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Abstract: Tropical forest regions in equatorial Africa are threatened with degradation, deforestation and biodiversity loss as a result of land-cover change. We investigated historical land-cover dynamics in unprotected forested areas of the Littoral Region in south-western Cameroon during 1975-2017, to detect changes that may influence this important biodiversity and wildlife area. Processed Landsat imagery was used to map and monitor changes in land use and land cover. From 1975 to 2017 the area of high-value forest landscapes decreased by c. 420,000 ha, and increasing forest fragmentation caused a decline of c. 12% in the largest patch index. Conversely, disturbed vegetation, cleared areas and urban areas all expanded in extent, by 32% (c. 400,000 ha), 5.6% (c. 26,800 ha) and 6.6% (c. 78,631 ha), respectively. The greatest increase was in the area converted to oil palm plantations (c. 26,893 ha), followed by logging and land clearing (c. 34,838 ha), all of which were the major factors driving deforestation in the study area. Our findings highlight the increasing threats facing the wider Littoral Region, which includes Mount Nlonako and Ebo Forest, both of which are critical areas for regional conservation and the latter a proposed National Park and the only sizable area of intact forest in the region. Intact forest in the Littoral Region, and in particular at Ebo, merits urgent protection. Copyright © Fauna & Flora International 2019.
Source title: ORYX
DOI: 10.1017/S0030605318000881
Link: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85071923147&doi=10.1017%2fS0030605318000881&partnerID=40&md5=46e1f91772e3879f8fe2fba3c6f58d36
Correspondence Address: Mahmoud, M.I.; Center for Tropical Environmental and Sustainability Science, Australia; email: mahmoud.mahmoud@jcu.edu.au
Language of Original Document: English
Access Type: Article
Country: ; Cameroon ;
Protected area: Ebo
Main topic: Environment
Subtopic: Land use / cover ; Forests ; Deforestation

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Abstract: Lianas are poorly characterized for central African forests. We quantify variation in liana composition, diversity and community structure in different forest types in the Yangambi Man and Biosphere Reserve, Democratic Republic of Congo. These attributes of liana assemblages were examined in 12 1-ha plots, randomly demarcated within regrowth forest, old growth monodominant forest, old growth mixed forest and old growth edge forest. Using a combination of multivariate and univariate community analyses, we visualize the patterns of these liana assemblage attributes and/or test for their significant differences across forest types. The combined 12 1-ha area contains 2,638 lianas (?2 cm diameter) representing 105 species, 49 genera and 22 families. Liana species composition differed significantly across forest types. Taxonomic diversity was higher in old growth mixed forests compared to old growth monodominant and regrowth forests. Trait diversity was higher than expected in the regrowth forest as opposed to the rest of forest types. Similarly, the regrowth forest differed from the rest of forest types in the pattern of liana species ecological traits and diameter frequency distribution. The regrowth forest was also less densely populated in lianas and had lower liana total basal area than the rest of forest types. We speculate that the mechanism of liana competitive exclusion by dominant tree species is mainly responsible for the lower liana species diversity in monodominant compared to mixed forests. We attribute variation in liana community structure between regrowth and old growth forests mostly to short development time of size hierarchies. © 2020 The Authors. Biotropica published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation.
Source title: Biotropica
DOI: 10.1111/btp.12787
Link: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85083682033&doi=10.1111%2fbtp.12787&partnerID=40&md5=3222a9789fa76d869e5c1d7da3b3fc2c
Correspondence Address: Mumbanza, F.M.; Department of Environment, Computational and Applied Vegetation Ecology, CAVElab, Ghent University, Laboratoire de Systémique, Biodiversité, Conservation de la Nature et Savoirs Endogènes, Département des Sciences de l'Environnement, Université de KinshasaBelgium; email: Francis.MumbanzaMundondo@UGent.be
Language of Original Document: English
Access Type: Article
Country: ; Democratic Republic of Congo ;
Protected area: Yangambi
Main topic: Biodiversity
Subtopic: Plants ; Survey / Monitoring ; Diversity ; Structure / Biomass ; Biology / Ecology

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Abstract: Lubumbashi city is experiencing a rapid population growth, resulting in urban sprawl leading to the degradation of peri-urban woody vegetation. Nevertheless, little is known about vegetation of protected peri-urban site. The objective of this study was to characterize the woody vegetation of a protected landscape of peri-urban zone. Comparisons of landscape metric of miombo woodland and savanna patterns were realized from supervised classification of a Landsat image of 2016. This approach was completed by a forest inventory through circular plots with a radius of 15 meters. Results showed that, in 2016, miombo woodland covered about 45.4% of the site area against 38.4% for savannah. Both ecosystems are characterized by low values of median area in parallel to higher values of patch number ; that may suggest the fragmentation. The floristic analysis reveals that the most abundant species are Diplorynchus condylocarpon and Baphia bequaertii. The diversity index values recorded in the two ecosystems studied indicate a disturbance, particulary in wooded savannah where the stand structure shows the dominance of young individuals. In miombo woodland, the presence of young and large individuals indicates a mature ecosystem. Knowledge of the spatial, floristic and sylvicultural parameters of the studied landscape will make it possible to formulate guidelines and technical tools to contribute to its sustainable management and monitoring. © 2020 Geo-Eco-Trop. All rights reserved.
Source title: Geo-Eco-Trop
DOI:
Link: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85096547098&partnerID=40&md5=6c5094cb4a79464e037d7e35f1506cc7
Correspondence Address: SIKUZANI, Y.U.; Unité Ecologie, Democratic Republic Congo; email: yannickuseni@gmail.com
Language of Original Document: French
Access Type: Article
Country: ; Democratic Republic of Congo ;
Protected area: Monastère de Kiswishi
Main topic: Environment ; Biodiversity
Subtopic: Land use / cover ; Forests ; Savannas ; Plants ; Diversity ; Structure / Biomass

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Abstract: Afrotropical forests host much of the world's remaining megafauna, although these animals are confined to areas where direct human influences are low. We used a rare long-term dataset of tree reproduction and a photographic database of forest elephants to assess food availability and body condition of an emblematic megafauna species at Lopé National Park, Gabon. Our analysis reveals an 81% decline in fruiting over a 32-year period (1986-2018) and an 11% decline in body condition of fruit-dependent forest elephants from 2008 to 2018. Fruit famine in one of the last strongholds for African forest elephants should raise concern about the ability of this species and other fruit-dependent megafauna to persist in the long term, with potential consequences for broader ecosystem and biosphere functioning. © 2020 American Association for the Advancement of Science. All rights reserved.
Source title: Science
DOI: 10.1126/science.abc7791
Link: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85097211078&doi=10.1126%2fscience.abc7791&partnerID=40&md5=b7fed7cbea2ac7b8f4da2532690b12e3
Correspondence Address: Bush, E.R.; Faculty of Natural Sciences, United Kingdom; email: emma.bush.ecology@gmail.com
Language of Original Document: English
Access Type: Article
Country: ; Gabon ;
Protected area: Lopé
Main topic: Biodiversity
Subtopic: Animals ; Vertebrates ; Mammals ; Ungulates ; Elephants ; Plants ; Biology / Ecology ; Survey / Monitoring

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Abstract: Rwanda being one of the most densely populated countries in Africa, a large proportion of its native vegetation has been converted into agriculture and settlements, leading to the extensive loss and degradation of natural habitats, with significance for birds as well as other taxa. Despite this, tangible success has been attained in the conservation of mountain gorillas thanks to the high priority afforded to this species and the vigorous protection of its habitats. This article reviews the current conservation approaches in Rwanda, and their effectiveness in addressing threats to the country's avifauna. Drawing lessons from the conservation of the mountain gorilla approach, and with reference to the principles of Systematic Conservation Planning, this paper argues that the creation of more reserves complementing existing protected areas, the development of bird-related tourism, and a multilevel collaboration of stakeholders at national and regional level, in which the public play a strong role, are crucial for the long-term conservation of birds. The aim of this analysis is both to provide policy options for Rwanda and to suggest an approach to conservation practice for wider application that is scalable and transferable within a developing country context. © 2020 Elsevier GmbH
Source title: Journal for Nature Conservation
DOI: 10.1016/j.jnc.2020.125797
Link: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85079842331&doi=10.1016%2fj.jnc.2020.125797&partnerID=40&md5=95a62b79e60dd7c44334b9dd32ef1355
Correspondence Address: Rurangwa, M.L.; School of Geography and the Environment, University of OxfordUnited Kingdom; email: rurangwalaura8@gmail.com
Language of Original Document: English
Access Type: Article
Country: ; Rwanda ;
Protected area: Volcans ; Akagera ; Nyungwe ; Gishwati-Mukura ; Gishwati-Mukura
Main topic: Biodiversity ; Humans
Subtopic: Animals ; Vertebrates ; Birds ; Conservation initiatives ; Tourism ; Governance / Policy

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Abstract: Wetlands of coastal Gabon provide many ecosystems services including flood protection, water purification and wildlife habitat. Effective sustainable management of this coastal zone is hindered by a lack of accurate wetland maps. Here we describe a novel method used to map the wetland ecosystems of nearly 100 000 km2 of wetland and upland habitat mosaic in the delta of the Ogooué River using an object-based classification of optical and radar satellite imagery based on training data collected from unmanned aerial vehicle and a post-classification accuracy assessment using helicopter-based video. We identified 15 land cover classes, of which nine were wetland. A stratified random sample accuracy assessment of the final classification yielded an overall accuracy of 0.80. Despite the important role that wetland habitats play for wildlife and ecosystem functioning across the region, our results indicate these wetlands cover only 22% of the project area. As expected, most of the wetland habitats are found close to major water bodies, including the Ogooué River, estuaries near the cities of Libreville and Port Gentil and coastal lagoons to the south of these cities. When considering the six Wetlands of International Importance designated under the Ramsar Convention within the project area, only 33% of mapped wetlands fall within the Ramsar site boundaries and only 10% of mapped wetlands fall within protected areas. Furthermore, within the Ramsar sites, only 31% of the land cover was classified as wetland. In order to better manage these wetland resources, more effective Ramsar boundaries would include the extensive wetland habitats found along the coast from Port Gentil south to Loango National Park. These data are now available for managers to improve wetland management within designated Ramsar sites and improving protection designations for vulnerable habitats, for example by protecting wetland connectivity and other ecosystem processes. © 2020 The Authors. Remote Sensing in Ecology and Conservation published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Zoological Society of London
Source title: Remote Sensing in Ecology and Conservation
DOI: 10.1002/rse2.161
Link: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85084470070&doi=10.1002%2frse2.161&partnerID=40&md5=4e76e92b83586b3c1d3b86255b6177fb
Correspondence Address: Aldous, A.; The Nature Conservancy, 821 SE 14^th Ave, United States; email: aaldous@tnc.org
Language of Original Document: English
Access Type: Article
Country: ; Gabon ;
Protected area: Akanda ; Pongara ; Wonga-Wongué ; Loango
Main topic: Environment
Subtopic: Land use / cover ; Wetlands / Water bodies

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Abstract: As a result of extensive data collection efforts over the last 20–30 years, there is quite a good understanding of the large-scale geographic distribution and range limits of African great apes. However, as human activities increasingly fragment great ape spatial distribution, a better understanding of what constitutes suitable great ape habitat is needed to inform conservation and resource extraction management. Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes troglodytes) and gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) inhabit the Lobéké National Park and its surrounding forest management units (FMUs) in South-East Cameroon. Both park and neighboring forestry concessions require reliable evidence on key factors driving great ape distribution for their management plans, yet this information is largely missing and incomplete. This study aimed at mapping great ape habitat suitability in the area and at identifying the most influential predictors among three predictor categories, including landscape predictors (dense forest, swampy forest, distance to water bodies, and topography), human disturbance predictors (hunting, deforestation, distance to roads, and population density), and bioclimatic predictor (annual precipitation). We found that about 63% of highly to moderately suitable chimpanzee habitat occurred within the Lobéké National Park, while only 8.4% of similar habitat conditions occurred within FMUs. For gorillas, highly and moderately suitable habitats occurred within the Lobéké National Park and its surrounding FMUs (82.6% and 65.5%, respectively). Key determinants of suitable chimpanzee habitat were hunting pressure and dense forest, with species occurrence probability optimal at relatively lower hunting rates and at relatively high-dense forest areas. Key determinants of suitable gorilla habitat were hunting pressure, dense forests, swampy forests, and slope, with species occurrence probability optimal at relatively high-dense and swampy forest areas and at areas with mild slopes. Our findings show differential response of the two ape species to forestry activities in the study area, thus aligning with previous studies. © 2020 The Authors. Ecology and Evolution published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Source title: Ecology and Evolution
DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7027
Link: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85097064952&doi=10.1002%2fece3.7027&partnerID=40&md5=bc8da0aaf2f39d50e0bef9413f90796b
Correspondence Address: Ginath Yuh, Y.; Warsaw University of Life Sciences (WULS-SGGW)Poland; email: yisaginath80@yahoo.com
Language of Original Document:
Access Type:
Country: ; Cameroon ;
Protected area: Lobéké
Main topic: Biodiversity ; Humans ; Environment
Subtopic: Animals ; Vertebrates ; Mammals ; Primates ; Biology / Ecology ; Hunting / Poaching ; Demography ; Land use / cover ; Deforestation ; Climate

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Abstract: Lufira Biosphere Reserve (LBR) is a protected area located in Southeastern DR Congo, created for the conservation of Miombo woodland, an ecosystem threatened by anthropogenic activities developed in the region. However, scientific studies regarding land cover dynamics within the LBR are non-existent to date. This study maps and quantifies the land cover dynamics within and around the LBR, based on diachronic analysis of five Landsat images (1979, 1986, 1998, 2008 and 2018) and field verification missions. Landscape metrics were utilized to understand changes in landscape pattern. The results indicate that Miombo woodland area have been reduced by a factor of three in the LBR, as they covered 11.2 km2 in 2018 compared to 85.3 km2 in 1979. The annual deforestation rate between 1979 and 2018 was 1.8%, almost eight-fold higher than the rate registered at the country level. Within the LBR, this deforestation has been offset by an increase in areas occupied by grassy savanna (+16.9 km2), as well as fields and fallows (+53.3 km2). Further, water and wetland area increased by 17.9 km2 in 39 years whereas the wooded savanna, the bare soil and built-up decreased by 24.9 km2 and 4.0 km2 respectively. In general, analysis of landscape spatial pattern dynamics through landscape metrics, showed a process of creation and aggregation of grassy savanna, water and wetlands, as well as fields and fallows, as opposed to dissection and attrition of Miombo woodland, wooded savanna, bare soil and built-up. Overall, the LBR has undergone a major transformation, mainly due to demographic pressure and the development of subsistence activities in a precarious economic context. The study concludes that in the absence of any land use planning policy, LBR risks losing its status following lost of the rare Miombo woodland patches still existing. © 2020 The Author(s)
Source title: Global Ecology and Conservation
DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2020.e01333
Link: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85094184848&doi=10.1016%2fj.gecco.2020.e01333&partnerID=40&md5=d16f1383710831b51092755af529419d
Correspondence Address: Sikuzani, Y.U.; Unité Ecologie, Congo; email: sikuzaniu@unilu.ac.cd
Language of Original Document: English
Access Type: Article
Country: ; Democratic Republic of Congo ;
Protected area: Lufira
Main topic: Environment ; Humans
Subtopic: Land use / cover ; Deforestation ; Forests ; Savannas ; Crops ; Wetlands / Water bodies ; Demography ; Income-generating activities ; Conservation initiatives

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Abstract: In the Congo Basin, paleoenvironmental data are scarce, due to the lack of natural lakes. Using marshes sedimentary deposits as alternative archives requires the calibration of modern pollen assemblages, which are totally absent for these type of deposits. The aim of this study is to understand and qualify how well surface marsh sediment pollen assemblages reflect the contemporary vegetation. We compare pollen assemblages at the surface of 23 sedge marshes disseminated in an enclave of savanna in the Gabonese forest and vegetation surveys along transects from sampling areas. Very high diversity of forest pollen taxa is recorded, with a gradient of diversity from most open environments to those where the forest is closer, however savanna taxa remains low. The surface samples surprisingly reveal general weak percentages of Poaceae pollen grains that never exceed 25%. The low proportion of Poaceae is consistent with the deposition mode of pollen in these specific sites but challenges the common interpretation of a straightforward relationship between this percentage and savanna/forest balance. © 2020
Source title: Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology
DOI: 10.1016/j.revpalbo.2020.104168
Link: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85078057694&doi=10.1016%2fj.revpalbo.2020.104168&partnerID=40&md5=f92ba5f3ea319b2da0e9858f1196d08f
Correspondence Address: Bremond, L.; Institut des Sciences de l'Evolution de Montpellier (ISEM), EPHE, PSL Research University, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, Place Eugène Bataillon, 065, France; email: laurent.bremond@umontpellier.fr
Language of Original Document: English
Access Type: Article
Country: ; Gabon ;
Protected area: Lopé
Main topic: Biodiversity
Subtopic: Plants ; Survey / Monitoring ; Diversity ; Biology / Ecology

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Abstract: Addressing the problems linked to tsetse-transmitted trypanosomiases requires considerable data on tsetse distribution and trypanosome infections. Although efforts to map tsetse and trypanosome infections have been undertaken at continental level, published data are still rare in wildlife reserves of West and Central Africa. To fill this gap, data on tsetse distribution and trypanosome infections were generated in the wildlife reserve of Santchou. For this study, each tsetse caught was identified and its DNA extracted. Different trypanosome species were identified by PCR. Entomological and parasitological data were transported onto a satellite image in order to visualize their distributions. From 195 Glossina palpalis palpalis that were caught, 33.8% (66/195) carried trypanosome infections with 89.4% (59/66) of single infections and 10.6% (7/66) mixed infections. From the 66 flies with trypanosome infections, 54.5% (36/66), 27.3% (18/66) and 18.2% (12/66) were respectively due to Trypanosoma congolense, Trypanosoma brucei s.l. and Trypanosoma vivax. The global infection rates were 18.5% (36/195) for Trypanosoma congolense (forest and savannah), 9.2% (18/195) for Trypanosoma brucei s.l. and 6.1% (12/195) for Trypanosoma vivax. The maps generated show the distribution of tsetse and trypanosome infections. This study showed an active transmission of trypanosomes in the wildlife reserve of Santchou. The maps enabled to identify areas with high transmission risk and where control operations must be implemented in order to eliminate tsetse and the diseases that they transmit. © 2020, Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.
Source title: Parasitology Research
DOI: 10.1007/s00436-020-06606-6
Link: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85078879504&doi=10.1007%2fs00436-020-06606-6&partnerID=40&md5=57c3b1853750b26c8ddd66265d0d3b82
Correspondence Address: Simo, G.; Molecular Parasitology and Entomology Unit, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Dschang, PO Box 67, Cameroon; email: gsimoca@yahoo.fr
Language of Original Document: English
Access Type: Article
Country: ; Cameroon ;
Protected area: Santchou
Main topic: Health
Subtopic: Animal health

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Abstract: Spatial and temporal patterns of tropical leaf renewal are poorly understood and poorly parameterized in modern Earth System Models due to lack of data. Remote sensing has great potential for sampling leaf phenology across tropical landscapes but until now has been impeded by lack of ground-truthing, cloudiness, poor spatial resolution, and the cryptic nature of incremental leaf turnover in many tropical plants. To our knowledge, satellite data have never been used to monitor individual crown leaf phenology in the tropics, an innovation that would be a major breakthrough for individual and species-level ecology and improve climate change predictions for the tropics. In this paper, we assessed whether satellite data can detect leaf turnover for individual trees using ground observations of a candidate tropical tree species, Moabi (Baillonella toxisperma), which has a mega-crown visible from space. We identified and delineated Moabi crowns at Lope NP, Gabon from satellite imagery using ground coordinates and extracted high spatial and temporal resolution, optical, and synthetic-aperture radar (SAR) timeseries data for each tree. We normalized these data relative to the surrounding forest canopy and combined them with concurrent monthly crown observations of new, mature, and senescent leaves recorded from the ground. We analyzed the relationship between satellite and ground observations using generalized linear mixed models (GLMMs). Ground observations of leaf turnover were significantly correlated with optical indices derived from Sentinel-2 optical data (the normalized difference vegetation index and the green leaf index), but not with SAR data derived from Sentinel-1. We demonstrate, perhaps for the first time, how the leaf phenology of individual large-canopied tropical trees can directly influence the spectral signature of satellite pixels through time. Additionally, while the level of uncertainty in our model predictions is still very high, we believe this study shows that we are near the threshold for orbital monitoring of individual crowns within tropical forests, even in challenging locations, such as cloudy Gabon. Further technical advances in remote sensing instruments into the spatial and temporal scales relevant to organismal biological processes will unlock great potential to improve our understanding of the Earth system. © 2020 by the authors.
Source title: Remote Sensing
DOI: 10.3390/rs12030429
Link: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85080903616&doi=10.3390%2frs12030429&partnerID=40&md5=9aa84120338245197910867b35af18d6
Correspondence Address: Bush, E.R.; University of StirlingUnited Kingdom; email: e.r.bush@stir.ac.uk
Language of Original Document: English
Access Type: Article
Country: ; Gabon ;
Protected area: Lopé
Main topic: Biodiversity
Subtopic: Plants ; Biology / Ecology

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Abstract: Three new species of the Cameroonian endemic freshwater crab genus BueaCumberlidge, Mvogo Ndongo, Clark & Daniels, 2019 are described. The new species were collected from protected areas in the Southwest region of Cameroon, the Korup and Bakossi National Parks and the Mt. Nlonako Ecological Reserve. These species are distinguished from each other and from the type species of the genus, Buea asylos (Cumberlidge, 1993), by a combination of morphological characters (carapace, thoracic sternum, chelipeds, and male first gonopod) and by partial sequences of three mitochondrial DNA genes (COI, 12S rRNA, and 16S rRNA). A phylogenetic analysis that included representatives of all other freshwater crab genera found in Cameroon recovered each of the new species as a well-supported distinct lineage. An identification key is also provided for the four species of Buea and the conservation status of the new species is discussed. © 2020 The Author(s) 2020. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Crustacean Society. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.
Source title: Journal of Crustacean Biology
DOI: 10.1093/jcbiol/ruaa019
Link: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85087006956&doi=10.1093%2fjcbiol%2fruaa019&partnerID=40&md5=368b3e64ac7b3e237a78822e14a9c12b
Correspondence Address: Mvogo Ndongo, P.A.; Département de Gestion des Écosystèmes Aquatiques, Institut des Sciences Halieutiques, Université de Douala À YabassiCameroon; email: mpierrearmand@yahoo.fr
Language of Original Document: English
Access Type: Article
Country: ; Cameroon ;
Protected area: Korup ; Bakossi
Main topic: Biodiversity
Subtopic: Animals ; Invertebrates ; Taxonomy ; Biology / Ecology ; Genetics

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Abstract: African forest elephants (Loxodonta cyclotis Matschie, 1900) are ecological engineers that play a fundamental role in vegetation dynamics. The species is of immediate conservation concern, yet it is relatively understudied. To narrow this knowledge gap, we studied the drivers of daily movement patterns (linear displacements) of forest elephants—characterised by a set of geographical, meteorological and anthropogenic variables—in the Odzala-Kokoua National Park, Republic of Congo. Explicitly, we used conditional random forest to model and disentangle the main environmental factors governing the displacements of six forest elephants, fitted with GPS collars and tracked over 16 months. Results indicated that females moved further distances than males, while the presence of roads or human settlements disrupted elephant behaviour resulting in faster displacements. Forest elephants moved faster along watercourses and through forest with understory dominated by Marantaceae forests and bais, but moved slower in savannahs. Finally, flood-prone areas—described by elevation and accumulated precipitation—and higher temperatures prevented longer displacements. We expect these results to improve the knowledge on the species movements through different habitats, which would benefit its conservation management. © 2019 John Wiley & Sons Ltd
Source title: African Journal of Ecology
DOI: 10.1111/aje.12695
Link: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85073977922&doi=10.1111%2faje.12695&partnerID=40&md5=3c2f0408cce84f9357ba643847ff0be5
Correspondence Address: Molina-Vacas, G.; Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Biology, University of BarcelonaSpain; email: guillemolinavacas@gmail.com
Language of Original Document: English
Access Type: Article
Country: ; Republic of Congo ;
Protected area: Odzala Kokoua
Main topic: Biodiversity
Subtopic: Animals ; Vertebrates ; Mammals ; Ungulates ; Elephants ; Biology / Ecology ; Survey / Monitoring

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Abstract: Globally, forest reserves are threatened by human induced deforestation and forest degradation. Within the Congo Basin, substantial deforestation has been quantified over the past years following the recent advancement in remote sensing and GIS applications in forestry research. Satellite images and ground based data are used to map deforestation, forest degradation and disturbances and their corresponding drivers. In Cameroon, recent studies show a general increase in deforestation over the past years. In most forest reserves of the Western Highlands, forest cover loss is basically as a result of rising population of in-situ and nearby settled communities. The Metchie-Ngoum Protection Forest Reserve (PFR) is but one. The study evaluates forest cover changes in the Metchie-Ngoum PFR using remote sensing and ground observations. It was revealed that forest cover though remained relatively stable over the study period (1984–2015), witnessed much degradation resulting to 36.11% estimated secondary forest cover by 1984. Secondary forest also experienced a cumulative loss to clearings/farms and built-up area from 1984 to 2000. The year 2000 was the most alarming. Forest loss is linked to oil palm expansion, increase population and built-up area and settlement related activities like logging. Faced with such rising threat on forest reserves, only a concerted action can guide sustainable forest management and conservation. The study thus recommends the design and implementation of a guided forest conservation policy which gradually applies proper sensitization, frequent visits by eco-guards, less intimidation, participatory forest mapping and the incorporation of forest communities in the sustainable management of forest reserves. © 2018
Source title: Egyptian Journal of Remote Sensing and Space Science
DOI: 10.1016/j.ejrs.2018.12.002
Link: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85059345478&doi=10.1016%2fj.ejrs.2018.12.002&partnerID=40&md5=f53ee816cdd511aa09301b3df092724f
Correspondence Address: Meli Fokeng, R.; Department of Geography and Planning, Faculty of Arts, University of BamendaCameroon; email: rfokeng@yahoo.com
Language of Original Document: English
Access Type: Article
Country: ; Cameroon ;
Protected area: Santchou
Main topic: Environment
Subtopic: Land use / cover ; Forests

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Abstract: This paper is a contribution to the distribution, taxonomy and phenology of Orthoptera Tettigoniidae of Central African Republic. Thanks to scientific expeditions and entomological missions, 2155 Orthoptera belonging to 118 species of five subfamilies of Tettigoniidae have currently been studied. Examined material is here listed with its known distribution. New genera and species have been found and here described: Eurycoplangiodes sanghaensis Massa, n. gen. and n. sp. Paraeulioptera emitflesti Massa, n. gen. and n. sp., Paraeurycorypha Massa, n. gen. ocellata Massa et Annoyer, n. sp., Arantia (Arantia) gretae Massa, n. sp., Arantia (Euarantia) syssamagalei Massa et Annoyer, n. sp. and Dapanera brevistylata Massa, n. sp. Overall, from 2012 to 2020, the study of the orthopteran material collected in the scientific expeditions to Central Africa carried out since 1984, enabled the description of 6 new genera and 27 new species. They represent 22.8% of the total amount of species currently recorded in the protected areas where this scientific activity has been carried out. This demonstrates that these areas still hold a high number of new species, representing a biodiversity hotspot. © 2020 Magnolia Press
Source title: Zootaxa
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4780.3.1
Link: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85085973538&doi=10.11646%2fzootaxa.4780.3.1&partnerID=40&md5=f089b718cad8dc3155b16774227b2706
Correspondence Address: Massa, B.; Department of Agriculture, Food and Forest Sciences, University of Palermo, Viale Scienze Bd 5A, Italy; email: bruno.massa@unipa.it
Language of Original Document: English
Access Type: Article
Country: ; Central African Republic ;
Protected area: Dzanga-Sangha ; Dzanga-Ndoki
Main topic: Biodiversity
Subtopic: Animals ; Invertebrates ; Taxonomy ; Biology / Ecology ; Genetics

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Abstract: [No abstract available]
Source title: African Journal of Ecology
DOI: 10.1111/aje.12759
Link: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85086508666&doi=10.1111%2faje.12759&partnerID=40&md5=9fa74b2035ca42360939ed518a372665
Correspondence Address: Lehmann, D.; Agence Nationale des Parcs Nationaux, University of Stirling, Biological and Environmental SciencesGabon; email: mandrill.lope.anpn@gmail.com
Language of Original Document: English
Access Type: Note
Country: ; Gabon ;
Protected area: Lopé
Main topic: Biodiversity
Subtopic: Animals ; Vertebrates ; Mammals ; Bats ; Survey / Monitoring ; Biology / Ecology

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Abstract: Virungas National Park, Rwanda, is a pristine wild environment abutting some of the most fertile agricultural land in Africa. Climate and altitude provide ideal conditions for many valuable crops there. In this paper, Human Wildlife Conflict (HWC) is highlighted in an excerpt from a fieldwork diary. Various elements that contribute to a wider understanding of challenges faced by various groups, including wildlife are explored through the perspective of global economic and political forces. The paper adopts an interdisciplinary approach from a perspective firmly grounded in conservation biology. It addresses a need for dialogue across fields and disciplines in order to contribute to more robust and effective strategies for both rain forest conservation and the well-being of precarious agricultural, hunter-gatherer and wildlife communities. Human agency in the face of monolithic business models, of ‘primitive’ versus ‘modern’ binaries, and the sustainability of conservation models that exclude such perspectives are outlined and explored. © 2020, © 2020 The Society for Folk Life Studies.
Source title: Folk Life
DOI: 10.1080/04308778.2020.1734155
Link: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85081722575&doi=10.1080%2f04308778.2020.1734155&partnerID=40&md5=9e789ca5387c2a4fcfd1737baa87e739
Correspondence Address: Mc Guinness, S.; School of Architecture, Planning and Environmental Policy, University College, DublinIreland; email: mcguinsk@tcd.ie
Language of Original Document: English
Access Type: Article
Country: ; Rwanda ; Democratic Republic of Congo ;
Protected area: Volcans ; Virunga
Main topic: Humans
Subtopic: Human-wildlife conflicts ; Perceptions / Behaviors ; Governance / Policy ; Periphery / Management ; Agriculture ; Non-timber forest products ; Hunting / Poaching ; Conservation initiatives

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Abstract: Illegal activities and use of park resources are the main challenges facing mountain gorilla (Gorilla beringei beringei) conservation and the protection of their habitats in the East Africa’s Greater Virunga Transboundary Landscape (GVTL). Indigenous residents around GVTL are considered the primary illegal users of park resources. Despite this, there is limited understanding of the current and past perceptions of indigenous residents living in communities adjacent to two GVTL parks; Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda. Equally, there is also limited understanding regarding the actual incidences of illegal activities inside both parks. This paper addresses these gaps. Perception data were collected from indigenous residents living adjacent to both parks. Further, Ranger-based Monitoring (RbM) data from both parks were analyzed to determine actual numbers and types of illegal activities over the 9-year period. Interestingly, findings indicated that residents perceived the prevalence of illegal activities to be decreasing across GVTL. To the contrary, RbM findings indicated that the number of actual illegal activities was increasing significantly, particularly in Volcanoes National Park. The discrepancy found between the two perspectives provides for a discussion of the social biases potentially present in these data, and their implications for management. Results also illuminated the subsistence-related nature of most illegal behaviors and suggest that to reduce illegal activities and local dependency on park resources, park management must work with communities and support them in tapping into alternative livelihoods and finding ways to address community household subsistence needs. © 2020, Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.
Source title: Environmental Management
DOI: 10.1007/s00267-020-01254-z
Link: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85078054127&doi=10.1007%2fs00267-020-01254-z&partnerID=40&md5=cf00ddceab5f9c721e9e0133daa251b8
Correspondence Address: Sabuhoro, E.; Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management, College of Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences, Clemson UniversityUnited States; email: sabuhoro@yahoo.com
Language of Original Document: English
Access Type: Article
Country: ; Rwanda ;
Protected area: Volcans
Main topic: Humans
Subtopic: Perceptions / Behaviors ; Periphery / Management ; Conservation initiatives ; Hunting / Poaching ; Income-generating activities

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Abstract: In the recent past, peste des petits ruminants (PPR) emerged in East Africa causing outbreaks in small livestock across different countries, with evidences of spillover to wildlife. In order to understand better PPR at the wildlife-livestock interface, we investigated patterns of peste des petits ruminants virus (PPRV) exposure, disease outbreaks, and viral sequences in the northern Albertine Rift. PPRV antibodies indicated a widespread exposure in apparently healthy wildlife from South Sudan (2013) and Uganda (2015, 2017). African buffaloes and Uganda kobs <1-year-old from Queen Elizabeth National Park (2015) had antibodies against PPRV N-antigen and local serosurvey captured a subsequent spread of PPRV in livestock. Outbreaks with PPR-like syndrome in sheep and goats were recorded around the Greater Virunga Landscape in Kasese (2016), Kisoro and Kabale (2017) from western Uganda, and in North Kivu (2017) from eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). This landscape would not be considered typical for PPR persistence as it is a mixed forest-savannah ecosystem with mostly sedentary livestock. PPRV sequences from DRC (2017) were identical to strains from Burundi (2018) and confirmed a transboundary spread of PPRV. Our results indicate an epidemiological linkage between epizootic cycles in livestock and exposure in wildlife, denoting the importance of PPR surveillance on wild artiodactyls for both conservation and eradication programs. © 2020 by the authors
Source title: Viruses
DOI: 10.3390/v12030293
Link: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85081647171&doi=10.3390%2fv12030293&partnerID=40&md5=41b6a1d9b361651d73a3fc87284d7829
Correspondence Address: Aguilar, X.F.; Department of Pathobiology and Population Sciences, Royal Veterinary CollegeUnited Kingdom; email: xfdezaguilar@gmail.com
Language of Original Document: English
Access Type: Article
Country: ; Democratic Republic of Congo ;
Protected area: Virunga
Main topic: Health
Subtopic: Animal health

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Abstract: Peering through the lens of illegal charcoal production in the forested areas of Virunga National Park in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, this paper makes a case for disaggregating the notion of “the state” to better capture “the political” in contemporary political forests. It argues that to identify the fluctuating importance of different dimensions of “stateness”, it is crucial to acknowledge the polymorphous socio-spatial relations that produce political forests. Thus, we draw on the notions of territory, place, scale and network (TPSN) to examine how “stateness” in Virunga has transformed under the particularisation, transnationalisation, and regionalisation of authority. This approach allows us to show how these processes do not only stem from neoliberalisation, but are also driven by, inter alia, regional warfare and non-state militarisation. The resulting complexity of the regulatory landscape turns Virunga into a space marked by a plurality of partly overlapping and partly conflicting political forests. © 2018 The Authors. Antipode © 2018 Antipode Foundation Ltd.
Source title: Antipode
DOI: 10.1111/anti.12492
Link: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85058995877&doi=10.1111%2fanti.12492&partnerID=40&md5=58088c0a70e6e8bc80c1e4d2ab1ba4ef
Correspondence Address: Marijnen, E.; Conflict Research Group, Ghent UniversityBelgium; email: esther.marijnen@ugent.be
Language of Original Document: English
Access Type: Article
Country: ; Democratic Republic of Congo ;
Protected area: Virunga
Main topic: Humans
Subtopic: Governance / Policy ; Income-generating activities ; Periphery / Management ; Armed conflicts