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Abstract: This study considers the issue of security in the context of protected areas in Cameroon and Botswana. Though the literature on issues of security and well-being in relation to protected areas is extensive, there has been less discussion of how and in what ways these impacts and relationships can change over time, vary with space and differ across spatial scales. Looking at two very different historical trajectories, this study considers the heterogeneity of the security landscapes created by Waza and Chobe protected areas over time and space. This study finds that conservation measures that various subsets of the local population once considered to be 'bad' (e.g. violent, exclusionary protected area creation) may be construed as 'good' at different historical moments and geographical areas. Similarly, complacency or resignation to the presence of a park can be reversed by changing environmental conditions. Changes in the ways security (material and otherwise) has fluctuated within these two protected areas has implications for the long-term management and funding strategies of newly created and already existing protected areas today. This study suggests that parks must be adaptively managed not only for changing ecological conditions, but also for shifts in a protected area's social, political and economic context. Copyright © Foundation for Environmental Conservation 2016.
Source title: Environmental Conservation
DOI: 10.1017/S0376892915000375
Link: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84968735614&doi=10.1017%2fS0376892915000375&partnerID=40&md5=f8a83576bd515252ef23cbbad8e559ea
Correspondence Address: Kelly, A.B.; Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, 130 Mulford Hall, University of CaliforniaUnited States; email: abk@berkeley.edu
Language of Original Document: English
Access Type: Article
Country: ; Cameroon ;
Protected area: Waza
Main topic: Humans ; Biodiversity
Subtopic: Perceptions / Behaviors ; Conservation initiatives ; Hunting / Poaching ; Income-generating activities ; Human-wildlife conflicts ; Animals ; Vertebrates ; Mammals ; Ungulates ; Elephants

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Abstract: The shrew Crocidura thomensis is a little-known species endemic to São Tomé Island. We review its distribution, ecology and conservation status based on nine published and 23 new records. The species has a wide distribution across São Tomé, preferring rugged forested areas with high rainfall. The location of new records coincides with that of historical records but the proportion of records in plantations has declined, possibly as a result of agricultural intensification, increased use of pesticides, and presence of exotic species. The shrew is restricted to a single island, its extent of occurrence is < 1,000 km2 and its habitat is declining in extent and quality, and thus its categorization as Endangered on the IUCN Red List remains appropriate. It is important to gain a better knowledge of population trends, ecological preferences and sensitivity to potential threats, but the effective protection of São Tomé Obô Natural Park and surrounding forests is the most important measure to ensure the long-term survival of this mammal. © Fauna & Flora International 2015.
Source title: ORYX
DOI: 10.1017/S003060531400091X
Link: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84921846576&doi=10.1017%2fS003060531400091X&partnerID=40&md5=87a711d1a6c001c7ccc7b7d655e01008
Correspondence Address: De Lima, R.F.; Centro de Biologia Ambiental, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de LisboaPortugal; email: rfaustinol@gmail.com
Language of Original Document: English
Access Type: Article
Country: ; São Tomé and Príncipe ;
Protected area: Parque Natural Obô de São Tomé
Main topic: Biodiversity
Subtopic: Animals ; Vertebrates ; Mammals ; Rodents ; Survey / Monitoring ; Biology / Ecology

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Abstract: This article illustrates how institutional transitional processes influence the intended sustainability outcomes in protected forest management in Cameroon, using the case of the Tofala Hill Wildlife Sanctuary. The study revealed that the major setback in attaining sustainable forest management does not necessarily lie in the conflicting interests of actors, but also in the social processes that guided the negotiation of these conflicting interests. Processes initiated by bureaucratic institutions did not adequately appreciate the efforts of the existing indigenous structures. The differences in the modelling of social change by the agents of change had negative impacts on governance outcomes and disrupted collaborative actions. This study argues that indigenous structures should not just be regarded as mediators in the processes of forest management. Their actions are influenced by powerful actors (elites). They are thus embedded in complex configurations that can retard sustainable forest management processes. There is a need to carefully explore and understand the various contexts in which these complex configurations influence forest management in order to foster sustainable collaborative management. © 2016 Elsevier B.V.
Source title: Forest Policy and Economics
DOI: 10.1016/j.forpol.2016.03.012
Link: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84962685296&doi=10.1016%2fj.forpol.2016.03.012&partnerID=40&md5=11812faa5e7d25a7cb3214f64df0d3e5
Correspondence Address: Nkemnyi, M.F.; Institute of Development Policy and Management (IOB), University of Antwerp, Lange St. Annastraat 7, Belgium; email: nmbunyaf@gmail.com
Language of Original Document: English
Access Type: Article
Country: ; Cameroon ;
Protected area: Tofala Hill
Main topic: Humans
Subtopic: Governance / Policy ; Periphery / Management ; Perceptions / Behaviors

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Abstract: Across the animal kingdom, long-term social relationships outside the context of reproductive pair bonds are rare. However, they have been demonstrated in some mammals including primates, cetaceans, and social carnivores. The ontogeny of such relationships is likely to depend on the benefits individuals can gain by cultivating them. Previous studies demonstrated that young mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei) have strong relationships with adult males, but little is known about the longevity of these bonds. Here, we examine the temporal stability of proximity relationships between coresident adult male and maturing gorillas in the habituated population monitored by the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International's Karisoke Research Center in Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda. We used spatial proximity data to assess the strength of relationships between adult males and juveniles, and tracked these relationships as the juveniles matured into subadults (3-4 yr later; n = 229 dyads) and then young adults (7 yr later; n = 42 dyads). The proximity relationships of juveniles of both sexes predicted their proximity relationships with adult males in both subadulthood and young adulthood. However some young adult males who had lost their top adult male proximity partner from juvenilehood developed new relationships with older males that had risen in the dominance hierarchy. These data suggest that (1) kin selection may play a more important role in social relationships between potential fathers and adult female offspring than previously suspected, and (2) when maturing males' foremost adult male social partners remain available to them, their relationships can be stable past the age at which younger males become reproductive competitors. © 2016 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.
Source title: Ethology
DOI: 10.1111/eth.12457
Link: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84953637608&doi=10.1111%2feth.12457&partnerID=40&md5=f4ea641e37db1c61f1f79c45bb6c1ad4
Correspondence Address: Rosenbaum, S.; Institute for Mind and Biology, University of Chicago, 940 E 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: Schistosomiasis affects millions of people across Africa. We detected eggs of Schistosoma mansoni in western lowland gorilla and central chimpanzee fecal samples in Loango National Park, Gabon. We analyzed nuclear and mitochondrial DNA, namely internal transcribed spacer and cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 fragments, and the resulting maximum likelihood phylogenetic analyses and haplotype network of the ITS and COI, respectively, showed that the samples from gorillas and chimpanzees clustered clearly within the S. mansoni clade. This is the first confirmed record of S. mansoni from Gabon, which urges surveillance in the area and prompts questions regarding the extent of zoonotic transmission and the clinical impact. Copyright © 2016 by The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.
Source title: American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.16-0446
Link: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84990202891&doi=10.4269%2fajtmh.16-0446&partnerID=40&md5=0b6952845b8a56958eee02847e90fb2a
Correspondence Address: ?ervená, B.; University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, Department of Pathology and Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Palackeho 1946/1, Czech Republic; email: bara.cervena@gmail.com
Language of Original Document: English
Access Type: Article
Country: ; Gabon ;
Protected area: Loango
Main topic: Health
Subtopic: Human & animal health

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Abstract: In recent years, the militarization of nature conservation has intensified, especially in protected areas located in conflict zones or plagued by ‘poaching crises’. Such ‘green militarization’ is enabled by a range of discursive techniques that allow it to be seen as a ‘normal’ and ‘legitimate’ response. This article analyzes these techniques in relation to the Virunga National Park, located in the war-ridden east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where militarized approaches to conservation have a long lineage. It demonstrates that many of the discursive techniques that are currently at play show strong continuities with the past. These include moral boundary-drawing grounded in colonial tropes that accomplish the (racial) Othering of poachers and rebels, and the long-established practice of invoking states of emergency as part of wider mechanisms of securitization. However, the rise of neoliberal conservation, with its emphasis on marketing and marketization, has induced transformations in the employed discursive techniques. Notably, it has intensified the spectacularization of militarized conservation and anchored it in everyday consumer practices, by actively inviting individual supporters to directly fund militarized interventions, thus generating ‘militarization by consumption’. This shows that ‘green militarization’ is not only driven by the growing commodification of nature conservation, but is increasingly subject to commodification itself. © 2016 Elsevier Ltd
Source title: Geoforum
DOI: 10.1016/j.geoforum.2016.08.003
Link: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84983766456&doi=10.1016%2fj.geoforum.2016.08.003&partnerID=40&md5=f299d77b7974af1a647462679c5afb27
Correspondence Address: Marijnen, E.; Institute for European Studies (IES), Pleinlaan 5, Belgium; email: esther.marijnen@vub.ac.be
Language of Original Document: English
Access Type: Article
Country: ; Democratic Republic of Congo ;
Protected area: Virunga
Main topic: Humans
Subtopic: Conservation initiatives ; Armed conflicts ; Governance / Policy ; Hunting / Poaching ; Perceptions / Behaviors

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Abstract: Background: Sematophyllum is a pantropical genus of approximately 170 species. The genus has never been revised on a global scale and is poorly known in many areas of the world. This is perhaps especially true in Africa where 60 accepted species are recorded, many seemingly endemic to the eastern and central tropical areas. Further taxonomic work will enable better understanding of the genus, its biogeography and regional patterns of plant diversity; help guide conservation efforts; and facilitate a broader understanding of the evolution of the Afrotropical flora. Objectives: The objective of this study is to describe a new species of Sematophyllum from Rwanda, part of the mega-diverse Albertine Rift system. Methods: Light microscopy was used to compare anatomical and morphological details of the putative new species with specimens of other members of the genus with which it could potentially be conspecific. Results: Sematophyllum rheophyticum W.R. Buck & Hedd. was described as new and is currently known only from the type locality at Gisakura, Nyungwe National Park, Rwanda. It is distinguishable from all congeners by a unique combination of characters including the concave, abruptly acuminate leaves, the alar areolation and the rheophytic habitat. Conclusion: Sematophyllum rdicum is a new species, defined by a combination of several anatomical characters, known currently only from the type locality. Furthermore, it is one of only a few species in the genus that occurs in rheophytic habitats. Its phylogenetic relationships are obscure and will probably need to be evaluated with molecular evidence. © 2016. The Authors.
Source title: Bothalia
DOI: 10.4102/abc.v46i1.2044
Link: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85029774030&doi=10.4102%2fabc.v46i1.2044&partnerID=40&md5=4897fb4c8b8ce25c8e2fe385959838d7
Correspondence Address: Hedderson, T.A.J.; Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape TownSouth Africa; email: terry.hedderson@uct.ac.za
Language of Original Document: English
Access Type: Article
Country: ; Rwanda ;
Protected area: Nyungwe
Main topic: Biodiversity
Subtopic: Plants ; Taxonomy

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Abstract: Despite evidence that killing of Bornean Orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus) in South-East Asia is a major threat to the species, few researchers and non-governmental conservationists have addressed it in management and research, and there is virtually no implementation of anti-killing strategies. In large parts of the Congo Basin, Central Africa, instead, illegal killing of great apes is acknowledged to be their largest threat, and many conservation strategies have been used to reduce killing pressure. However, since these strategies have not been subject to systematic and comprehensive review, it remains unclear which of them have been successful and why. Knowledge of the success, failure, and practices of common conservation strategies to manage great ape killing is critical to ensure adaptive conservation management in the Congo Basin. Understanding the Congo context also facilitates simultaneously highlighting great ape killing in Borneo and suggesting solutions to manage orangutan killing. Here, we compile and analyze the available literature on great ape conservation strategies for reducing killing rates in the Congo Basin. Through a systematic literature review of 198 publications, we find that the most widely employed conservation strategies in the Congo Basin are legislation and law enforcement, protected area management, community-based conservation, alternatives to bushmeat consumption and trade, ecotourism, education, and capacity building. Despite lack of rigorous post-intervention evaluation of conservation impact, we derive several recommendations for addressing the orangutan killing issue in Borneo. A critical lesson, widely applicable to developing countries for conservationists and not limited to Congo Basin realities, is the need for rigorous post-intervention evaluations compared to pre-intervention baselines and over appropriate time frames. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Source title: American Journal of Primatology
DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22531
Link: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84957554066&doi=10.1002%2fajp.22531&partnerID=40&md5=072eec5349972f0a3525a2a033299fca
Correspondence Address: Schoneveld-de Lange, N.; Faculty of Management, Science, and Technology, Department of Science, Open University, Valkenburgerweg 177, Netherlands; email: nicolienschoneveld@gmail.com
Language of Original Document: English
Access Type: Review
Country: ; Central Africa ;
Protected area: Many
Main topic: Biodiversity ; Humans
Subtopic: Animals ; Vertebrates ; Mammals ; Primates ; Conservation initiatives ; Hunting / Poaching ; Governance / Policy ; Periphery / Management ; Income-generating activities ; Tourism

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Abstract: In 2006-2007 we observed an unusual mortality event among apes in northern Republic of Congo that, although not diagnostically confirmed, we believe to have been a disease outbreak. In 2007-2011 we conducted ape nest surveys in the region, recording 11,835 G. g. gorilla nests (2,262 groups) and 5,548 P. t. troglodytes nests (2,139 groups). We developed a statistical model to determine likely points of origin of the outbreak to help identify variables associated with disease emergence and spread. We modeled disease spread across the study area, using suitable habitat conditions for apes as proxy for local ape densities. Infectious status outputs from that spread model were then used alongside vegetation, temperature, precipitation and human impact factors as explanatory variables in a Generalized Linear Model framework to explain observed 2007-2011 ape nest trends in the region. The best models predicted emergence in the western region of Odzala-Kokoua National Park and north of the last confirmed Ebola virus disease epizootics. Roads were consistently associated with attenuation of modeled virus spread. As disease is amongst the leading threats to great apes, gaining a better understanding of disease transmission dynamics in these species is imperative. Identifying ecological drivers underpinning a disease emergence event and transmission dynamics in apes is critical to creating better predictive models to guide wildlife management, develop potential protective measures for wildlife and to reduce potential zoonotic transmission to humans. The results of our model represent an important step in understanding variables related to great ape disease ecology in Central Africa. © 2016 Cameron 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.0154505
Link: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84971265187&doi=10.1371%2fjournal.pone.0154505&partnerID=40&md5=00e7e461d000033f51af6458e8786ca8
Correspondence Address:
Language of Original Document: English
Access Type: Article
Country: ; Republic of Congo ;
Protected area: Odzala Kokoua
Main topic: Health
Subtopic: Animal health

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Abstract: This study was carried out in the dry season between the months of November 2013 and February 2014. The goal was to contribute to the conservation of mammals through the establishment of base line information on mammal population in Mbi Crater Game Reserve (MCGR). The reccetransect method was used during the inventory. Seven (7) recce of 0.5 km each and fourteen (14) line transects of 0.5 km long were surveyed within the reserve making a total effort of 11 km. One hundred and twenty eight (128) questionnaires were administered to the local population, twenty four (24) semi-structured interviews to households and eight (8) focus group discussions with local chiefs and notables to get local people’s perceptions about wildlife conservation in MCGR. Nine (9) species of medium sized mammals were recorded within the reserve. The family Bovidae was well represented. Bushbuck and blue duiker were the most abundant mammal species with an encounter rate of 1.09 and 0.73 signs/km respectively. Mammals had higher densities in the west and southwest section of the reserve because of low intensity of anthropogenic activities. Hunting was the most frequent anthropogenic activity recorded in the study area. Only 37.5% variation in the encounter rate of medium mammals was provoked by anthropogenic activities. A majority of respondents acknowledged the reserve was important because they depended on it for bush meat, medicinal plants, and water. Other respondents considered the reserve as a liability and complained of restricted access and constant raiding of their farms by monkeys from the reserve. A greater fraction of respondents declared the community was not involved in managing the reserve. We can generally recommend that the government adopts a participatory management approach, establishing a joint anti-poaching team and provide alternative sources of protein to local people to reduce unsustainable hunting in the reserve. The government should also establish a compensation mechanism for those whose crops are constantly raided by animals from the reserve and organize mass sensitization programs for local communities on the importance of wildlife conservation. © 2016 Angwafo et al.
Source title: Annual Research and Review in Biology
DOI: 10.9734/ARRB/2016/28427
Link: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85009485552&doi=10.9734%2fARRB%2f2016%2f28427&partnerID=40&md5=495ae8ab051f606ead0af8beb0d07721
Correspondence Address: Angwafo, T.E.; Department of Fundamental Sciences, The University of Bamenda, HTTTC, P.O.Box 38, Cameroon; email: tsievaristus@yahoo.co.nz
Language of Original Document: English
Access Type: Article
Country: ; Cameroon ;
Protected area: Mbi Crater Game Reserve
Main topic: Biodiversity ; Humans
Subtopic: Animals ; Vertebrates ; Mammals ; Ungulates ; Survey / Monitoring ; Perceptions / Behaviors

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Abstract: DNA sequence analysis was carried out on Strongyloides spp. larvae obtained from fecal samples of local humans, a wild western lowland gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) and a central chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes troglodytes) inhabiting Dzanga-Sangha Protected Areas (DSPA), Central African Republic, and eastern chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) living in degraded forest fragments on farmland in Bulindi, Uganda. From humans, both Strongyloides fuelleborni and Strongyloides stercoralis were recorded, though the former was predominant. Only S. fuelleborni was present in the great apes in both areas. Phylogenetic analysis of partial mtDNA cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 gene (Cox1) and comparison of 18S rDNA hyper variable region IV (HVR-IV) sequences implied that in DSPA S. fuelleborni populations in humans differ from those in the nonhuman great apes. © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd.
Source title: Parasitology International
DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2016.05.004
Link: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84970016484&doi=10.1016%2fj.parint.2016.05.004&partnerID=40&md5=588acb01644fa8ac2e82211e439588fd
Correspondence Address: Petrzelkova, K.J.; Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Kvetna 8, Czech Republic; email: petrzelkova@ivb.cz
Language of Original Document: English
Access Type: Article
Country: ; Central African Republic ;
Protected area: Dzanga-Sangha
Main topic: Health
Subtopic: Human & animal health

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Abstract: This paper gives the results of the first census of trees in the 32.15 ha plot in order to provide tree species richness in Kibira rainforest (Burundi). All trees ? 10 cm dbh were permanently tagged and their girth measured. The forest structure pattern analyzed were diameter at breast height (dbh), basal area, relative dominance, and relative density, Importance Value Index (IVI) and Family Importance Value (FIV). In total, 6504 trees representing 70 species, 67 genera and 37 families were recorded. Tree density was 202 stems/ha, with a basal area of 21.05 m² ha-1. Seventeen families were represented by a single species each, eleven families were represented by two species each, five families were represented by three species each, and four families were represented by four species each. The most important families in relation to FIV were Euphorbiaceae, Myrtaceae and Araliaceae. Macaranga kilimandscharica, Syzygium guineense and Polyscias fulva were the most important species in relation to IVI. Two tree species were found to be endemic to the Albertine Rift and one species probably endemic to the Albertine Rift. The Shannon-Weiner index (H’) and evenness index (J’) were respectively 3.18 and 0.75. This study provides a baseline for the management of Kibira National Park. As local communities still depend on forest resources, conservation awareness-raising and education actions have to focus in nearby villages, and growing some fast-growing native trees in the vicinity of the settlement, would be helpful for local communities, this would reduce their dependence on forest resources. © International Society for Tropical Ecology.
Source title: Tropical Ecology
DOI:
Link: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85008884203&partnerID=40&md5=0f37ebd8193f165746e010981888eb6d
Correspondence Address: Hakizimana, D.; Primatology Research Group, Behavioral Biology Unit, University of LiègeBelgium; email: hakdismas@yahoo.fr
Language of Original Document: English
Access Type: Article
Country: ; Burundi ;
Protected area: Kibira
Main topic: Biodiversity
Subtopic: Plants ; Survey / Monitoring ; Diversity

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Abstract: Soil macrofauna is regularly put forward for his role on the physical and chemical characteristics of cultivated land. In addition, the working frequency and intensity of cropping land use are important to consider in the management of agricultural land factors. This thesis aims to quantify the effect of land cover on earthworm communities, and to identify environmental factors that govern these organizations. Among the potential factors, the diversity of the structure of the habitat is increasingly discussed, but few studies support these hypotheses. Based on a large sampling of earthworms, the study to investigate the earthworm diversity and simultaneously the effect of different regulatory factors in different land of Bombo-Lumene was performed. A strong earthworm habitat diversity was found to be based on crop, diet, type of prostomium and geographical distribution. Ten species of earthworms have been identified including 8 endemic and 2 cosmopolitan ones. The diversity of these lines was correlated with the type of land use. It has a very strong and decisive effect on stand density earthworms. In addition to environmental variables, taxonomic richness of earthworms can be reliably predicted by the type of land use. The dense forest, gallery forest and forest regrowth are more diverse than the tree savannah, grassland and land under cultivation. Furthermore, the decomposition of wood is of first importance on the development of soil characteristics, including the enhancement of forest and/or agricultural issues. Earthworms play an important role in the transformation of soil organic matter, nutrients, distribution of energy flow in terrestrial ecosystems and increasing soil fertility. Three taxa decomposers of wood, namely Dichogaster austeni, D. wenkei and D. tenuiseta were identified. The joint analysis of soil and earthworm casts suggested significantly larger carbon and nitrogen soil contents. The role of the macrofauna was discussed in the context of the restoration of degraded areas by the mobilization of organic matter in the soil ecosystems and the improvement of soil fertility in the tropical climate. In addition, the type of land use significantly influence the ecological structure of earthworm populations. Abundances and densities of earthworms were positively correlated to the gradient of vegetation. The semi-deciduous rain forest seems more suitable and conducive to the development of these stands. Earthworm biomass decreased following a intensificaion gradient of anthropogenic activities. Soil-dwelling species are unfailingly better suited to different habitats and that epigaeic anecic species. Therefore, they are an important component of ecological categories of earthworms. In contrast, anecic species are better represented in the soil under cultivation, which reflects their particular adaptation to the environment disturbed.
Source title: Tropicultura
DOI:
Link: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85018602395&partnerID=40&md5=3e3cdb07693d5733510431b0236c2a61
Correspondence Address: Empwal, F.M.; University of Kinshasa, Agricultural Sciences Faculty, Naturals Resources Management DepartementCongo
Language of Original Document: English
Access Type: Article
Country: ; Democratic Republic of Congo ;
Protected area: Bombo Lumene
Main topic: Biodiversity
Subtopic: Animals ; Invertebrates ; Biology / Ecology ; Survey / Monitoring ; Diversity

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Abstract: Recent field inventories and taxonomic research in Central Africa have resulted in the discovery of many new orchid species. Five specimens of an apparently new Angraecum species were collected in Gabon and Cameroon. They stand out for their hanging habit and short zig-zag stem. Morphology of leaves and habit is somewhat comparable to A. cultriforme and A. stolzii, two species from East Africa. Flowers of the novelty share the general morphology of A. pyriforme from which the new species is distinguished by being smaller and with a different lip-spur ratio. Here we show that these five specimens represent a new species, described here as Angraecum lanceolatum. The distinguishing traits include thin lanceolate leaves, convolute distally, with a rhombic lip shape. Dichotomous key to four Central African species of sect. Conchoglossum and a table of the diagnostic characters of the seven related Continental African Angraecum taxa are included here. A preliminary assessment of the conservation status of A. lanceolatum is provided, using the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria. © Harold Robinson et al.
Source title: PhytoKeys
DOI: 10.3897/phytokeys.61.7017
Link: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84959467097&doi=10.3897%2fphytokeys.61.7017&partnerID=40&md5=175060beb1f5f6edbeb383d3cb87c810
Correspondence Address: Je?menica, V.; Laboratoire d'écologie végétale et Biogéochimie, Université Libre de Bruxelles, CP 244, Boulevard du Triomphe, Belgium; email: jvlada_90@yahoo.com
Language of Original Document: English
Access Type: Article
Country: ; Cameroon ; Gabon ;
Protected area: Campo-Ma'an ; Ivindo ; Monts de Cristal
Main topic: Biodiversity
Subtopic: Plants ; Taxonomy

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Abstract: Given the limited funds available, spatial prioritisation is necessary to help decide when and where to undertake conservation. One method for setting local scale priorities for conservation action is the landscape species approach which aims to identify priorities based on the needs of a small number of wide ranging species with large environmental impacts. Despite being used for the past decade by conservation organisations such as Wildlife Conservation Society, the effectiveness of the approach for representing a more comprehensive range of biodiversity has never been evaluated. Here we compare conservation priorities identified using a suite of landscape species (n= 13) against those using many alternative sets of threatened or endemic species (n= 7-88) to assess the applicability and suitability of the landscape species approach in a biologically diverse landscape (Greater Virunga Landscape, Uganda, Rwanda, and Democratic Republic of Congo, Africa). We defined the minimum area needed to conserve each species on the basis of the species' range size. We found that prioritising for landscape species adequately conserves only 31 (35%) species, whereas prioritising for an equal number of endemic species, threatened species, or randomly sampled species adequately conserves 74%, 69% and 42% of species, respectively. We also found that prioritising for one taxonomic group (birds or plants) alone resulted in better surrogacy performance than the Landscape Species. These results question the underlying assumption of the landscape species approach, that managing threats to Landscape Species will also manage threats to all other species, as it is applied in the Greater Virunga Landscape. © 2015 Elsevier B.V.
Source title: Landscape and Urban Planning
DOI: 10.1016/j.landurbplan.2015.09.006
Link: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84945162710&doi=10.1016%2fj.landurbplan.2015.09.006&partnerID=40&md5=bedc29a19db7fdab6e4ddf242acd2abf
Correspondence Address: Jones, K.R.3 Enfield Crescent, Australia
Language of Original Document: English
Access Type: Article
Country: ; Democratic Republic of Congo ; Rwanda ;
Protected area: Virunga
Main topic: Humans
Subtopic: Conservation initiatives ; Periphery / Management

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Abstract: Poaching has devastated forest elephant populations (Loxodonta cyclotis), and their habitat is dramatically changing. The long-term effects of poaching and other anthropogenic threats have been well studied in savannah elephants (Loxodonta africana), but the impacts of these changes for Central Africa's forest elephants have not been discussed. We examined potential repercussions of these threats and the related consequences for forest elephants in Central Africa by summarizing the lessons learned from savannah elephants and small forest elephant populations in West Africa. Forest elephant social organization is less known than the social organization of savannah elephants, but the close evolutionary history of these species suggests that they will respond to anthropogenic threats in broadly similar ways. The loss of older, experienced individuals in an elephant population disrupts ecological, social, and population parameters. Severe reduction of elephant abundance within Central Africa's forests can alter plant communities and ecosystem functions. Poaching, habitat alterations, and human population increase are probably compressing forest elephants into protected areas and increasing human-elephant conflict, which negatively affects their conservation. We encourage conservationists to look beyond documenting forest elephant population decline and address the causes of these declines when developing conversation strategies. We suggest assessing the effectiveness of the existing protected-area networks for landscape connectivity in light of current industrial and infrastructure development. Longitudinal assessments of the effects of landscape changes on forest elephant sociality and behavior are also needed. Finally, lessons learned from West African elephant population loss and habitat fragmentation should be used to inform strategies for land-use planning and managing human-elephant interactions. © 2016 Society for Conservation Biology.
Source title: Conservation biology : the journal of the Society for Conservation Biology
DOI: 10.1111/cobi.12679
Link: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84985906536&doi=10.1111%2fcobi.12679&partnerID=40&md5=64b836de91457936235c3e570fdf9bb3
Correspondence Address:
Language of Original Document: English
Access Type: Article
Country: ; Central Africa ;
Protected area: Many
Main topic: Biodiversity ; Humans
Subtopic: Animals ; Vertebrates ; Mammals ; Ungulates ; Elephants ; Survey / Monitoring ; Abundance ; Biology / Ecology ; Hunting / Poaching ; Timber ; Human-wildlife conflicts

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Abstract: [No abstract available]
Source title: Virginia Quarterly Review
DOI:
Link: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84989955881&partnerID=40&md5=048f55ce11c692d1f7e9bc064c138f3f
Correspondence Address: Woods, E.D.
Language of Original Document: English
Access Type: Article
Country: ; Central African Republic ;
Protected area: Chinko
Main topic: Humans
Subtopic: Conservation initiatives ; Armed conflicts ; Governance / Policy ; Hunting / Poaching ; Perceptions / Behaviors

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Abstract: Challenges in forest management are linked to limitations of agency capacities to adjust decisions, especially in the face of dynamic and complex resource access and new information. This study analysed the dynamic character of actors and institutions, and the factors that shaped access to forest resources in Cameroon using the case of Tofala Hill Wildlife Sanctuary. Mixed methods, including focused interviews, questionnaires and field observations were used to elicit information from actors interacting with forest resource. Data analysis used three different perspectives: literal; interpretative; and, reflexive. The key findings revealed firstly, that legal authority over management of forest resources does not necessarily equate actor's ability to control access. Ability is empowered by capacity that considers and deal with field realities. Secondly, formal institutions placed more value on negotiating legal status over forest resources and less value on seeking to understand and deal with management challenges in the field. Thus, this study argues that the transfer of rights from informal to formal institutions might not necessarily secure effectiveness in forest management. There is need to rethink the dependence on formal arrangements to regulate forest access and consider possible options for empowering local dwellers to engage in a more self-governed sustainable management approach. © 2016 Elsevier GmbH
Source title: Journal for Nature Conservation
DOI: 10.1016/j.jnc.2016.08.006
Link: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84987912401&doi=10.1016%2fj.jnc.2016.08.006&partnerID=40&md5=a52ccad13cc7239908ce505d63af5073
Correspondence Address: Nkemnyi, M.F.; Institute of Development Policy and Management (IOB), University of Antwerp, Lange St. Annastraat 7, Belgium; email: nmbunyaf@gmail.com
Language of Original Document: English
Access Type: Article
Country: ; Cameroon ;
Protected area: Tofala Hill
Main topic: Humans
Subtopic: Periphery / Management ; Governance / Policy

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Abstract: This paper seeks to determine and characterize social and cultural preferences for the conservation of endangered forest elephants (EFEs) in the Congo Basins Tridom Landscape. Using unique data from a stratified, random, face-to-face survey with 1,035 households in 108 villages in 2014, we combine double-bounded dichotomous choice with open-ended elicitation formats to assess the willingness-to-pay (WTP) for EFE conservation. We find that local households are willing to pay CFA 1,139.4 (€1.74) per month to prevent EFE extinction. This totals CFA 753.9 million (€1.15 million) per year for all inhabitants. Indigenousness positively influences the WTP for EFE conservation. Spatial data suggest that local communities prefer that elephants remain far from their crops. The existence of human-elephant conflicts has a neutral effect on preferences for EFE conservation. Therefore, our study suggests that local communities would engage in biodiversity preservation when the public benefits of conservation are accompanied by private benefits, such as human-elephant conflict avoidance. © 2016 Elsevier B.V..
Source title: Ecological Economics
DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolecon.2016.04.004
Link: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84962838891&doi=10.1016%2fj.ecolecon.2016.04.004&partnerID=40&md5=6e3e453eb40917740f2e3f6da0730332
Correspondence Address: Ngouhouo Poufoun, J.; French National Institute for Agricultural Research (INRA), AgroParisTech, Laboratory of Forest Economics (LEF), 14, Rue Girardet, France; email: ngouhouo8p8j@gmail.com
Language of Original Document: English
Access Type: Article
Country: ; Cameroon ;
Protected area: Waza
Main topic: Humans
Subtopic: Armed conflicts ; Conservation initiatives ; Periphery / Management ; Governance / Policy ; Perceptions / Behaviors

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Abstract: Objectives Ecological factors have a dramatic effect on tooth wear in primates, although it remains unclear how individual age contributes to functional crown morphology. The aim of this study is to determine how age and individual diet are related to tooth wear in wild mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei) from Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda. Material and Methods We calculated the percent of dentine exposure (PDE) for all permanent molars (M1-M3) of known-age mountain gorillas (N = 23), to test whether PDE varied with age using regression analysis. For each molar position, we also performed stepwise multiple linear regression to test the effects of age and percentage of time spent feeding on different food categories on PDE, for individuals subject to long-term observational studies by the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International's Karisoke Research Center. Results PDE increased significantly with age for both sexes in all molars. Moreover, a significant effect of gritty plant root consumption on PDE was found among individuals. Our results support prior reports indicating reduced tooth wear in mountain gorillas compared to western gorillas, and compared to other known-aged samples of primate taxa from forest and savanna habitats. Discussion Our findings corroborate that mountain gorillas present very low molar wear, and support the hypothesis that age and the consumption of particular food types, namely roots, are significant determinants of tooth wear variation in mountain gorillas. Future research should characterize the mineral composition of the soil in the Virunga habitat, to test the hypothesis that the physical and abrasive properties of gritty foods such as roots influence intra- and interspecific patterns of tooth wear. Am J Phys Anthropol 159:457-465, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Source title: American Journal of Physical Anthropology
DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.22897
Link: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84958894228&doi=10.1002%2fajpa.22897&partnerID=40&md5=29b3211864e3c58d3801c6af6b16bf13
Correspondence Address: Galbany, J.; Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, Department of Anthropology, George Washington University, 800 22nd Street NW, United States; email: jgalbany@gwu.edu
Language of Original Document: English
Access Type: Article
Country: ; Rwanda ;
Protected area: Volcans
Main topic: Biodiversity
Subtopic: Animals ; Vertebrates ; Mammals ; Primates ; Biology / Ecology