Impacts of REDD+ in Mexico: Experiences of Two Local Communities in Campeche

In 2010, the Mexican National Forestry Commission (Spanish acronym CONAFOR) implemented REDD+ early action activities in priority states, including Campeche. This article explores the impact of the forestry programs promoted under REDD+ on the diversification of household activities, benefit-sharing among local groups, and forest cover changes in two local communities in Campeche. It examines whether the design and implementation of these programs responded to local aspirations for equity and rural development by combining ethnographic and documental methods. In addition, it quantifies land-cover change (2013-2018) using high-resolution imagery and spatial analysis. It found no intracommunity equity or sustainable activity diversification resulting from the REDD+ implementation. Deforestation for livestock and agricultural mechanization was the dominant process observed both in dense and open forests. Although it has not made the situation worse, REDD+ has yet to provide social benefits for these two communities. To be considered a viable option locally, the program design under REDD+ must combine the implementation of several sustainable productive activities over a longer period and provide net monetary benefits to all local groups.

Time Series Analysis Using Digital Classification of Data on Land Use and Land Cover in Dohuk Governorate

This study deals with the analysis and detection of changes in land cover patterns and land uses, especially forests in Amadiya district in Dohuk Governorate. It carred out in northern of Iraq by area is (2775.21) km2 and the district is located astronomically between longitudes (01/04 ° 43), (17/08 ° 44), it extends between two circles of latitude, which are (16/50 ° 36) and ('30.'21 ° 37) north, during the periods (1999-2006-2013-2019). Application of the Supervised Classification and the detection of change over time in a comparative manner and by relying on the satellite images of the Land sat ETM satellite were used. The Landsat OLI satellite with a distinctive capacity of 30 meters in the Arc map 10.6.1 program, and one of the indicators of environmental degradation in the land cover patterns, which is the NDVI index for all study periods, was used to reveal the role of natural and human factors that lead to changes in the land cover patterns in the study area. The classification revealed the existence of five types of common land cover, which included dense forests, open forests, urban areas, bare soil and water, which showed clear changes in these land coverings during the period from 1999 to 2019, which were represented by a decrease in forests, bare soil and water by a percentage of (54.76601%), (5.212329%), (2.149469%) respectively, while the Dense and urban areas by (16.35919%) and (21.51301%) in 2019, respectively. The classification accuracy of the Spatial indication was estimated based on the error matrix from there we found that the accuracy was (93.29%) this indicates that the classification accuracy is very good It is acceptable and can relied upon and recommended for classification.

IMPACT OF GOLD MINING ON FLORA: THE CASE OF THE SISSENGUE GOLD MINE (NORTHERN COTE DIVOIRE)

This study was initiated to contribute to the sustainable management of biodiversity in mining sites in Cote dIvoire. Its objective is to determine the impacts of gold mining activities on the flora of the Sissengue gold mine located in the department of Tengrela in northern Cote dIvoire. The flora inventory was conducted along a 500 m transect combined with the surface survey and roving inventory methods. The surface survey method consisted of delimiting a 25 m x 25 m (400 m2) plot at the end of each transect. In total, nine (09) types of land use were identified in the site, namely annual crops, perennial crops, open forests, forest galleries, tree savannahs, shrub savannahs, burned areas, lakes or water reservoirs, and locality. The floristic inventories carried out in seven (07) types of land occupations allowed the identification of 207 plant species distributed among 155 genera and 61 families. In addition, thirteen (13) species with special ecological status and seven (07) species included in the IUCN red list, four of which are vulnerable. However, the floristic diversity is low in all plant formations with an average of 1.91. The shrubby savannahs record the highest densities with 1705 stems/ha while the forest galleries and open forests record the highest values of basal area, with respectively 37.2 m2/ha and 28.1 m2/ha. These vegetation formations are disturbed by the mines gold mining activities. Efforts to conserve areas dedicated to biodiversity conservation must be a priority for mining sites in Cote dIvoire.

Cananga odorata (ylang-ylang).

Cananga odorata is known as the perfume tree or ylang-ylang, and the flowers (also leaves and fruits) yield an important essential oil widely used in perfume manufacture. The essential oil also has a wide range of medicinal uses. Cananga odorata can grow to a height of about 30 m with a straight stem and drooping, brittle branches, but when grown for perfume extraction it is normally not more than 3 m high. The tree is native to Southeast Asia, however, it has been widely planted, mainly in home gardens, as an ornamental, multipurpose species. It is found naturalized or planted in many tropical and subtropical areas of the World (particularly as an occasional species in fallow forests, open forests and along forest margins), including China, Taiwan and many of the Pacific Islands. The timber is used locally for construction purposes, for canoes, and occasionally for fuelwood. The species is also known to be sold and used for folk medicine. Medicinal uses include treatment of boils, as a carminative, for treatment of cephalgia, diarrhoea, gout, malaria, eye problems, rheumatism and as an emmenagogue (Duke, 2014).

Diversité végétale et usages des plantes dans une zone de savane soudanienne : Cas de la localité de Ferkessédougou (Nord, Côte d'Ivoire)

En Côte d’Ivoire, principalement dans le nord, on observe la présence de plusieurs formations végétales très variées allant des forêts claires et aux différents faciès de savanes. Dans la localité de Ferkessédougou, une étude a été menée dans le but de connaître la flore, la végétation et de l’usage des plantes. Cette étude a permis de recenser 192 espèces de végétales. Elles se répartissent en 148 genres et 64 familles. Parmi ces espèces, certaines ont été identifiées comme alimentaires, médicinales ou à divers autres usages. Aussi, vingt sont considérées comme des espèces ayant un statut particulier et qui nécessite une attention particulière en vue de leur protection ainsi que les habitats où elles se rencontrent. La présence de ces espèces peut constituer des indicateurs clés pour le suivi environnemental de la zone d’étude.Mots clés : Diversité végétale, Services écosystémiques, savane soudanienne, Ferkessédougou, Côte d’Ivoire. English Title: Plant diversity and plant uses in a Sudanese savannah area: Case of the locality of Ferkessédougou (North, Côte d'Ivoire)In Ivory Coast, mainly in the north, we observe the presence of several very varied plant vegetations anging from open forests to different facies of savannah. In the locality of Ferkessédougou, a study was carried out to learn about the flora, vegetation and the use of plants. This study identified 192 species of plants. They are divided into 148 genera and 64 families. Among these species, some have been identified as food, medicinal or various other uses. Also, twenty are considered to be species with a special status and which requires very special attention for their protection as well as the habitats where they occur. The presence of these species can constitute key indicators for the environmental monitoring of the study area. Keywords: Plant diversity, Ecosystem services, Sudanese savannah, Ferkessédougou, Ivory Coast.

Tripsacum dactyloides (eastern gamagrass).

Tripsacum dactyloides is cultivated as a forage crop in areas within and outside its native distribution range. The species establishes slowly and competes poorly with annual grasses and weeds during its first year of establishment, but after that, it competes effectively with most perennial and broadleaf plants. Currently, T. dactyloides is listed as invasive only in Cuba. However, this species is often reported to be growing as a 'weed' in ruderal areas, forest edges, and disturbed and open forests in areas within and outside its native distribution range.

Desmodium cajanifolium (tropical tick trefoil).

Desmodium cajanifolium is a perennial shrub considered as invasive in Hawaii, USA, by Frohlich and Lau (2012), who reported it as a weedy species naturalised along roadsides, open forests and secondary vegetation on the Big Island and Kaua'i. At the same time, Benitez et al. (2012) report D. cajanifolium as a species that is rarely found along roadsides and in forests in Hawaii. D. cajanifolium is not listed as an invasive species on Pacific Islands Ecosystems at Risk (PIER, 2020). No details about its effects over other species or habitats are given.Desmodium cajanifolium is listed as potentially invasive in Cuba, being classified as a species with a tendency to proliferate in some areas and producing vast amounts of diaspores with a high dispersal capacity (Oviedo Prieto et al., 2012). It is considered as uncommon in parts of its native distribution (Flora of Nicaragua, 2020) and as scattered throughout its range (Flora of Panama, 2020).

Comparative mitochondrial phylogeography of two legless lizards (Pygopodidae) from Queensland’s fragmented woodlands

Sclerophyll woodlands and open forests once covered vast areas of eastern Australia, but have been greatly fragmented and reduced in extent since European settlement. The biogeographic and evolutionary history of the biota of eastern Australia’s woodlands also remains poorly known, especially when compared to rainforests to the east, or the arid biome to the west. Here we present an analysis of patterns of mitochondrial genetic diversity in two species of Pygopodid geckos with distributions centred on the Brigalow Belt Bioregion of eastern Queensland. One moderately large and semi-arboreal species, Paradelma orientalis, shows low genetic diversity and no clear geographic structuring across its wide range. In contrast a small and semi-fossorial species, Delma torquata, consists of two moderately divergent clades, one from the ranges and upland of coastal areas of south-east Queensland, and other centred in upland areas further inland. These data point to varying histories of geneflow and refugial persistance in eastern Australia’s vast but now fragmented open woodlands. The Carnarvon Ranges of central Queensland are also highlighted as a zone of persistence for cool and/or wet-adapted taxa, however the evolutionary history and divergence of most outlying populations in these mountains remains unstudied.