The movement and habitat utilization patterns were studied in an Asian elephant population during 1981–83 within a 1130 km2 area in southern India (11° 30′ N to 12° 0′ N and 76° 50′ E to 77° 15′ E). The study area encompasses a diversity of vegetation types from dry thorn forest (250–400 m) through deciduous forest (400–1400 m) to stunted evergreen shola forest and grassland (1400–1800 m).

Home range sizes of some identified elephants were between 105 and 320 km2. Based on the dry season distribution, five different elephant clans, each consisting of between 50 and 200 individuals and having overlapping home ranges, could be defined within the study area. Seasonal habitat preferences were related to the availability of water and the palatability of food plants. During the dry months (January-April) elephants congregated at high densities of up to five individuals km-2 in river valleys where browse plants had a much higher protein content than the coarse tall grasses on hill slopes. With the onset of rains of the first wet season (May-August) they dispersed over a wider area at lower densities, largely into the tall grass forests, to feed on the fresh grasses, which then had a high protein value. During the second wet season (September-December), when the tall grasses became fibrous, they moved into lower elevation short grass open forests.

The normal movement pattern could be upset during years of adverse environmental conditions. However, the movement pattern of elephants in this region has not basically changed for over a century, as inferred from descriptions recorded during the nineteenth century.

Flowers of Aphelandra sinclairiana have features of flowers pollinated by hermit humming-birds (long corollas) and of those pollinated by territorial humming-birds (dilute nectar, clustered distribution). Flowers in large clumps at the peak of the blooming season were pollinated by two territorial humming-birds, but at the end of the season or in isolated plants the main avian pollinator was the non-territorial hermit Phaethornis superciliosus. Visits by avian nectar thieves were more frequent at high flower densities. The reproductive output of inflorescences was similar at different levels of flower aggregation. Aphelandra flowers in large clumps could exchange pollen with extraterritorial plants because territorial humming-birds did not completely exclude pollinating hermits. The commonest nectar thief at high flower aggregations was the passerine Vermivora peregrina, the second most common nectar thief was the hermit Phaethornis longuemareus.

Litterfall in primary and secondary forests (‘capoeira’) in eastern Brazilian Amazonia was measured fortnightly from August 1979 to October 1980. The nutrient contents of the litter (N, P, K, Ca and Mg) were determined.

Litterfall differed between the two forest types (primary forest − 8.04 t ha−1 yr−1; secondary forest − 5.04 t ha−1 yr−1). The value obtained for primary forest was similar to those reported elsewhere in Brazil (mean = 8 t ha−1 yr−1) and from other regions of S. America (mean = 7.20 t ha−1 yr−1).

Prediction of net primary production from litterfall at the primary forest site gave rise to values of 14.47 and 26.53 t ha−1 yr−1. Estimates of net primary production in ‘capoeira’ ranged from 9.07 to 16.63 t ha−1 yr−1.

Seasonality of litterfall was more marked in ‘capoeira’ than primary forest but in both cases was less pronounced than elsewhere in Brazil.

Nutrient concentrations were highest in ‘capoeira’ litter, a finding which accords with results from other tropical sites; nevertheless input of nutrients per unit area of forest floor was greatest in the primary forest.

A standard Rothamsted light trap was operated for slightly over 12 months from the end of September 1979 to October 1980 at Genting Sempah, Pahang in Malaysia. All specimens of macrolepidoptera families together with the Pyralidae were identified, counted and recorded. The numbers of species caught were compared with those obtained by a different method at a nearby site for over 10 years. Diversity, biomass and seasonality of the catch were compared with identically sampled populations in Great Britain and New Zealand. The Genting Sempah trap had very high diversity and biomass compared with the temperate samples and exhibited much less seasonality. The Pyralidae and other families (excluding Noctuidae and Geometridae) formed a much higher component of diversity in Genting than in Britain. The log-normal distribution fits the data better than the log-series. So the inter-quartile slope, Q, is the correct parameter for interfaunal comparisons.

A total of 392 small mammals belonging to five species of small rodents and four species of shrews were caught. The small mammals and their percentage composition were Crocidura nigeriae (20.9%), Crocidura grandiceps (11.7%), Crocidura crossei (9.7%), Crocidura flavescens manni (20.4%), Mus musculoides (39.0%), Praomys tullbergi (11.5%), Lophuromys sikapusi (3.6%), Lemniscomys striatus (1.3%), and Arvicanthis niloticus (0.3%).

There were monthly variations in the number of Mus musculoides and Crocidura nigeriae.

In Mus musculoides breeding was at a maximum at the beginning and towards the end of the wet season and early dry season. In Crocidura nigeriae breeding was maximal during the wet season and low in the dry season.

The seasonal changes in the age structure of the two most common species: Mus musculoides and Crocidura nigeriae, are described.

The canopy dynamics and light climates within a 20 by 60 m quadrat were studied in a disturbed moist deciduous forest near Bombay, India. A map was drawn of individual trees within the quadrat, the taxa were identified, and their phenology was followed from November 1984 to July 1985. The quadrat contained 14 species, the most common being Tectona grandis, Terminalia tomentosa, Butea monosperma, Mitragyne parviflora and Albizia procera. Some individuals were in leaf at all times, more so at the moister east end of the quadrat. In November at the end of the rainy season, light measurements documented percentages of total daily photosynthetic photon fluence (PPF) at 10.0% of full sunlight; 44% of this flux was due to sun-flecks whose duration was approximately 17% of the daytime hours. Values for six sites were similar to mid-day measurements along a 40 m transect, and consistent with the 94% canopy cover of the sites, photographed with a fish-eye lens. The March dry season measurements revealed a more intense radiation environment (54% of solar PPF), and 59% of the photosynthetic photon flux density at mid-day along the transect. Canopy openings were increased to a mean of 59.4%. Light in the understorey in November was spectrally altered, with typical R:FR ratios of 0.30, compared to March values identical to those of sunlight, at 1.10.

The sources of food and the width and overlap of the food niches of Bombus atratus and Bombus morio were determined by field observations and analysis of the pollen loads carried to the colonies by worker bees. The two species together utilized 50 flower species of which 26 were used by both. Solatium paniculatum (Solanaceae) and Psidium guajava (Myrtaceae) were the most frequently visited plants.

The food niche width and niche evenness for both species were similar. The correlation between niche width and niche evenness was non-significant showing that evenness does not depend on niche width. In addition, there was no correlation between niche width and overlap, i.e. overlap varied independently of niche width. A high overlap of food sources utilized by the two species was observed in September, October and November. This may be explained in one of two ways: (a) if B. atratus and B. morio compete for resources, competition would be more intense during those three months; (b) the convergency of both species to the same plant species (Solatium paniculatum and Psidium guajava) would only result in more intensive competition if resources were limiting. However, at that period of the year resources are abundant, therefore although the values of overlap were high, competition need not have occurred.

Effects of extreme livestock pressure on the abundance and distribution of a drought-deciduous shrub Sericocomopsis pallida, and effects of the shrub canopy on microclimate, soil fertility and grass production, were studied in savanna grasslands of southern Kenya. Canopy volume declined with increasing herbivore pressure, but shrub density was not systematically affected, suggesting strong resilience against destruction by herbivores. However, shrubs became more aggregated with increasing herbivory, suggesting that clumps of individuals are more resilient to destruction than are isolated individuals. Grass production was three times greater under the canopy of S. pallida than in the open. Comparisons of physical-chemical properties among soils derived from four microsites revealed far higher nutrient levels in sub-canopy soil than in soil derived from open ground between canopies, and radically different properties compared to soil heavily enriched with livestock dung and urine. Higher nutrient levels beneath the canopy most likely resulted from Utter decomposition.

A pot experiment, designed to simulate shading and soil conditions in the field, showed that grass growth promotion was largely due to a substantial increase in soil fertility beneath the canopy of S. pallida, comparable to grass productivity in soil enriched with livestock excreta. However, this increase in sub-canopy grass production did not significantly increase regional grass layer production.