Effects of Goat Browsing Intensity on Preferred Forage Plant Species and Subsequent Honey Bee Visitation
Main Article Content
Keywords
Small East African goat, browsing intensity, honey bees, Apis mellifera, browse plants, pollination services, dryland ecosystems, Turkana
Abstract
In African dryland ecosystems, livestock and pollinators often depend on the same woody vegetation resources, creating important ecological links between herbivory and pollination services. Small East African goats rely heavily on browse plants for nutrition, while honey bees (Apis mellifera) depend on flowering plants for nectar and pollen. However, the extent to which goat browsing influences shared plant resources and subsequent honey bee visitation remains poorly understood, particularly in semi-arid rangelands of East Africa. This study assessed variation in plant utilization by Small East African goats and honey bees and examined factors influencing honey bee visitation in Loima Sub-County, Turkana County, Kenya. Vegetation surveys were conducted during wet and dry seasons across pastoral landscapes with evidence of goat browsing. Plant species composition, browsing utilization, flowering intensity and honey bee visitation were recorded within sampling plots. Goat use was assessed based on observed browsing signs, while honey bee visitation was measured through standardized observations of flowering plants. Differences in bee visitation among plant species, seasons, flowering levels and browsing conditions were analysed using multivariate analysis and analysis of variance. Plant species significantly influenced honey bee visitation patterns (Pillai’s Trace = 0.664, p < 0.001), with visitation concentrated on a small number of flowering woody species. The highest visitation rates were recorded on Prosopis juliflora, Ziziphus mauritiana, Maerua subcordata and Cadaba rotundifolia. Honey bee activity was significantly higher during the wet season (17.37 ± 7.36 visits per 30 minutes) compared with the dry season (8.72 ± 6.02 visits per 30 minutes; p < 0.001). Flowering intensity was the strongest predictor of visitation, increasing from very low to very high flowering categories (p < 0.001). Significant differences were also observed among browsing duration categories (F = 6.62, p < 0.001), indicating that variation in plant utilization was associated with changes in bee visitation patterns. In conclusion, the findings demonstrate that woody plant species provide an important ecological connection between Small East African goats and honey bees in semi-arid landscapes. Honey bee activity was primarily regulated by seasonal flowering dynamics and plant resource availability, while goat browsing influenced the condition and availability of shared vegetation resources. Conservation and sustainable management of key browse and flowering species are therefore essential for maintaining both pastoral production and pollination services in dryland ecosystems.
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James Ekuwom Atana , School of Agriculture and Biotechnology, University of Eldoret, P.O. Box 1125-30100, Eldoret, Kenya
School of Agriculture and Biotechnology, University of Eldoret,
P.O. Box 1125-30100, Eldoret, Kenya
Jackson Kibet Kitilit , School of Agriculture and Biotechnology, University of Eldoret, P.O. Box 1125-30100, Eldoret, Kenya
School of Agriculture and Biotechnology, University of Eldoret,
P.O. Box 1125-30100, Eldoret, Kenya
Harold Anindo Rachuonyo , School of Agriculture and Biotechnology, University of Eldoret, P.O. Box 1125-30100, Eldoret, Kenya
School of Agriculture and Biotechnology, University of Eldoret,
P.O. Box 1125-30100, Eldoret, Kenya