Aim: To identify invasive aquatic alien plant species found in the Pool Malebo and some rivers in Kinshasa city, their behavior as well as their socio-economic impacts. Study Design: The study used a combination of purposive sampling and simple random sampling in order to select different sites where samples were collected. Place and Duration of Study: This study was carried out in different rivers (Pool Malebo system (Kinkole, Kingabwa), and N'sele, Funa and Lukaya rivers) of Kinshasa city in Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Pool Malebo is located along the Congo River. This was conducted between March and October 2013. Methodology: The collection was performed after a direct observation. The location of collection depended on sites, at Kingabwa and Kinkole, we collected invasive species in the middle of the Congo river and to achieve that, we used canoe. While at N’sele, Lukaya and Funa rivers, samples were collected at the edges. The collection took place in the morning between 7 and 11 am. Recorded species were classified either alien species or invasive alien species according to the status in the study region. The identification of collected species was carried out according to APG III. Seeing the way these species invade the environment and how they disturb the ecology of rivers, the physico-chemical characteristics of waters were measured between 7:00 and 11:00 am with the appropriate electronic probe for each parameter. For each parameter, the comparison between the sites was carried out using the ANOVA test with XLSTAT 2013 software. Results: Out of 151 specimens collected, 35 species have been identified of which 19 species as alien were identified and 4 proved to be invasive alien species, namely: Eichhornia crassipes, Echinochloa pyramidalis, Ludwigia peploides and Pistia stratiotes. These invasive species are used by farmers as livestock feed and also as green manure for different agricultural and farming activities, As to the physico-chemical characteristics, no significant differences were observed for the temperature and the turbidity in various sites while the pH and conductivity, there was a highly significant difference between different sites. The hydrology of these rivers is seriously disturbed due to the presence of these invasive alien species. These species constitute a serious threat in the erosion of aquatic biodiversity in the removal of native species in the formation of floating monospecific dense mats as observed. Conclusion: The invasion of alien species is a consequence of human activities and a concern, which affects all sectors of the society. It constitutes a true challenge for ecologists, economists, social scientists, agricultural engineers, environmentalists and other in order to develop and implement strong risk analysis frameworks and environmental impact assessments.

The current relevance of Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) as well as plant genetic resources (PGRs) for foresters and indigenous populations has prompted numerous initiatives in the last decade. In order to assess the environmental impact of the Plant Genetic Resources (PGRs) used as packaging, a survey was carried out on 64 respondents between April 2017 and March 2018 along the axes of Mongata-Kinshasa-Kisantu, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The findings showed that 16 PGRs were identified, namely: (Lasimorpha senegalensis, Elaeis guineensis, Eremospatha haullevilleana, Eremospatha cabrae, Ectadiopsis oblongifolia, Cyperus papyrus, Hymenocardia acida, Musa spp., Saccharum officinarum, Triumfetta cordifolia, Urena lobata, Marantochloa congensis, Megaphrynium macrostachyum, Haumania liebrechtsiana, Sarcophrynium schweinfurthianum var . puberififolium, Thalia geniculata). They belong to 9 families, of which (Araceae, Arecaceae; Apocynaceae; Cyperaceae; Phyllanthaceae; Musaceae; Poaceae; Malvaceae/Tiliodeae; Marantaceae). Moreover, these resources constitute an additional source of income for households for their primary needs. While these resources are relatively threatened at their natural area if any sustainable management is not envisaged. These PGRs, after use, become organics wastes, which contribute both to insalubrity and to the visual as well as the olfactive pollution of public sites. At this rate of extraction for marketing and without a policy of supervision or support for predatory organizations, these plant resources are in danger of disappearing in the short term. The urgent need is to identify all these PGRs and to study their technical cultivation routes with a view to their domestication.

Nowadays, invasive alien species are causing more and more environmental problems in several water bodies around the world, in Africa and in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In October 2020, a floristic inventory was carried out around three islands of the Congo River (Molondo, Mipongo and Japon) at the Pool Malebo in Kinshasa. The study focused on the identification and behavior of alien species along with associated abiotic factors in the Malebo Pool of the Congo River in Kinkole, Kinshasa. The study used a simple random sampling design to select different sites where samples were collected after a direct observation. We collected invasive species in the middle of the Congo River and to achieve that, we used canoe depending on the location of each site. Recorded species were classified either alien species or invasive alien species according to the status in the study region. The identification of collected species was performed according to APG III. Seeing the way these species invade the environment and how they disturb the ecology of rivers, the physico-chemical characteristics of waters were measured between 8:00 am and 3:00 pm with the appropriate electronic probe for each parameter. For each parameter, the comparison between the sites was carried out using the ANOVA test with XLSTAT 2013 software. The findings show that 19 species have been identified as invasive alien species out of which, four were dominant, namely Echinochloa pyramidalis, Eichhornia crassipes, Salvinia molesta and Pistia stratiotes. Considering the physico-chemical parameters, no significant differences were observed for the temperature (F=0.42 and p=0.66), conductivity (F=1.55 and p=0.25) and turbidity (F=2.28 and p=0.14) for the three sites. While the pH (F=4.98; p=0.026; LSD=0.361), dissolved oxygen (F=12; p=0.001; LSD=3.65) and salinity (F=4.06; p= 0.04; LSD= 1.69) showed significant variation in the three sites. The formation of vegetation groups around these islands in the Congo River at the Pool Malebo in Kinshasa  would also be justified by the influence of these parameters.