 In 1869–79 he published "Baron Carl Claus von der Decken's Reisen in Ost-Afrika in den Jahren 1859 bis 1865" ("Decken's journeys in East Africa in 1859–65"; 4 volumes).Its editors included Wilhelm Peters, Jean Cabanis, Franz Martin Hilgendorf, Eduard von Martens, Carl Eduard Adolph Gerstaecker, Otto Finsch, Gustav Hartlaub, et al.Animals and plants with the specific epithets of "kersteni" and "kerstenii" commemorate his name; examples being "Lygodium kerstenii" (a fern species), "Rieppeleon kerstenii" (Kenya pigmy chameleon), and "Pseudagrion kersteni" (Kersten's sprite).