Jozani biodiversity inventory report 2002 - Coastal Forests of Kenya ...

Executive Summary
A biodiversity inventory of Jozani - Chwaka proposed National Park was undertaken in June/July
2002. This area is internationally recognised together with the Eastern Arc Mountains and coastal
forests as part of the global biodiversity hotspots. The inventory was preceded by a
reconnaissance survey involving three members of the team from 23 rd to 25 th June 2002, which
allowed them to see the study area and determine sampling plots. This was followed by fieldwork
by eight team members from 29 th June to 8 th July 2002. The main goals of the inventory were to
produce a vegetation map of the area and provide species lists of plants, mammals, reptiles,
amphibians, fish and selected invertebrates (Lepidoptera and Odonata). The survey was also
expected to provide an indication of the conservation status, endemism, distribution and relative
abundance of the various species.
Vegetation sampling was conducted at selected sites in different habitat types using the Nested
Quadrat Method. Opportunistic sampling of plants outside designated transects was also done.
For medium and large mammals foot counts on line transects, night drives and opportunistic
sampling were employed. Vocalisation was the most useful method for identifying the prosimians
(bushbabies). Small mammals were sampled along transects using bucket pitfalls, snap and
Sherman traps at selected sites. Reptiles were also sampled opportunistically. Amphibians were
sampled using bucket pitfalls and indirect methods such as vocalisation, while tree frogs were
also collected opportunistically. Fish data was collected from artisanal fishermen and from office
records. Invertebrates were collected using pitfall traps, sweep nets, banana and light traps.
At least 291 vascular plant species belonging to 83 families were recorded in the survey area of
which one species, Monanthotaxis faulknerae (Annonaceae), a climber, was a new record for
Zanzibar. Two species of plants, a tree, Acacia mangium (Mimosaceae), an introduced species in
the forest plantations and a climber Agelaea setulosa (Connaraceae), a near endemic species to
coastal areas of Tanga and Kenya, not listed in the Flora of Tropical East Africa (FTEA) were
detected during the survey. A tree Burttdavya nyasica (Rubiaceae) reported by Ruffo (1992) was
also detected during the survey and does not appear in the FTEA (Rubiaceae Part II). A total of
28 species found in the study area are endemic or near endemic and 21 species are known to be
threatened or endangered. Five endemic and near endemic plant species are also threatened or
endangered: Coffea pseudozanguebarie and Psychotria alsophyla (Rubiaceae), Mkilua fragrans
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