Biomass of Rain Forest Mammals in the Lope Reserve, Gabon

Abstract

1. Densities of mammals in five sites in lowland semi-evergreen tropical rain forest in the Lope Reserve, central Gabon, were estimated using standard line-transect methods. Biomass was calculated using weights taken from the literature. 2. The total estimated biomass of diurnal primates, ruminants, pigs, elephants and squirrels in the five sites varied between 998 and 5866 kg km −2 . Forest elephants (Loxodonta africana cyclotis Matschie) dominated the biomass in all sites, making up 52-89% and primates accounted for 6-30%. 3. Statistically significant differences in density were detected for most species in at least two of the sites. Some of these differences could be related to vegetation structure and composition, but the reasons for others were unclear