Ecole Post-Régionale d'Aménagement et de Gestion Intégrés des Forêts et des Territoires Tropicaux (ERAIFT), Université de Kinshasa, B.P. 15.373-Kinshasa, R.D. Congo & Département d'Ecologie et Gestion des Ressources Végétales, Faculté des Sciences, B. P : 2012 Kisangani, RD Congo
The present study investigated the biology and ecology of Eremospatha haullevilleana De Wild. in the forest Reserve of the Yoko; one of the remnants of the primary forests in the Congo Basin, Democratic Republic Congo. The study aimed to evaluate the growth rate and the rate of formation of the new buds on the tufts in different conditions of light availability. 32 small rattan tufts were selected along 3000 m of phenologic trail and observed for a period of 9 months, from April to December 2008. The regression analysis was performed to determine the correlation between the growth, new buds formation rates and the light availability. The results showed that the growth rate of stem increased with time in open-up and semi-open-up habitats, whereas it decreased in shaded habitats. The open-up habitats appeared to be favorable environments to the survival of the stems of E. haullevilleana De Wild. Therefore, the formation of new buds was found to be slow (2 to 4 buds during the 9 months of investigation); and the ratio of underground biomass over surface biomass decreased with the density of light.