*Regeneration Dynamics of an African Tropical Forest Canopy Dominant Tree Species DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.110238*

of these safe sites means that patches of forest develop independently and in parallel to each other. Expansions of these patches over time lead to coalescence which ultimately joins the larger forest block through the forest edge to form a continuous forest [58, 59]. In essence, the forest regenerates by shifting (a moving forest) the spatial distribution of the canopy dominants. Conditions necessary for the regeneration of the canopy dominants are rather specific requiring mound-building termites, a tree species that specialize in growing on these mounds, a transport agent, and later, a pool of the small-fruited forest canopy dominants (**Figure 6**). It is clear that canopy trees in the Kakamega forest initiate regeneration outside the forest.

Studies by [60, 61] have shown that the regeneration of a few canopy tree species such as *Prunus africana* can take place inside the forest successfully if the process is managed [62, 63]. In the Kakamega forest, past disturbances have resulted in the domination by the understory shrub, *Brillantaisia* sp., a light-demanding perennial herb [60, 63].
