The management of protected areas (PAs) and their surrounding landscapes is generally associated with the response of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to biodiversity conservation and climate change. The general aim is to reduce deforestation and preserve biodiversity. This preliminary study aims to identify the local knowledge and potential challenges associated with their valorisation in the Rubi-Tele Hunting Area (RTHA), a PA in the northern DRC. The methodological approach included the combination of qualitative and quantitative elements through a triangulation approach, and results show that the collective memory of local communities retains traditional knowledge (practices, beliefs, and perceptions) that promote biodiversity preservation. Unfortunately, changes in the socio-economic situation of the country and the local context threaten this knowledge. Additionally, l’Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature (ICCN) has not tried to build on traditional knowledge memory to promote local biodiversity conservation. To avoid deforestation and a biodiversity crisis, the participatory approach can be useful for mainstreaming traditional/local knowledge in the management plan of protected areas of the DRC, such as RTHA.
Tag: biodiversity
Analysis of forest-related policies for supporting ecosystem services-based forest management in Bangladesh
The role of the ecosystem services concept in natural resource management policies is gaining popularity globally as a means to offer increased protection of biodiversity conservation, integrated natural resource management and for promoting sustainable forest management. However, assessments of the concept in supporting forest management, through its inclusion in forest policy, is yet to be fully understood in a developing-country context. We analysed national forest-related policy to determine if the elements of the ecosystem services concept or ecosystem services categories were represented in order to support regional and national forest and tree management and rural livelihoods in Bangladesh. Specifically we assessed the policy objectives, statements and proposed programmes of ten policy/legislative documents. We applied a weighted scoring system to assess the coherence between existing policies and the ecosystem services concept and three categories of ecosystem services (provisioning, regulating and cultural services). It was found that, while ecosystem services were mentioned in all forest-related policies in Bangladesh, only one policy covered the ecosystem services concept. No policies provided details on operational aspects, including ecosystem services assessment, the decision-making process and scales of implementation. Different specific forest- and tree-based ecosystem services were not identified clearly in any current policy. All policies reviewed explicitly mentioned regulating services (i.e. carbon sequestration and water regulation) more often than provisioning and cultural services. Given this, we recommend that the current policies should consider ecosystem services-based management goals and decision-making in order to maximise the local benefits of forests and trees in the contexts of diverse social-ecological systems. Different specific forest- and tree-based ecosystem services should be clearly identified in the current forestry and other natural resource management policies in order to enhance the synergy between forests and competing land management practices.
Redundancy analysis with vegan and BiodiversityR as an alternative to Discriminant Analysis of Principal Components for the analysis of genetically structured populations
Jombart et al. 2010 described their methodology of Discriminant Analysis of Principal Components(DAPC) for the analysis of genetically structured populations as a new methodological approach that retained all the assets of Discriminant Analysis, whereas not being burdened by its limitation of requiring the number of variables (alleles) to be less than the number of observations (individuals).
Cluster diagrams with pvclust ggraph and ggplot2
The main objective of this document is to show a pathway of generating dendrograms via the ggraph package for results that were obtained via pvclust. I expect that similar pathways can be used to generate dendrograms with ggraph.
Adding dendrograms to ordination graphs with pvclust, vegan, BiodiversityR and ggplot2
The main objective of this document is to show a pathway of how dendrograms for results that were obtained via pvclust can be added to ordination graphs in ggplot2. This documents builds on previous document where I showed how to generate ordination graphs with vegan, BiodiversityR and ggplot2 and how to create dendrograms for pvclust results with ggraph.
Rebuilding Tree Cover in Deforested Cocoa Landscapes in Côte d’Ivoire: Factors Affecting the Choice of Species Planted
Intensive cocoa production in Côte d’Ivoire, the world’s leading cocoa producer, has grown at the expense of forest cover. To reverse this trend, the country has adopted a “zero deforestation” agricultural policy and committed to rehabilitating its forest cover through the planting of high-value tree species in cocoa landscapes using a participatory approach. However, little is known regarding the factors influencing farmers’ introduction of high-value tree species to cocoa landscapes. We tested the hypothesis that ten previously reported factors to influence agroforestry system adoption to predict the number and choice of tree species that farmers introduce to cocoa farms. We interviewed 683 households in the cocoa-producing zone of Côte d’Ivoire and counted tree species on their cocoa farms. On average, two tree species were recorded per surveyed farm. Generalized Poisson regression models revealed that, in the cocoa production area, experience in tree planting and expected benefits, including income and food, influence tree species introduction through planting or “retention” when clearing land for cocoa establishment. The age of the farmer also influenced (p = 0.017) farmers’ tree species planting on cocoa farms. Fewer tree species were introduced into current intensive cocoa-production areas than in “old cocoa-loops” and forested areas. The number of tree species introduced to cocoa farms increased with expected benefits and experience in tree planting. The number of planted tree species also increased with farmers’ age. Tree species were mostly selected for the provision of shade to cocoa, production of useful tree products (38%), and income from the sale of these products (7%). Fruit tree species were the most planted, while timber tree species were mostly spared when clearing land for cocoa production.
Structural diversity consistently mediates species richness effects on aboveground carbon along altitudinal gradients in Northern Ethiopian grazing exclosures
Grazing exclosures have been promoted as an effective and low-cost land management strategy to recover vegetation and associated functions in degraded landscapes in the tropics. While grazing exclosures can be important reservoirs of biodiversity and carbon, their potential in playing a dual role of conservation of biodiversity and mitigation of climate change effects is not yet established. To address this gap, we assessed the effect of diversity on aboveground carbon (AGC) and the relative importance of the driving biotic (functional diversity, functional composition and structural diversity) and abiotic (climate, topography and soil) mechanisms. We used a dataset from 133 inventory plots across three altitudinal zones, i.e., highland, midland and lowland, in northern Ethiopia, which allowed local- (within altitudinal zone) and broad- (across altitudinal zones) environmental scale analysis of diversity-AGC relationships. We found that species richness-AGC relationship shifted from neutral in highlands to positive in mid- and lowlands as well as across the altitudinal zones. Structural diversity was consistently the strongest mediator of the positive effects of species richness on AGC within and across altitudinal zones, whereas functional composition linked species richness to AGC at the broad environmental scale only. Abiotic factors had direct and indirect effects via biotic factors on AGC, but their relative importance varied with altitudinal zones. Our results indicate that the effect of species diversity on AGC was altitude-dependent and operated more strongly through structural diversity (representing niche complementarity effect) than functional composition (representing selection effect). Our study suggests that maintaining high structural diversity and managing functionally important species while promoting favourable climatic and soil conditions can enhance carbon storage in grazing exclosures.
How many bird and mammal extinctions has recent conservation action prevented?
Aichi Target 12 of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) contains the aim to ‘prevent extinctions of known threatened species’. To measure the degree to which this was achieved, we used expert elicitation to estimate the number of bird and mammal species whose extinctions were prevented by conservation action in 1993–2020 (the lifetime of the CBD) and 2010–2020 (the timing of Aichi Target 12). We found that conservation action prevented 21–32 bird and 7–16 mammal extinctions since 1993, and 9–18 bird and two to seven mammal extinctions since 2010. Many remain highly threatened and may still become extinct. Considering that 10 bird and five mammal species did go extinct (or are strongly suspected to) since 1993, extinction rates would have been 2.9–4.2 times greater without conservation action. While policy commitments have fostered significant conservation achievements, future biodiversity action needs to be scaled up to avert additional extinctions. © 2020 The Authors. Conservation Letters published by Wiley Periodicals LLC
Vegetation Analysis of Sanctuary and Forest Areas of Kalahan Forest Reserve Nueva Vizcaya and Pangasinan, Philippines
Many areas in the country are rich in biodiversity but are not assessed as they are not part of the identified protected areas of the country. One of which is the Kalahan Forest Reserve (KFR) managed by the Ikalahans, a cultural minority group that practices sustainable agroforestry systems. The study used a modified quadrat sampling method (QSM) where a total of eight 1-km transect with 20-m width were established to assess the biodiversity of the area. The sampling was undertaken in three layers: overstorey (10 plots each measuring 10 m x 10 m, spaced 100 m away from each other in each 1-km transect), intermediate (3 m x 3 m inside the 10 m x 10 m plot), and understorey (1 m x 1 m inside the 3 m x 3 m plot). Results of the study show that Benguet pine (Pinus insularis Endl) and brown oak (Quercus semecarpifolia Sm.) have high importance values of 49.07 and 45.80, respectively. Moreover, the results of the study indicate that KFR has very high biological diversity as manifested by the value of Shannon-Weiner (3.50) and the Shannon diversity index scale of Fernando. In terms of the presence of endemic species, KFR is home to 50 endemic species or has 45% endemism. Based on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List and DAO 2017-11 KFR has three threatened, two endangered, and three vulnerable species. Considering these results, KFR is worthy to be protected to conserve and enhance its biodiversity.
Four steps for the Earth: mainstreaming the post-2020 global biodiversity framework
The upcoming Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) meeting, and adoption of the new Global Biodiversity Framework, represent an opportunity to transform humanity’s relationship with nature. Restoring nature while meeting human needs requires a bold vision, including mainstreaming biodiversity conservation in society. We present a framework that could support this: the Mitigation and Conservation Hierarchy. This places the Mitigation Hierarchy for mitigating and compensating the biodiversity impacts of developments (1, avoid; 2, minimize; 3, restore; and 4, offset, toward a target such as “no net loss” of biodiversity) within a broader framing encompassing all conservation actions. We illustrate its application by national governments, sub-national levels (specifically the city of London, a fishery, and Indigenous groups), companies, and individuals. The Mitigation and Conservation Hierarchy supports the choice of actions to conserve and restore nature, and evaluation of the effectiveness of those actions, across sectors and scales. It can guide actions toward a sustainable future for people and nature, supporting the CBD’s vision. The adoption of the new Global Biodiversity Framework requires mainstreaming of biodiversity conservation into society. The Mitigation and Conservation Hierarchy places the Mitigation Hierarchy (1, avoid; 2, minimize; 3, restore; and 4, offset biodiversity impacts) within a broader framing encompassing all conservation actions. We illustrate its application by national governments, sub-national levels, companies, and individuals. This integrated framework supports the choice of actions to conserve and restore nature, and evaluation of their effectiveness, across sectors and scales. © 2021 The Authors