Increased isolation of two Biosphere Reserves and surrounding protected areas (WAP ecological complex, West Africa)

Contexte et objectifs – La conservation durable de la biodiversité requiert une bonne compréhension des causes de son déclin. Mis à part les activités humaines, les changements climatiques se révèlent comme la principale menace qui pèse sur la biodiversité au 21ème siècle. Notre étude vise à déterminer l’impact du changement climatique sur les Ptéridophytes au Togo.Méthodologie – En se basant sur 2865 occurrences de Ptéridophytes couvrant toute l’Afrique de l’Ouest et regroupés en 5 groupes écologiques, les distributions actuelle et future des Ptéridophytes ont été modélisées grâce à Maxent. La capacité de conservation des aires protégées du Togo vis-à-vis de ces plantes a été évaluée.Résultats clés – Nos résultats montrent que 9,81% du pays peut abriter simultanément l’ensemble des groupes de ptéridophytes. Les précipitations des périodes sèches, l’isothermalité et la saisonnalité de la température sont les variables climatiques qui contraignent le plus leurs niches en Afrique de l’Ouest et particulièrement au Togo. Exceptés les taxons thermophiles dont les zones climatiquement favorables devraient quasiment doubler à l’horizon 2070, les niches des autres groupes devraient se restreindre drastiquement au Togo. Seules les aires protégées du tiers sud des Monts Togo pourront garantir la conservation des niches climatiques actuelles et futures des ptéridophytes dans le pays.Conclusions – Le sud des Monts Togo constituera probablement un refuge climatique pour les ptéridophytes au Togo. Toutefois, la faiblesse de l’étendue des aires protégées dans cette partie du pays pourrait constituer une source de vulnérabilité pour ces plantes. Vulnerability of pteridophytes to climate change and implications for their conservation in Togo (west Africa) Background and aims – The sustainable conservation of biodiversity requires a good understanding of the causes of its decline. Apart from human activities, climate change is the major threat to global biodiversity during the 21st century. Our study aims to determine the impact of climate change on pteridophytes in Togo.Methods – Based on 2865 occurrences of pteridophytes covering West Africa and grouped into 5 ecological groups, current and future distributions of pteridophytes were modelized using Maxent. The conservation capacity of Togolese protected areas for these plants was assessed.Key results – Our results show that 9.81% of the country can shelter simultaneously all groups of pteridophytes. Precipitations of the driest periods, isothermality and temperature seasonality are the climatic variables which constrain the most their niche in West Africa and particularly in Togo. Apart from thermophilic taxa whose climatically suitable niche is expected to nearly double by 2070, niche of all other group should be drastically restricted in Togo. Only protected areas in the southern third of Togo Mountains would guarantee current and future climatic niches for pteridophytes in the country.Conclusions – Southern Togo Mountains will probably constitute a climatic refugium for Pteridophytes in Togo. However, the small extent of protected areas in this part of the country would be a source of vulnerability for these plants.

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Moving beyond the illusion of participation in the governance of Yangambi Biosphere Reserve (Tshopo Province, Democratic Republic of Congo)

Nature Conservation ◽

10.3897/natureconservation.33.30781 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 33 ◽

pp. 33-54

Author(s):

Justin Kyale Koy ◽

Alphonse Maindo Monga Ngonga ◽

D. Andrew Wardell

Keyword(s):

Protected Areas ◽

Democratic Republic ◽

Democratic Republic Of Congo ◽

Local Development ◽

Biosphere Reserve ◽

Local Communities ◽

Sources Of Information ◽

Biosphere Reserves ◽

Republic Of Congo ◽

Conservation Projects

The participation of local communities in the governance of protected areas in the Democratic Republic of Congo is challenged by several external and local factors. This article aims to understand the representation of local communities and factors that influence their participation in the governance of the Yangambi Biosphere Reserve. Three principal sources of information (archival records, focus group and semi-structured interviews) were used to collect data. The results indicate a top-down participatory approach. The cumulative failure of several projects in the context of local development has led to different perceptions by local communities of their role in the participative governance of Yangambi Biosphere Reserve. Initiatives in participatory management and local development only function during the lifetime of externally-funded projects when initiators are present in the intervention area. The results call into question formal claims made by both conservation projects and the Congolese government regarding the actual participation of local communities in the governance of Biosphere Reserves. Furthermore, although Biosphere Reserves in DRC are recognized as part of the national network of protected areas since 2002, their management is still not aligned to either the Seville Strategy or the statutory framework of the world network of Biosphere Reserves. To achieve this, local development initiatives need to focus on poverty alleviation (through the diversification of income sources, entrepreneurship, farmer training and the creation of employment opportunities) and a better understanding of local practices and cultures in the design of such projects.

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Agriculture is the primary driver of tree cover loss across the Forestière region of the Republic of Guinea, Africa

Environmental Research Communications ◽

10.1088/2515-7620/ac4278 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Maegan Fitzgerald ◽

Janet Nackoney ◽

Peter V Potapov ◽

Svetlana Turubanova

Keyword(s):

West Africa ◽

Change Detection ◽

Protected Areas ◽

Spatial Data ◽

Tree Cover ◽

Conservation Strategies ◽

Forest Change ◽

Mammal Species ◽

Detection Model ◽

Primary Driver

Abstract Biodiversity hotspots are conservation priority areas that feature exceptionally high levels of species endemism and high levels of habitat loss. The Guinean Forests of West Africa hotspot, home to a quarter of all the mammal species of Africa, has experienced high levels of forest loss within its protected areas. Here, we analyzed tree cover loss and its proximate drivers within Guinée Forestière, a high biodiversity region within the Guinean Forests of West Africa hotspot, both inside and outside protected areas. Using Landsat analysis ready data and a regionally calibrated, annual forest change detection model, we mapped tree cover loss occurring across this region from 2000 to 2018. We quantified the area of tree cover loss and identified proximate drivers using a statistical sample of reference data. The total tree cover loss in Guinée Forestière between years 2000 and 2018 was 10,907 km2 (SE 889 km2), which consists of approximately 25% of the region’s total land area. Of this total loss, 364 km2 (SE 91 km2) occurred within protected areas of high biodiversity value. Tree cover loss was not consistent across high biodiversity areas and did not appear to be related to protected area classification. Smallholder agriculture (subsistence and cash crop farming) was the primary driver of tree cover loss across Guinée Forestière. This research provides multitemporal spatial data on tree cover dynamics that is required for effective implementation of sustainable management and biodiversity conservation strategies within the broader socioecological landscape of Guinée Forestière. We also highlight important limitations to consider and address when using remote sensing to automate change detection across landscapes.

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Termites (Blattodea Latreille 1810, Termitoidae Latreille 1802) of Abuko Nature Reserve, Nyambai Forest Park and Tanji Bird Reserve (The Gambia)

Insects ◽

10.3390/insects10050122 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 10 (5) ◽

pp. 122

Author(s):

Abdoulaye Baila Ndiaye ◽

Ebrima Njie ◽

Paul A. Correa

Keyword(s):

West Africa ◽

Protected Areas ◽

Nature Reserve ◽

The Gambia ◽

Western Region ◽

Termite Species ◽

Forest Park ◽

Ecological Information ◽

Macrotermes Bellicosus ◽

Amitermes Evuncifer

From 28 October to 5 November 2013, a termite study was undertaken in 3 protected sites in The Gambia (West Africa). The aim of the study is to investigate the diversity of termites in three protected areas in the western region of the country. Termite sampling is carried out in 100 m × 2 m transects that are replicated three (3) times in each site. A total of thirty-one (31) termite species, that belong to fungus growing (11), harvester (1), humuvorous (12) and xylophagous (7), were recorded. The following nineteen (19) species are new to The Gambia: Coptotermes intermedius, Astalotermes near quietus, Ancistrotermes cavithorax, Macrotermes bellicosus, Microtermes grassei, M. lepidus, M. subhyalinus, Odontotermes erraticus, O. pauperans, O. sudanensis, Basidentitermes sp., Euchilotermes tensus arcuata, Noditermes cristifrons, Amitermes evuncifer, Amitermes spinifer, Microcerotermes fuscotibialis, Microcerotermes near parvulus, Microcerotermes near solidus and Promirotermes holmgreni. Additional description and/or ecological information on Odontotermes erraticus, Cubitermes severus, Cubitermes n. proximatus, Euchilotermes tensus arcuata, Basidentitermes sp., and Noditermes cristifrons are given.

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Perception of threats and related management measures: The case of 32 marine protected areas in West Africa

Marine Policy ◽

10.1016/j.marpol.2020.103936 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 117 ◽

pp. 103936 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Pierre Failler ◽

Grégoire Touron-Gardic ◽

Benjamin Drakeford ◽

Oumar Sadio ◽

Marie-Suzanne Traoré

Keyword(s):

West Africa ◽

Protected Areas ◽

Marine Protected Areas ◽

Management Measures

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LAND USE AND LAND DEGRADATION ISSUES IN THE CONTEXT OF THE UNESCO “MAN & BIOSPHERE” PROGRAMME

Problems of Geography ◽

10.24057/probl.geogr.152.8 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

G.S. KUST ◽

◽

O.V. ANDREEVA ◽

V.A. LOBKOVSKIY ◽

V.D. SLAVKO

Keyword(s):

Land Use ◽

Protected Areas ◽

Land Management ◽

Land Degradation ◽

Management Practices ◽

Action Plan ◽

Biosphere Reserve ◽

Sustainable Land Management ◽

Biosphere Reserves ◽

Aichi Biodiversity Targets

A brief historical overview of approaches to study the problem of land use and land degradation in the MAB UNESCO program is provided. Over the past 50 years these issues remain important although the general strategic approach to their research and solving has changed from a multilateral study of land management and land degradation in different geographic and socio-economic conditions with an emphasis on natural diversity, to practices and approaches of sustainable land management in biosphere reserves, as reflected in MAB Strategy (2015-2025) and Lima Action Plan (2016-2025). Many of the MAB initiatives in the field of sustainable land management and combating land degradation have been further reflected and revised in different international programs and conventions. The development of these approaches and the integration of the MAB program with other modern activities can significantly increase the effectiveness of the results of Strategic Direction “A” of the Lima Action Plan on the use of UNESCO Biosphere Reserves as models for sustainable development. Five objectives are proposed for closer cooperation of the MAB program and its network of biosphere reserves with other international and national measures for promoting sustainable land management practices and combating land degradation: 1) using biosphere reserves as priority sites and observatories for comparative assessments of indicators of land degradation neutrality (LDN) for protected areas and adjacent territories in similar bioclimatic conditions; 2) use of data obtained through the series of observations in the territory of protected areas as the most important additional or alternative indicators and measures for the LDN interpretation; 3) biosphere reserves as models for selecting effective solutions reflecting the triad of adaptive actions to avoid degradation, reduce the rate of degradation and restore previously degraded lands; 4) achieving LDN on the territory of biosphere reserves through the implementation of the Aichi biodiversity targets; 5) the use of LDN as a criterion for evaluating the effectiveness of the activities of biosphere reserves. Preliminary results of the LDN assessment for Central Chernozem State Natural Biosphere Reserve and Middle Volga Integrated Biosphere Reserve and their adjacent territories provided to demonstrate the possibility of performing some of the objectives listed.

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Biosphere Reserves and Protected Areas: A Liaison Dangereuse or a Mutually Beneficial Relationship?

Nature Policies and Landscape Policies ◽

10.1007/978-3-319-05410-0_11 ◽

2014 ◽

pp. 105-117 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Giorgio Andrian ◽

Massimo Tufano

Keyword(s):

Protected Areas ◽

Biosphere Reserves

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