We quantify the impacts of poaching, Ebola, and habitat degradation on western lowland gorillas and central chimpanzees.

The recent publication of the first spatially explicit map of peatlands in the Cuvette Centrale, central Congo Basin, reveals it to be the most extensive tropical peatland complex, at ca. 145,500 km 2 . With an estimated 30.6 Pg of carbon stored in these peatlands, there are now questions about whether these carbon stocks are under threat and, if so, what can be done to protect them. Here, we analyse the potential threats to Congo Basin peat carbon stocks and identify knowledge gaps in relation to these threats, and to how the peatland systems might respond. Climate change emerges as a particularly pressing concern, given its potential to destabilise carbon stocks across the whole area. Socio-economic developments are increasing across central Africa and, whilst much of the peatland area is protected on paper by some form of conservation designation, the potential exists for hydrocarbon exploration, logging, plantations and other forms of disturbance to significantly damage the peatland ecosystems. The low level of human intervention at present suggests that the opportunity still exists to protect the peatlands in a largely intact state, possibly drawing on climate change mitigation

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The Bateke Plateau in the Republic of Congo is one of the last frontiers for ecology, with little known about its floristics and physiognomy. Despite occupying 89,800 km 2 and its importance for local livelihoods, its ecology and ecosystem functions are poorly understood. Situated on Kalahari sands, the Bateke has a complex evolutionary history, mainly isolated from other savannas for much of its past, with currently unresolved ecological implications. Here, we assess the biomass and floristic diversity of this savanna. We established four 25-ha permanent sample plots at two savanna sites; inventoried all trees; assessed biomass and species composition of shrubs, forbs and grasses; and characterized the soils. Total plant carbon stocks (aboveground and belowground) were only 6.5 AE 0.3 MgC/ha, despite precipitation of 1600 mm/yr. Over half the biomass was grass, with the remainder divided between trees and shrubs. The carbon stock of the system is mostly contained in the top layer of the soil (16.7 AE 0.9 MgC/ha in 0-20 cm depth). We identified 49 plant species (4 trees, 13 shrubs, 4 sedges, 17 forbs, and 11 grass species), with an average species richness of 23 per plot. There is tree hyperdominance of Hymenocardia acida (Phyllanthaceae) and a richer herbaceous species composition dominated by Loudetia simplex and Hyparrhenia diplandra. The low carbon stocks and tree biodiversity, compared to other African savannas, are surprising considering the high rainfall. We speculate it is due to low nutrient soils, high fire frequency, and the effect of a temporally variable and restricted connection to the main southern African savanna complex.Abstract in French is available with online material.

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