Factors determining community participation in afforestation projects in River Nyando basin, Kenya

Factors determining community participation in afforestation projects were investigated. Data was collected from 150 respondents who were selected from a sample population of 1,928 households using systematic random sampling technique. Data was collected using a standardized questionnaire, focus group discussions and key informant interviews. Chi-square (χ2) test was used to establish the relationship between community participation (dependent variable) and socio-cultural, economic and environmental factors (independent variables) and also to test the strength of the relationship. The results of the study indicated that there was a strong positive relationship between community participation and the benefits obtained from the afforestation projects (χ2 α 0.05 = 0.000). There was also a positive relationship between environmental degradation and community participation in the afforestation projects (χ2 α 0.05 = 0.001). However, there was no relationship between community participation and cultural factors (χ2 α 0.05 = 0.824). There was also no relationship between respondents’ household status and community participation in the afforestation projects (χ2 α 0.05 = 0.156). The study concluded that for conservation projects to succeed, socio-economic benefits must be tangible to the project participants/ beneficiaries.Key words: Community participation, afforestation projects, Nyando river basin, Kenya

Top-down and bottom-up control on cougar and its prey in a central Mexican natural reserve

Top-down and bottom-up controls are hypothesized to regulate population structures in many ecosystems. However, few studies have had the opportunity to analyze both processes in the natural environment, especially on large carnivores like the cougar (Puma concolor). Previously, studies show that cougar diet in the Sierra Nanchititla Natural Reserve (SNNR), central Mexico, is mainly armadillo, coati, and white-tailed deer. We assess whether top-down and/or bottom-up control regulate this endangered food web: (a) we predicted that seasonal per capita changes in abundance (pca) of cougar will be positively affected by the abundance of their main prey; (b) primary productivity in SNNR will affect the pca of prey species, driving bottom-up control; and (c) armadillo, coati, and white-tailed deer pca will be affected by the abundance of cougar, generating top-down control. Using 15 camera traps for 6 years in the SNNR, we calculated a relative abundance index (RAI) and pca for cougar and each of the focal prey, and we used the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) as a proxy of primary productivity. We constructed multiple regression models and selected the best linear models based on ranking the AICc values. Our analysis suggests that P. concolor pca is best explained by bottom-up control and intraspecific feedback. White-tailed deer and armadillo pca were both significantly affected by cougar abundance, indicating top-down control for these prey species, but NDVI was not retained in any of the models selected for prey pca. Our results indicate that both bottom-up and top-down control are involved in regulating this endangered food web in the SNNR, Mexico