Evidence for Seed Dispersal by Rodents in Tropical Montane Forest in Africa

Researchers have uncovered evidence that rodents, specifically the Kivu brush-tailed rat (Cricetomys kivuensis), play a significant role in seed dispersal within Nyungwe National Park's tropical montane forests. The study, conducted through seed-removal experiments, analysis of rodent burrows and caches, examination of cotyledon burial in seedlings, and camera trap imagery, demonstrates that these rodents remove and hoard large seeds of the Carapa grandiflora tree. This finding highlights an understudied aspect of seed dispersal in African ecosystems, with potential implications for forest regeneration and biodiversity.

Nyiramana, A., Mendoza, I., Kaplin, B. A., & Forget, P.-M. (2011). Evidence for Seed Dispersal by Rodents in Tropical Montane Forest in Africa. Biotropica, 43(6), 654–657. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-7429.2011.00810.x