@jasperdoest

A seedling of Detarium macrocarpum in a pile of elephant dung. For a Detarium macrocarpum seed to germinate it has to pass an animal’s digestive tract. Therefore this species’ seed dispersal depends fully on the forest’s megafauna. Of all animals, the forest elephant is the largest agent of seed dispersal in African rain forests. It has a digestive system that allows many seeds to pass undestroyed. The elephant moves long distances and may therefore disperse huge numbers of viable seeds over large areas. More so, seedlings grow more rapidly in elephant dung than in forest soil as it provides a micro-environment more suitable for seed germination and early seedling establishment. Photo @jasperdoest #onassignment @natgeo in #Gabon. The story is currently published in the May edition of the magazine, which is a special issue dedicated to the state of the world’s forests.