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Abstract: This paper evaluates the contribution of NTFPs to cash and non-cash income of local communities within the jointly managed Sangha Tri-National and Dja-Odzala-Minkébé Tri-National forest landscapes that lie between Cameroon, Republic of Congo, Gabon and the Central African Republic in Central Africa. Data were collected from respectively 172 and 158 Bantu and IP households by applying the Poverty-Forests Linkages Toolkit method. Ten species of NTFPs that are important sources of cash and non-cash income for the study groups were recorded. More than 45% and 55% of Bantu and IP incomes are respectively derived from NTFPs. NTFPs contribute higher to non-cash income for the Bantu and IP in Cameroon and CAR but contribute more to cash income in Congo. Bantu communities get higher total incomes from NTFPs than IP. In all groups, Bushmeat is the most important income generating NTFP. These results could contribute to resource allocation for implementation of long-term development plans in Central Africa, for instance programmes for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation.
Source title: International Forestry Review
DOI: 10.1505/146554816819501682
Link: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84986258371&doi=10.1505%2f146554816819501682&partnerID=40&md5=f9b1b9703b4c25cb2912a0458afd6e5d
Correspondence Address:
Language of Original Document: English
Access Type: Article
Country: ; Cameroon ; Republic of Congo ; Gabon ; Central African Republic ;
Protected area: Lobéké ; Nouabalé-Ndoki ; Dzanga-Ndoki ; Dja ; Odzala Kokoua ; Minkebe
Main topic: Humans
Subtopic: Income-generating activities ; Non-timber forest products ; Hunting / Poaching

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Abstract: Populations of the common hippopotamus Hippopotamus amphibius have undergone widespread decline as a result of habitat conversion and hunting for bushmeat and, increasingly, for ivory. North Cameroon holds important populations of large mammals, including the hippopotamus. The species' status and population trend are poorly known, and led CITES to suspend trade in hippopotamus trophies in 2013. Using the methodology of surveys conducted during 1976-1987, we conducted counts of the hippopotamus in Bénoué National Park during the wet season of 2011 and dry season of 2013, and drew on unpublished biannual density counts conducted by the Garoua Wildlife College, Cameroon, during 1989-2010. Counts along the 100 km stretch of the Bénoué River in the Park indicated a reduction from 400 individuals in 1987 to 188 in 2013. However, linear densities along a 15-32 km stretch in proximity to the Park headquarters and two tourist camps were constant during 1976-2013 (c. 3.7 individuals km-1). Hippopotamus distribution was negatively associated with the presence of the camps of gold diggers, which occupied the northern half of the Park. Observations of antelopes suggested they had a comparable distribution, unlike primates, which were distributed relatively evenly. Our results show the importance of year-round conservation presence in the Park, which could be achieved with adequate personnel, a functional road system, and reinforcement of operations in neighbouring sport-hunting areas. Copyright © Fauna & Flora International 2016.
Source title: ORYX
DOI: 10.1017/S0030605314001173
Link: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84978359946&doi=10.1017%2fS0030605314001173&partnerID=40&md5=8ea1a0c144dc22e99e75cf4fb6e26d75
Correspondence Address: Scholte, P.; Nieuwe Teertuinen 12 CNetherlands; email: PaulT.Scholte@gmail.com
Language of Original Document: English
Access Type: Review
Country: ; Cameroon ;
Protected area: Bénoué
Main topic: Biodiversity
Subtopic: Animals ; Vertebrates ; Mammals ; Ungulates ; Survey / Monitoring

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Abstract: Background: African elephants comprise two species, the savanna elephant (Loxodonta africana) and the forest elephant (L. cyclotis), which are distinct morphologically and genetically. Forest elephants are seriously threatened by poaching for meat and ivory, and by habitat destruction. However, microsatellite markers have thus far been developed only in African savanna elephants and Asian elephants, Elephas maximus. The application of microsatellite markers across deeply divergent lineages may produce irregular patterns such as large indels or null alleles. Thus we developed novel microsatellite markers using DNA from two African forest elephants. Findings: One hundred microsatellite loci were identified in next generation shotgun sequences from two African forest elephants, of which 53 were considered suitable for testing. Twenty-three microsatellite markers successfully amplified elephant DNA without amplifying human DNA; these were further characterized in 15 individuals from Lope National Park, Gabon. Three of the markers were monomorphic and four of them carried only two alleles. The remaining sixteen polymorphic loci carried from 3 to 8 alleles, with observed heterozygosity ranging from 0.27 to 0.87, expected heterozygosity from 0.40 to 0.86, and the Shannon diversity index from 0.73 to 1.86. Linkage disequilibrium was not detected between loci, and no locus deviated from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. Conclusions: The markers developed in this study will be useful for genetic analyses of the African forest elephant and contribute to their conservation and management. © 2016 The Author(s).
Source title: BMC Research Notes
DOI: 10.1186/s13104-016-2167-3
Link: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84979517947&doi=10.1186%2fs13104-016-2167-3&partnerID=40&md5=35c043c4a91d9d48d08469f153177069
Correspondence Address: Ishida, Y.; Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-ChampaignUnited States; email: yishida@illinois.edu
Language of Original Document: English
Access Type: Article
Country: ; Gabon ;
Protected area: Lopé
Main topic: Biodiversity
Subtopic: Animals ; Vertebrates ; Mammals ; Ungulates ; Elephants ; Genetics

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Abstract: Two new tree species, Didelotia korupensis and Tessmannia korupensis (Leguminosae, Caesalpinioideae), are described and illustrated. Didelotia korupensis is the 12th species in the genus. It is an understory tree to 15 m tall with an often leaning stem to 30(–53) cm diam. Didelotia korupensis is only known from an area of c. 4 km2 in and near the permanent plots along the P transect in the southern part of Korup National Park in Cameroon, where 51 trees have been recorded so far. Didelotia korupensis is assessed according to IUCN criteria as Endangered. Tessmannia korupensis is the 13th species in the genus. It is a canopy tree to 39 m tall with a stem to 105 cm diam. Tessmannia korupensis is known from seven groups of trees of 9 to 43 trees each, in and near the permanent plots along the P transect in the southern part of Korup National Park and from a single collection made in the lowland rain forest near Mt Cameroon. Tessmannia korupensis is assessed according to IUCN criteria as Endangered. © 2016 Naturalis Biodiversity Center.
Source title: Blumea: Journal of Plant Taxonomy and Plant Geography
DOI: 10.3767/000651916X691402
Link: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84969581383&doi=10.3767%2f000651916X691402&partnerID=40&md5=cbed1e2961aa7fbfd4c054754f970b3f
Correspondence Address: Van Der Burgt, X.M.; Herbarium, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Richmond, United Kingdom; email: x.van.der.burgt@kew.org
Language of Original Document: English
Access Type: Article
Country: ; Cameroon ;
Protected area: Korup
Main topic: Biodiversity
Subtopic: Plants ; Taxonomy

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Abstract: We use data on game harvest from 60 Pygmy and non-Pygmy settlements in the Congo Basin forests to examine whether hunting patterns and prey profiles differ between the two hunter groups. For each group, we calculate hunted animal numbers and biomass available per inhabitant, P, per year (harvest rates) and killed per hunter, H, per year (extraction rates). We assess the impact of hunting of both hunter groups from estimates of numbers and biomass of prey species killed per square kilometre, and by examining the proportion of hunted taxa of low, medium and high population growth rates as a measure of their vulnerability to overhunting. We then map harvested biomass (kg1 P-1 Yr-1) of bushmeat by Pygmies and non-Pygmies throughout the Congo Basin. Hunting patterns differ between Pygmies and non-Pygmies; Pygmies take larger and different prey and non-Pygmies sell more for profit. We show that non-Pygmies have a potentially more severe impact on prey populations than Pygmies. This is because non-Pygmies hunt a wider range of species, and twice as many animals are taken per square kilometre. Moreover, in non-Pygmy settlements there was a larger proportion of game taken of low population growth rate. Our harvest map shows that the non-Pygmy population may be responsible for 27 times more animals harvested than the Pygmy population. Such differences indicate that the intense competition that may arise from the more widespread commercial hunting by non-Pygmies is a far more important constraint and source of conflict than are protected areas. © 2016 Fa et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Source title: PLoS ONE
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0161703
Link: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84990837309&doi=10.1371%2fjournal.pone.0161703&partnerID=40&md5=3cec24d9b1acb3eca88b9d09ecf5228c
Correspondence Address:
Language of Original Document: English
Access Type: Article
Country: ; Republic of Congo ; Central African Republic ; Cameroon ;
Protected area: Odzala Kokoua ; Dzanga-Sangha ; Ngotto ; Korup ; Dja ; Boumba Bek ; Bayang-Mbo
Main topic: Humans ; Biodiversity
Subtopic: Hunting / Poaching ; Animals ; Vertebrates ; Survey / Monitoring ; Abundance

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Abstract: The pied butterfly bat, Glauconycteris superba, is endemic to the tropical forest zone of Africa, where it was previously known from only five specimens. Here we report the capture of 10 individuals in two localities of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Mbiye Island and Yoko forest reserve), and we present the first acoustic data of the species recorded using a conventional microphone and a home-made acoustic system for real time 3D localization. Our morphological comparisons show that females are larger and heavier than males, and that the two sexes exhibit the same fur coloration pattern. We found some individual variations concerning the width of the two lateral white stripes on the belly, and the number and extension of white shoulder-spots. The echolocation recordings show evidence for alternation between two call types (A and B), differing in frequency, bandwidth, and duration. The acoustic signals obtained before captures and after releases revealed important variations depending on the trajectories and environmental conditions. Acoustic characteristics, wing measurements, and the unique black and white fur pattern of G. superba suggest that it is a canopy species able to fly at high speeds. Our findings will be useful for future ecological studies to provide new data on the range, population size, trend and threats of G. superba in order to better assess its conservation status. © 2016 Museum and Institute of Zoology PAS.
Source title: Acta Chiropterologica
DOI: 10.3161/15081109ACC2016.18.2.014
Link: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84997207460&doi=10.3161%2f15081109ACC2016.18.2.014&partnerID=40&md5=96668df02c3a22668af748a0c8c95373
Correspondence Address: Hassanin, A.; Institut de Systématique, Evolution, Biodiversité, UMR 7205 CNRS MNHN UPMC, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, 55, rue Buffon, France; email: hassanin@mnhn.fr
Language of Original Document: English
Access Type: Article
Country: ; Democratic Republic of Congo ;
Protected area: Yoko
Main topic: Biodiversity
Subtopic: Animals ; Vertebrates ; Mammals ; Bats ; Biology / Ecology

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Abstract: The mammalian gastrointestinal (GI) microbiome, which plays indispensable roles in host nutrition and health, is affected by numerous intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Among them, antibiotic (ATB) treatment is reported to have a significant effect on GI microbiome composition in humans and other animals. However, the impact of ATBs on the GI microbiome of free-ranging or even captive great apes remains poorly characterized. Here, we investigated the effect of cephalosporin treatment (delivered by intramuscular dart injection during a serious respiratory outbreak) on the GI microbiome of a wild habituated group of western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) in the Dzanga Sangha Protected Areas, Central African Republic. We examined 36 fecal samples from eight individuals, including samples before and after ATB treatment, and characterized the GI microbiome composition using Illumina-MiSeq sequencing of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene. The GI microbial profiles of samples from the same individuals before and after ATB administration indicate that the ATB treatment impacts GI microbiome stability and the relative abundance of particular bacterial taxa within the colonic ecosystem of wild gorillas. We observed a statistically significant increase in Firmicutes and a decrease in Bacteroidetes levels after ATB treatment. We found disruption of the fibrolytic community linked with a decrease of Ruminoccocus levels as a result of ATB treatment. Nevertheless, the nature of the changes observed after ATB treatment differs among gorillas and thus is dependent on the individual host. This study has important implications for ecology, management, and conservation of wild primates. © 2016, Springer Science+Business Media New York.
Source title: Microbial Ecology
DOI: 10.1007/s00248-016-0745-5
Link: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84961214942&doi=10.1007%2fs00248-016-0745-5&partnerID=40&md5=dc807f28ea07ac492c869030aca5fb6c
Correspondence Address: Vl?ková, K.; Department of Pathology and Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, Palackého t?. 1/3, Czech Republic; email: klari.vlckova@gmail.com
Language of Original Document: English
Access Type: Article
Country: ; Central African Republic ;
Protected area: Dzanga-Sangha
Main topic: Health
Subtopic: Animal health

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Abstract: Several national parks on the African continent have been fenced to mitigate human-wildlife conflict, but the effectiveness of different fencing strategies seems to vary between regions. Here, we assessed the effectiveness of electro-fencing for restricting movement patterns of several wild ungulates in Akagera National Park (NP), Rwanda. Following the turmoil of the Rwandan genocide and civil war (1991-1995), large numbers of returning war refugees brought about an increasing pressure on land use, after which considerable parts of the western Akagera NP and adjacent Mutara Game Reserve were degazetted, followed by the construction of an electric fence in 2013 and a helicopter-based game-drive of ungulates into the modern park. We conducted distance sampling of wildlife and domestic livestock in the Uruhita plain - now no longer part of Akagera NP but bordering the modern Akagera NP to the west - for extended periods of time (2010-2015) before and after fencing. For abundant species population densities could be calculated, whereas for other species encounter frequencies are reported. We report on continuously high cattle densities, and increasing encounter frequencies of sheep/goats in the Uruhita plain. We found decreasing densities of zebra (Equus quagga) and decreasing encounter frequencies of waterbuck (Kobus ellipsiprymnus), stagnant encounter frequencies in the case of topi (Damaliscus lunatus jimela) and stagnant densities of impala (Aepyceros melampus). The latter species can jump fences, and we argue that competitive release and reduced predation may be the prime factors leading impala to (temporarily) exploit grasslands outside the modern national park. © Zoological Society of Southern Africa.
Source title: African Zoology
DOI: 10.1080/15627020.2016.1249954
Link: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85008889379&doi=10.1080%2f15627020.2016.1249954&partnerID=40&md5=13d0367237cbcff79849d6655edc8923
Correspondence Address: Bariyanga, J.D.; College of Science and Technology, School of Science, Department of Biology, University of RwandaRwanda; email: baridamass@gmail.com
Language of Original Document: English
Access Type: Article
Country: ; Rwanda ;
Protected area: Akagera
Main topic: Biodiversity ; Humans
Subtopic: Animals ; Vertebrates ; Mammals ; Ungulates ; Survey / Monitoring ; Human-wildlife conflicts

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Abstract: Eastern gorillas (Gorilla beringei) are among the few mammal species that seasonally consume large quantities of young bamboo shoots, which are a rich source of energy. Here, we document how the consumption of bamboo shoots coincides with changes in behavior of adult mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei) monitored by the Dian Fossey Gorilla Funds Karisoke Research Center in Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda. We offer a preliminary analysis of possible mechanisms underlying this behavioral change by measuring energy intake rates and the presence of cyanide and alcoholingredients potentially associated with increased activity levelsin fresh bamboo shoots. The percentage of bamboo shoots in the diet of gorillas was correlated positively with the rate of play behavior shown by adults in 2 of the 3 study groups. Play behavior was not the result of better weather conditions and also did not reflect the availability of spare time. Rather, there is some, but not consistent, evidence for a link between energy intake rates and play behavior of adults. Cyanide was not detected in young bamboo shoots, and the presence of alcohol remains inconclusive, albeit unlikely. In sum, our results show that consumption of a high-quality food can have a direct influence on the activity budget (and by extrapolation energy expenditure) of mountain gorillas through increased rates of play behavior. However, the physiological aspects underlying this elevated activity warrant further investigation. © 2016 American Society of Mammalogists.
Source title: Journal of Mammalogy
DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyw132
Link: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85030660972&doi=10.1093%2fjmammal%2fgyw132&partnerID=40&md5=aa737eea16cc1964778f152e36584a40
Correspondence Address: Grueter, C.C.; School of Anatomy, Physiology and Human Biology, University of Western AustraliaAustralia; email: cyril.grueter@uwa.edu.au
Language of Original Document: English
Access Type: Article
Country: ; Rwanda ;
Protected area: Volcans
Main topic: Biodiversity
Subtopic: Animals ; Vertebrates ; Mammals ; Primates ; Biology / Ecology

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Abstract: Variability of fertility (i.e. number of births per female per year) has been reported in females of many primate species but only a few studies have explored the associated physiological and behavioral patterns. To investigate the proximate mechanisms of variability in fertility of wild female mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei), we quantified the occurrence of ovulation, matings, and successful pregnancies among females. We examined the profiles of immunoreactive pregnanediol-3-glucuronide (iPdG) for sixteen females (seven nulliparous and nine parous females, including one geriatric female; average sampling period for fecal sample collection and behavioral observations per female = 175 days; SD = 94 days, range = 66-358 days) monitored by the staff of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund's Karisoke Research Center in Parc National des Volcans, Rwanda. We quantified ovarian cycles from iPdG profiles using an algorithm that we developed by adjusting the method of Kassam et al. (1996) to the characteristics of ovarian cycle profiles based on fecal hormone measurements. The mean length of ovarian cycles was 29 ± 4 days (median: 28 days, N = 13 cycles), similar to ovarian cycle lengths of other great apes and humans. As expected, we found that female mountain gorillas exhibit longer follicular phases (mean ± SD: 21 ± 3 days, N = 13 cycles) than luteal phases (mean ± SD: 8 ± 3 days, N = 13 cycles). We also found that the frequency of ovarian cycles was greater in parous females (i.e. 20 ovarian cycles across 44 periods of 28 days; 45.5%) than in nulliparous females (i.e. two ovarian cycles across 34 periods of 28 days; 6%). However, the frequency of days on which matings were observed did not differ significantly between parous and nulliparous females, nor between pregnant and non-pregnant females. Five pregnancies were detected with iPdG levels, but only three resulted in live births, indicating miscarriages of the other two. In sum, this study provides information on the underlying endocrine patterns of variation in fertility depending on parity, mating behavior, and pregnancy success in a critically endangered great ape. © 2016 Elsevier Inc.
Source title: Physiology and Behavior
DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2016.02.017
Link: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84958231892&doi=10.1016%2fj.physbeh.2016.02.017&partnerID=40&md5=2b6d0a2b42bd2035014be084a3b81ccd
Correspondence Address: Habumuremyi, S.; Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, Germany; email: sosthene_habumuremy@eva.mpg.de
Language of Original Document: English
Access Type: Article
Country: ; Rwanda ;
Protected area: Volcans
Main topic: Biodiversity
Subtopic: Animals ; Vertebrates ; Mammals ; Primates ; Biology / Ecology

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Abstract: The study used both primary and secondary sources to investigate the enhancement of the livelihood of rural women through indigenous vegetable (IVs) production around Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda. It was found that the major types of IVs grown in the area were Night shade, Gombo, Spider plant and Pumpkin leaves. These were preferred by the respondent rural women farmers, over exotic vegetables, due to their higher nutritional value, resistance to pests and diseases, resilience to climatic changes and multiple uses including food and medicine. The major policy implications of the findings of the study is that the cultivation of indigenous vegetables should be encouraged and supported because of the strategic role this would play in enhancing rural livelihoods especially for rural women as the major producers. © 2016, © 2016 Kamla-Raj.
Source title: Journal of Social Sciences
DOI: 10.1080/09718923.2016.11893525
Link: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85058233360&doi=10.1080%2f09718923.2016.11893525&partnerID=40&md5=c0c928dc314905c05bf9860e5b4baacd
Correspondence Address:
Language of Original Document: English
Access Type: Article
Country: ; Rwanda ;
Protected area: Volcans
Main topic: Humans
Subtopic: Agriculture ; Anthropology / Ethnoscience ; Perceptions / Behaviors ; Periphery / Management

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Abstract: Recent surveys suggest tens of thousands of elephants are being poached annually across Africa, putting the two species at risk across much of their range. Although the financial motivations for ivory poaching are clear, the economic benefits of elephant conservation are poorly understood. We use Bayesian statistical modelling of tourist visits to protected areas, to quantify the lost economic benefits that poached elephants would have delivered to African countries via tourism. Our results show these figures are substantial (?USD $25 million annually), and that the lost benefits exceed the anti-poaching costs necessary to stop elephant declines across the continent's savannah areas, although not currently in the forests of central Africa. Furthermore, elephant conservation in savannah protected areas has net positive economic returns comparable to investments in sectors such as education and infrastructure. Even from a tourism perspective alone, increased elephant conservation is therefore a wise investment by governments in these regions. © 2016 The Author(s).
Source title: Nature Communications
DOI: 10.1038/ncomms13379
Link: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84994061043&doi=10.1038%2fncomms13379&partnerID=40&md5=17c4caa4ba97971b1945e84dc18fb030
Correspondence Address: Naidoo, R.; World Wildlife Fund US, 1250 24th Street, United States; email: robin.naidoo@wwfus.org
Language of Original Document: English
Access Type: Article
Country: ; Central Africa ;
Protected area: Many
Main topic: Humans ; Biodiversity
Subtopic: Tourism ; Hunting / Poaching ; Animals ; Vertebrates ; Mammals ; Ungulates ; Elephants

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Abstract: Eunotia rudis sp. nov. is described from material collected in acid rivers in an almost pristine tropical rain forest in the Congo Basin in Central Africa. The benthic diatom community was dominated by other Eunotia spp. and small naviculoid taxa. The morphological features of the new species are described and documented based on light and scanning electron microscopy investigations. Eunotia rudis sp. nov. can be distinguished from other taxa within the genus Eunotia by its typical slightly asymmetric valve shape with four dorsal undulations and the rough surface of the thick silica wall. In contrast to other Eunotia species, the number of dorsal undulations was constant in all observed populations. Differences between the new species and the related Eunotia garucisa and E. garucisa var. polydentula are discussed. © 2016 Magnolia Press.
Source title: Phytotaxa
DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.272.1.4
Link: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84984831769&doi=10.11646%2fphytotaxa.272.1.4&partnerID=40&md5=0a88117d9f80c7e8b2b0229b770ff386
Correspondence Address: Cocquyt, C.; Botanic Garden MeiseBelgium; email: christine.cocquyt@botanicgardenmeise.be
Language of Original Document: English
Access Type: Article
Country: ; Democratic Republic of Congo ;
Protected area: Yangambi
Main topic: Biodiversity
Subtopic: Algae ; Taxonomy

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Abstract: Choosing appropriate management strategies and effective conservation actions requires information about the future consequences of current conservation actions; however, this crucial information is rarely available to conservation planners. This study applies scenario planning and agent-based modelling (ABM) to assess the potential impact of alternative management strategies on future suitability and functional connectivity of Cross River gorilla (CRG) habitat in the Nigeria-Cameroon border region. The CRG population is small and fragmented, with many subpopulations and migration corridors located outside protected areas. This study used ABM to simulate human land use in the study area over a period of 15 years under different management scenarios and assessed the impact on future suitability and functional connectivity of CRG habitat. The simulations showed that a landscape approach with greater focus on interventions to change human behaviour towards conserving gorillas and sustainable forest use would result in greater improvement in habitat suitability and functional connectivity compared to focusing on improving law enforcement within existing protected areas. However, the best scenarios were when both law enforcement and behaviour change increased. The results highlight the importance of human behaviour change to conservation in human-dominated landscapes and can inform conservation planning and management of other species and in similar landscapes. Copyright © Foundation for Environmental Conservation 2016.
Source title: Environmental Conservation
DOI: 10.1017/S0376892915000417
Link: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84955608530&doi=10.1017%2fS0376892915000417&partnerID=40&md5=adc4152be8a1cb7d363c1f9a6b523362
Correspondence Address: Imong, I.; Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, Germany; email: iimong@wcs.org
Language of Original Document: English
Access Type: Article
Country: ; Gabon ;
Protected area: Moukalaba-Doudou
Main topic: Biodiversity
Subtopic: Animals ; Vertebrates ; Mammals ; Primates ; Biology / Ecology

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Abstract: The correlates of variation in the number of males in primate groups form a long-standing question in primatology. We investigated female reproductive seasonality and the numbers of males in groups of wild mandrills (Mandrillus sphinx) in a 25-month camera-trap survey with 160 camera locations in Moukalaba-Doudou National Park, Gabon. We used 1760 videos to analyze group composition, including the presence of females with newborn infants and with sexual swellings, the number of males present in groups, and male spatial positioning in groups. Female reproduction was seasonal, with a peak in the number of newborns in the mid-rainy season and a peak in the number of females with sexual swellings in the early dry season. The number of males in the group increased in the dry season, with a much greater increase in the number of mature males (sevenfold) than in submature males (twofold). The peak number of mature males, but not submature males, in the group lagged significantly behind the peak in the number of females with sexual swellings, suggesting that submature males enter groups before mature males and/or that mature males stay in the group longer after the peak of females with sexual swellings. Mature, but not submature, males appeared frequently near females with sexual swellings. In conclusion, we found a clear relationship between the presence of receptive females and the number of males in the group, and evidence that male competitive ability influences male strategies. © 2016, Springer Science+Business Media New York.
Source title: International Journal of Primatology
DOI: 10.1007/s10764-016-9909-x
Link: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84974822357&doi=10.1007%2fs10764-016-9909-x&partnerID=40&md5=2b4e397aa1c7d9b908825b06e7579af7
Correspondence Address: Hongo, S.; Laboratory of Human Evolution Studies, Department of Zoology, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawa-Oiwakecho, Sakyo-ku, Japan; email: hongo@jinrui.zool.kyoto-u.ac.jp
Language of Original Document: English
Access Type: Article
Country: ; Cameroon ;
Protected area: Korup
Main topic: Biodiversity
Subtopic: Plants ; Taxonomy

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Abstract: Gambeya korupensis Ewango & Kenfack (Sapotaceae: Chrysophylloideae), a new rain forest tree species from the Southwest Region in Cameroon, is described and illustrated. A distribution map is provided. G. korupensis has the leaf blade below pubescent on the midribs and secondary nerves, flowers with a pedicel 0.5 – 1 mm long, and a fruit which is ovoid, attenuate at the apex, 5-ridged, verrucose between the ridges, and bright red at maturity. The conservation status of G. korupensis is assessed as Vulnerable according to IUCN criteria. © 2016, The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Source title: Kew Bulletin
DOI: 10.1007/s12225-016-9633-x
Link: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84971284034&doi=10.1007%2fs12225-016-9633-x&partnerID=40&md5=820d6f29b54d6db51a94e21b04ff0cbb
Correspondence Address: Ewango, C.E.N.; Wildlife Conservation SocietyAustralia; email: cewango@wcs.org
Language of Original Document: English
Access Type: Article
Country: ; Cameroon ;
Protected area: Tofala Hill
Main topic: Humans
Subtopic: Periphery / Management ; Governance / Policy ; Conservation initiatives ; Perceptions / Behaviors

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Abstract: Relationships between conspecifics are influenced by both ecological factors and the social organization they live in. Systematic variation of both—consistent with predictions derived from socioecology models—is well documented, but there is considerable variation within species and populations that is poorly understood. The mountain gorilla (Gorilla beringei) is unusual because, despite possessing morphology associated with male contest competition (e.g., extreme sexual dimorphism), they are regularly observed in both single-male and multimale groups. Both male–female and male–infant bonds are strong because males provide protection against infanticide and/or predation. Risk of these threats varies with social structure, which may influence the strength of social relationships among group members (including females and offspring, if females with lower infant mortality risk are less protective of infants). Here, we investigate the relationship between group structure and the strength of proximity relationships between males and females, males and infants, and females and offspring. Data come from 10 social groups containing 1–7 adult males, monitored by the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund’s Karisoke Research Center in Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda. After controlling for group size and infant age, association strength was similar for male–female pairs across group types with both dominant and nondominant males, but male–infant relationships were strongest in single-male groups where paternity certainty was high and animals had fewer social partners to choose from. The male:female and male:infant ratios better predicted both male–female and male–infant associations than the absolute number of males, females, or infants did. The fewer the number of males per female or infant, the more both pair types associated. Dominant males in groups containing fewer males had higher eigenvector centrality (a measure of importance in a social network) than dominant males in groups with more males. Results indicate that nondominant males are an important influence on relationships between dominant males and females/infants despite their peripheral social positions, and that relationships between males and infants must be considered an important foundation of gorilla social structure. © 2015, Japan Monkey Centre and Springer Japan.
Source title: Primates
DOI: 10.1007/s10329-015-0490-2
Link: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84952976624&doi=10.1007%2fs10329-015-0490-2&partnerID=40&md5=c8229ffef47ded206cefeebc2bf4bd56
Correspondence Address: Rosenbaum, S.; Institute for Mind and Biology, University of Chicago, 940 East 57th Street, United States; email: srosenbaum@uchicago.edu
Language of Original Document: English
Access Type: Article
Country: ; Rwanda ;
Protected area: Volcans
Main topic: Biodiversity
Subtopic: Animals ; Vertebrates ; Mammals ; Primates ; Biology / Ecology

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Abstract: Human African trypanosomiasis became a neglected disease after the 1960s, when case numbers dropped dramatically. It again became a public health problem in sub-Saharan Africa at the end of the 1990s, when new cases were reported, notably in Central Africa, and specifically in Gabon, where historic foci existed and new cases have been reported. Therefore, the present study reports on an entomological survey conducted in May 2012 to determine the pathogenic trypanosome infection rate in tsetse flies and characterize the diversity of Trypanosoma species in the Ivindo National Park (INP) in northeastern Gabon. Nine Vavoua traps were used to catch tsetse over a 7-days period. All tsetse flies captured were identified to species, dissected, and trypanosome species identified using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). In total, 160 tsetse flies were analyzed, including Glossina palpalis palpalis, Glossina fusca congolense, and Glossina tachinoïdes. The trypanosome infection rate of the flies was 6.3 and 31.9% using microscopy and PCR, respectively. The species identified were Trypanosoma congolense savannah type, Trypanosoma brucei brucei, Trypanosoma brucei gambiense, Trypanosoma vivax, and Trypanosoma congolense forest type. Trypanosoma risk index was 0.75 and 7.05 for humans and for animals, respectively. This study illustrates the diversity of Trypanosoma species infecting the tsetse flies in the INP. The simultaneous occurrence of Trypanosoma and tsetse from the palpalis group may suggest that the reservoirs of African animal trypanosomiasis should be carefully monitored in this area. © The Authors 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved.
Source title: Journal of Medical Entomology
DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjw047
Link: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84992161268&doi=10.1093%2fjme%2ftjw047&partnerID=40&md5=0351875bd6aab4ae4ee9bc1834853faa
Correspondence Address: Mawili-Mboumba, D.P.; Department of Parasitology-Mycology, Faculty of Medicine, Université des Sciences de la Santé, BP 4009, Gabon; email: dpmawili@gmail.com
Language of Original Document: English
Access Type: Article
Country: ; Gabon ;
Protected area: Ivindo
Main topic: Health ; Biodiversity
Subtopic: Human health ; Animals ; Invertebrates

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Abstract: This article discusses how biological conservation can benefit from an understanding of soil carbon. Protecting natural areas not only safeguards the biota but also curtails atmospheric carbon emissions. Opportunities for funding biological conservation could potentially be greater if soil carbon content is considered. In this article current knowledge concerning the magnitude and vulnerability of soil carbon stocks is reviewed and the relationship of these stocks to biological conservation values is explored. Looking at two relatively well-studied tropical regions we find that 15 of 21 animal species of conservation concern in the Virunga Landscape (Central Africa), and nine of ten such species in the Federal District of Brazil (Central Brazil), rely on carbon-rich habitats (alluvial and/or wetlands). At national scales, densities of species, endemics and threatened taxa (plants, mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish) show positive and significant relations with mean soil carbon content in all but two cases (threatened amphibians and threatened fish). Of more than 1000 threatened species in 37 selected tropical nations, 85% rely on carbon-rich habitats. This tendency is observed in plants, mammals, reptiles, amphibians and crustaceans, while birds appear more evenly distributed. Research to clarify and explore these relationships is needed. Soil carbon offers major opportunities for conservation. © Foundation for Environmental Conservation 2016.
Source title: Environmental Conservation
DOI: 10.1017/S0376892916000011
Link: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84957955045&doi=10.1017%2fS0376892916000011&partnerID=40&md5=882db0ddf2b42fe01451c88db7c8da51
Correspondence Address: Sheil, D.; Department of Ecology and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, P.O. Box 5003, Norway; email: douglas.sheil@nmbu.no
Language of Original Document: English
Access Type: Article
Country: ; Democratic Republic of Congo ; Rwanda ;
Protected area: Virunga ; Volcans
Main topic: Environment ; Biodiversity
Subtopic: Geology / Pedology ; Carbon ; Plants ; Animals ; Vertebrates ; Mammals ; Birds ; Reptiles ; Amphibians ; Fish

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Abstract: For group-living primates, social organization hinges upon multiple factors, including group size, group cohesion, and the group's age and sex composition. Fission-fusion dynamics reduce the risks of living in a large group, which can include feeding competition related to the seasonality of resources. Here we report on the group dynamics (i.e. formation of parties) of a population of red-capped mangabeys (Cercocebus torquatus) located in Sentier Nature forest, South Loango National Park, Gabon, and examine the role of fruit availability in episodes of fission-fusion and shifting range use during the peak fruiting season of 2014. To assess fission-fusion dynamics, we obtained data on party type (i.e. number, size and age-sex composition), the effect of availability of fruit from 4 tree species on the home range and habitat used by parties, and the periodicity of these processes. The results show that red-capped mangabeys displayed seasonal fission-fusion dynamics related to fruit availability during the season under study. © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.
Source title: Folia Primatologica
DOI: 10.1159/000449220
Link: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84991233589&doi=10.1159%2f000449220&partnerID=40&md5=d6efde50c7b776d1b413cdaa8b7ac5f0
Correspondence Address:
Language of Original Document: English
Access Type: Article
Country: ; Gabon ;
Protected area: Loango
Main topic: Biodiversity
Subtopic: Animals ; Vertebrates ; Mammals ; Primates ; Biology / Ecology