
2026
ABSTRACT: African forest elephants (Loxodonta cyclotis) strongly modify vegetation structure by creating natural clearings, yet the consequences of these habitat modifications for threatened ground-nesting species such as the endemic Mount Cameroon Francolin (Pternistis camerunensis) remain largely understood. This poorly studied galliforme faces multiple threats on Mount Cameroon, including hunting, bushfires, and vegetation modification by elephants. Few decades ago, forests on Mount Cameroon were divided by lava flows, creating a barrier that local population of forest elephants not cross until now. The scarcity of ecological information on the Cameroon Francolin prompted us to assess its altitudinal distribution and examine how elephant-induced vegetation changes, across seasons, influence its occurrence. Surveys were conducted during the rainy season (July - August 2021) and the dry season (February - March 2022) at 44 sampling stations (22 undisturbed forest sites and 22 elephant pastures) along an altitudinal gradient from 1100 to 2300 m. Francolins were surveyed using point counts combined with playback within a 300 m radius, while vegetation structure was visually estimated within 50 m of each station. Although habitat type had only a marginal effect on Francolin occurrence, Francolins were more frequently detected in elephant pastures than in forest between 1265 and 2285 m. Vegetation density in the 1 - 3 m and 5 - 10 m strata was negatively correlated with Francolin abundance, whereas the 0 - 1 m stratum showed a positive but non-significant relationship. Occurrence probability declined significantly with increasing elevation. Seasonally, Francolins were more abundant in forest during the rainy season and in elephant pastures during the dry season, though these differences were not statistically significant. Despite limited data due to the species’ rarity, our results suggest that elephant-induced habitat modification may enhance habitat suitability for the Cameroon Francolin. Long-term monitoring is needed to confirm these trends and inform conservation strategies for this range-restricted species.