Shifting values and the fate of sacred forests in Guinea-Bissau: are community-managed forests the answer?

Palmeirim, Ana Filipa; Seck, S. M.; Palma, Luís; Ladle, Richard J.

doi:10.1017/s0376892923000164

Cited by 6 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 32 publications

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“…To do so, it is critical to limit the expansion of cashew orchards. One way to achieve that in rural landscapes would be through the effective implementation of community-managed forests, safeguarding the remaining forest patches, while promoting the collective well-being and empowerment of the communities that rely on them (Palmeirim et al 2023). Moreover, considering that rain is a key factor boosting mammal activity (Feng et S1) were excluded from the analyses as they didn't count on 30 consecutive days of data…”

Section: Conservation Implicationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mammals’ use of forest-cashew-rice mosaics in West Africa is modulated by their trophic guild

Fernàndez,

Dabo,

Silva

et al. 2024

Preprint

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Over millennia, mammals have co-existed with humans across the forest-savannah mosaics characterising part of West Africa. While some savannahs have long been used for rice cultivation in Guinea-Bissau, both those and forests are now being rapidly converted into cashew monocultures. To understand how species cope with such land-use changes, we investigated how mammals make use of forest patches, cashew orchards and rice paddies over two contrasting periods: at the start and at the end of the rainy season. Using camera-trapping, we examined mammal diversity and trophic guild activity across seven landscapes, each comprising three sampling sites located on each of the habitat types in Northern Guinea-Bissau. Based on 937 records from 21 species, species richness and activity were similar across habitat types, but generally higher at the end-rainy season. Species composition differed between the two forestry habitats and rice paddies. At the guild-level, carnivores increased in activity in forests at the start-rainy season, activity decreased in cashew orchards at the end-rainy season for insectivores and at the start-rainy season for herbivores, and omnivores increased in activity in cashew orchards. The similar assemblage-wide diversity across habitat types seems to be enabled by the high habitat heterogeneity but likely offset by previous extinctions from the area. Yet, guild-level habitat use suggested that cashew orchards might not sustain functionally healthy mammal assemblages. Habitat change is expected to become more detrimental under drier climates. Limiting cashew expansion while preserving forests is essential to optimize the long-term conservation of mammal diversity in rural West Africa.

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Section: Conservation Implicationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mammals’ use of forest-cashew-rice mosaics in West Africa is modulated by their trophic guild

Fernàndez,

Dabo,

Silva

et al. 2024

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“…Also in India, a subset of terrestrial mammals in the forest also makes use of cashew plantations (Rege et al, 2020), while bird diversity in cashew plantations was comparable to that of adjoining forests (Munge & Kumar, 2022). Moreover, in the case of northern Guinea-Bissau, remaining forests are of relatively small size and subject to regular human intervention, as those correspond to community-managed forests (e.g., non-timber forest products extraction, 14 Palmeirim et al, 2023), and thus may no longer withstand the species they once did, as habitat specialists may have gone extinct (Devictor et al, 2008;Palmeirim et al, 2017). Yet, due to lack of reference data, it is impossible to know the species these forests supported.…”

Section: Responses To Cashew Expansionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Unveiling how herpetofauna cope with land-use changes— insights from forest-cashew-rice landscapes in West Africa

dos Reis-Silva,

Pizzigalli,

Seck

et al. 2024

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Agricultural-induced land-use change comprises a key driver of biodiversity loss across tropical forests. Guinea-Bissau, in West Africa, was formerly occupied by native forest-savanna mosaics. While savannas have long gave place to traditional rice agroecosystems, forests are now being transformed into cashew monocultures at unprecedented rates. The ecological impact of such rapid change is largely unknown. Here, we examined how rarefied species richness, abundance, and composition of amphibians and reptiles varied across forest remnants, cashew orchards and rice paddies in northern Guinea-Bissau. To do so, visual encounter surveys were carried across 21 sampling sites, seven in each habitat type. A total of 703 amphibian and 266 reptile encounters was recorded from nine and 14 taxa, respectively. The results show class-specific responses to habitat type. Amphibian diversity in forest remnants and cashew orchards remained similar, but rice paddies harboured higher abundance and distinct composition compared to forest remnants. Reptile abundance was highest in cashew orchards, which comprised a distinct species composition, when compared to forest remnants. Rice paddies sustained lower reptile richness and abundance. Overall, our results do not support the expected detrimental impacts of cashew expansion, which might be due to the still high heterogeneity of habitat types within the landscape. Rice paddies proved particularly important for amphibians, and for open-habitat reptiles, boosting the landscape-scale species diversity. In face of the eminent habitat conversion, maintaining heterogeneous landscapes, including the persistence of both forest remnants and rice paddies, is critical to minimize biodiversity loss in West Africa.

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“…In the modern era religious beliefs, cultural values, and socio-economic aspects have undergone significant changes. These changes have led to a decline in the motivation to protect and conserve sacred groves, resulting in their degradation (Khan et al 2008;Palmeirim et al 2023). The issues of degradation of sacred groves have been discussed by different researchers from Maharashtra, India, and worldwide (Gadgil & Chandran 1992;Chandran 1997;Bhagwat & Rutte 2006) In Ethiopia, due to changes in land use patterns, there is a 36.6% decrease in sacred forest areas after a time change period of 15 years (Daye & Healey 2015).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Status of floristic diversity and impact of development on two sacred groves from Maval Tehsil (Maharashtra, India) after a century

Kishor Himmat Saste,

Rani Babanrao Bhagat

2024

J. Threat. Taxa

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Global urbanisation and anthropogenic activities are leading to a decline in religious beliefs and adversely affecting the biodiversity, ecology, and environmental sustainability of sacred groves, particularly in Lonavala (Rye Wood Park) and Karla Grove in Maval Tehsil, Pune district, Maharashtra, India. The Lonavala Grove, situated at 18.749° N, 73.403° E, and 622 m, and the Karla Grove, located at 18.760° N, 73.478° E, with an elevation of 621 m, both within the Western Ghats, are undergoing transformations due to landscape gardens and urban developments despite their historical significance. Gammie Alexander‘s 1903 floristic research identified 84 species across both groves, but our present study reveals a significant decline. Lonavala and Karla groves now host 46 genera and 42 species and 25 genera and 29 species, respectively, totaling 120 species from 49 families and 110 genera. This decline is attributed to the introduction of alien and invasive species, resulting in the disappearance of six indigenous species over the past century. The research aims to explore and document changes in floristic diversity, utilising remote sensing methods like NDVI for growth and deterioration assessment, measuring tree and liana girth, and analysing the impact on native flora due to the spread of alien species.

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Shifting values and the fate of sacred forests in Guinea-Bissau: are community-managed forests the answer?

Abstract: Shifting values and the fate of sacred forests in Guinea-Bissau: are community-managed forests the answer? Environmental Conservation 50: 152-155.

Cited by 6 publications

References 32 publications

Mammals’ use of forest-cashew-rice mosaics in West Africa is modulated by their trophic guild

Mammals’ use of forest-cashew-rice mosaics in West Africa is modulated by their trophic guild

Unveiling how herpetofauna cope with land-use changes— insights from forest-cashew-rice landscapes in West Africa

Status of floristic diversity and impact of development on two sacred groves from Maval Tehsil (Maharashtra, India) after a century

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