Biogeography of East African Forest Mammals

Abstract

This paper analyses the distribution of seventy-three mammal species in seventeen East African forest sites of differing geological history (recent volcanic, ancient block faulted and lowland alluvial). Association analysis and principal coordinate analysis indicate four groupings (West, North, South and Coast) based on species presence. The levels of similarity between these groups are used to test previous ideas on spread of forest mammals through East Africa. The western sites have the highest richness and endemism and represent the main refuge and colonization source. The North group show overall impoverishment, low endemism and high dependence on the western fauna. The South group shows higher endemism; the Coast fauna is the most impoverished, and highly dependent on South group elements. These findings are discussed with respect to current interpretations of bioclimatic events and forest environments in the East African Pleistocene and are used to investigate a specific example concerning the distribution of a recently discovered rare forest primate.