Deforestation in an African biodiversity hotspot: Extent, variation and the effectiveness of protected areas

Green, Jonathan M.H.; Larrosa, Cecilia; Burgess, Neil D.; Balmford, Andrew; Johnston, Alison; Mbilinyi, Boniface; Platts, Philip J.; Coad, Lauren

doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2013.04.016

Cited by 100 publications

(103 citation statements)

References 52 publications

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“…LAI was found to be higher with increasing terrain steepness and within protected areas. These findings add evidence, based on biophysical structure, to previous studies showing how inaccessibility functions as a passive protection for woody biomes [18,19]. Our results are especially relevant for environmental management concerned with the maintenance of ecosystem processes and function, which are linked to biophysical properties such as LAI.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 84%

“…As elsewhere in the tropics, these natural biomes are increasingly being degraded and converted to other land uses, particularly plantation and cropland. The primary drivers of land use change are high population growth and associated demand for land and resources, nationally and internationally [18][19][20]. Pressure is higher near centers of demand, such as major towns, and in areas that are easier to access, such at low-to mid-altitudes, on flatter slopes, outside protected areas and close to roads [19,21].…”

Section: Study Regionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Pressure is higher near centers of demand, such as major towns, and in areas that are easier to access, such at low-to mid-altitudes, on flatter slopes, outside protected areas and close to roads [19,21]. Consequently, the majority of forest that remains is in mountainous regions, with villages often clustered around the foothills [18]. Drier, fire-prone woodlands and xeric low to high density bushlands dominate at lower altitudes, and are more susceptible to small-scale resource extraction (e.g., for charcoal production) and pressure from livestock grazing [7].…”

Section: Study Regionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Validating and Linking the GIMMS Leaf Area Index (LAI3g) with Environmental Controls in Tropical Africa

et al. 2014

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Abstract:The recent Global Inventory Modeling and Mapping Studies (GIMMS) LAI3g product provides a 30-year global times-series of remotely sensed leaf area index (LAI), an essential variable in models of ecosystem process and productivity. In this study, we use a new dataset of field-based LAI True to indirectly validate the GIMMS LAI3g product, LAI avhrr , in East Africa, comparing the distribution properties of LAI avhrr across biomes and environmental gradients with those properties derived for LAI True 1974 driver. Socio-economic variables such as governance (protected areas) and population affect both LAI responses, although cause and effect are not always obvious: a positive relationship with human population pressure was detected, but shown to be an artefact of both LAI and human settlement covarying with precipitation. Despite these complexities, targeted field measurements, stratified according to both environmental and socio-economic gradients, could provide crucial data for improving satellite-derived LAI estimates, especially in the human-modified landscapes of tropical Africa.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 84%

Section: Study Regionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Study Regionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Validating and Linking the GIMMS Leaf Area Index (LAI3g) with Environmental Controls in Tropical Africa

et al. 2014

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“…drier interior regions, wetter coastal regions, as well as extreme temperatures, which may change disturbances regimes (fire, shifting cultivation, amongst others) and thus the prevailing biodiversity status. According to [13], the combined effect of climate change and disturbances may cause the loss of ca. 40% of the woodlands by the middle of the century.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Miombo Woodlands Research Towards the Sustainable Use of Ecosystem Services in Southern Africa

Ribeiro¹,

Syampungani²,

Matakala³

et al. 2015

Biodiversity in Ecosystems - Linking Structure and Function

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“…For example, [19] predicts 5-15% reduction in precipitation for Southern Africa, while Green and coauthors [23] hypothesize that the combined efect of climate changes and disturbances may cause the loss of ca. 40% of the woodlands by the middle of the century.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biodiversity Studies in Key Species from the African Mopane and Miombo Woodlands

Moura¹,

Maquia²,

Rija³

et al. 2017

Genetic Diversity

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The Southern African Miombo-Mopane woodlands are globally considered as ecosystems with irreplaceable species endemism, being the most important type of vegetation in the region. Among the approximately 8500 plant species, legume trees play a crucial role in biodiversity dynamics, being also key socioeconomic and environmental players. From the ecological point of view, they contribute signiicantly to ecosystem's stability as well as to water, carbon, and energy balance. Additionally, legume species represent an immensurable source of timber and nontimber products. Research in Miombo-Mopane biodiversity has been mainly focused on the analysis of ecosystem drivers by means of ecological parameters and models, lacking interdisciplinary with relevant cross-cuting tools, such as the application of molecular markers to assess genetic diversity within the region. In this chapter, the applications and biodiversity dynamics of typical legume species from Miombo (Brachystegia spp., Julbernardia globilora, and Pterocarpus angolensis) and Mopane (Colophospermum mopane) are reviewed. Gaps and challenges are also brought forward in the context of the lack of genetic diversity assessments and the need of an efective and coordinated network of interdisciplinary research.

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Deforestation in an African biodiversity hotspot: Extent, variation and the effectiveness of protected areas

Cited by 100 publications

References 52 publications

Validating and Linking the GIMMS Leaf Area Index (LAI3g) with Environmental Controls in Tropical Africa

Validating and Linking the GIMMS Leaf Area Index (LAI3g) with Environmental Controls in Tropical Africa

Miombo Woodlands Research Towards the Sustainable Use of Ecosystem Services in Southern Africa

Biodiversity Studies in Key Species from the African Mopane and Miombo Woodlands

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