Climate Change Perceptions and Adaptations among Smallholder Farmers in the Mountains of Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo

The warming rates in many mountain areas are higher than the global average, negatively impacting crop systems. Little is known about the climatic changes which are already being observed in eastern Democratic Republic (DR) of Congo, due to the lack of long-term meteorological data. Local perceptions could help us to understand not only the climatic changes and impacts but also which adaptation strategies are already being used by local smallholder farmers. Semi-structured questionnaires were administered to 300 smallholder Bafuliru (n = 150) and Lega (n = 150) farmers living in the Itombwe Mountains. The respondents reported climatic changes and impacts, with the Bafuliru—living on the eastern drier slopes—reporting more changes and impacts. While the Bafuliru were implementing several adaptation strategies (e.g., increased irrigation and use of inputs, more soil conservation, more income diversification), the Lega were implementing very few, due to soft limits (access to inputs, markets, and information) and culture (less interest in farming, less capacity to organize into groups). The results highlight important differences in sociocultural contexts, even for one ‘remote’ mountain, calling for a more collaborative approach to adaptation planning and action.We acknowledge funding from Ecole Régionale d’Aménagement et Gestion Intégrés des Forêts et Territoires Tropicaux (ERAIFT) and Rainforest Foundation Norway (RFN)

High aboveground carbon stock of African tropical montane forests

Tropical forests store 40–50 per cent of terrestrial vegetation carbon1. However, spatial variations in aboveground live tree biomass carbon (AGC) stocks remain poorly understood, in particular in tropical montane forests2. Owing to climatic and soil changes with increasing elevation3, AGC stocks are lower in tropical montane forests compared with lowland forests2. Here we assemble and analyse a dataset of structurally intact old-growth forests (AfriMont) spanning 44 montane sites in 12 African countries. We find that montane sites in the AfriMont plot network have a mean AGC stock of 149.4 megagrams of carbon per hectare (95% confidence interval 137.1–164.2), which is comparable to lowland forests in the African Tropical Rainforest Observation Network4 and about 70 per cent and 32 per cent higher than averages from plot networks in montane2,5,6 and lowland7 forests in the Neotropics, respectively. Notably, our results are two-thirds higher than the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change default values for these forests in Africa8. We find that the low stem density and high abundance of large trees of African lowland forests4 is mirrored in the montane forests sampled. This carbon store is endangered: we estimate that 0.8 million hectares of old-growth African montane forest have been lost since 2000. We provide country-specific montane forest AGC stock estimates modelled from our plot network to help to guide forest conservation and reforestation interventions. Our findings highlight the need for conserving these biodiverse9,10 and carbon-rich ecosystems

Social Perceptions of Forest Ecosystem Services in the Democratic Republic of Congo

The forests of the Albertine Rift are known for their high biodiversity and the important ecosystem services they provide to millions of inhabitants. However, their conservation and the maintenance of ecosystem service delivery is a challenge, particularly in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Our research investigates how livelihood strategy and ethnicity affects local perceptions of forest ecosystem services. We collected data through 25 focus-group discussions in villages from distinct ethnic groups, including farmers (Tembo, Shi, and Nyindu) and hunter-gatherers (Twa). Twa identify more food-provisioning services and rank bush meat and honey as the most important. They also show stronger place attachment to the forest than the farmers, who value other ecosystem services, but all rank microclimate regulation as the most important. Our findings help assess ecosystem services trade-offs, highlight the important impacts of restricted access to forests resources for Twa, and point to the need for developing alternative livelihood strategies for these communities

Co-limitation towards lower latitudes shapes global forest diversity gradients

The latitudinal diversity gradient (LDG) is one of the most recognized global patterns of species richness exhibited across a wide range of taxa. Numerous hypotheses have been proposed in the past two centuries to explain LDG, but rigorous tests of the drivers of LDGs have been limited by a lack of high-quality global species richness data. Here we produce a high-resolution (0.025° × 0.025°) map of local tree species richness using a global forest inventory database with individual tree information and local biophysical characteristics from ~1.3 million sample plots. We then quantify drivers of local tree species richness patterns across latitudes. Generally, annual mean temperature was a dominant predictor of tree species richness, which is most consistent with the metabolic theory of biodiversity (MTB). However, MTB underestimated LDG in the tropics, where high species richness was also moderated by topographic, soil and anthropogenic factors operating at local scales. Given that local landscape variables operate synergistically with bioclimatic factors in shaping the global LDG pattern, we suggest that MTB be extended to account for co-limitation by subordinate drivers

Co-limitation towards lower latitudes shapes global forest diversity gradients

The latitudinal diversity gradient (LDG) is one of the most recognized global patterns of species richness exhibited across a wide range of taxa. Numerous hypotheses have been proposed in the past two centuries to explain LDG, but rigorous tests of the drivers of LDGs have been limited by a lack of high-quality global species richness data. Here we produce a high-resolution (0.025° × 0.025°) map of local tree species richness using a global forest inventory database with individual tree information and local biophysical characteristics from ~1.3 million sample plots. We then quantify drivers of local tree species richness patterns across latitudes. Generally, annual mean temperature was a dominant predictor of tree species richness, which is most consistent with the metabolic theory of biodiversity (MTB). However, MTB underestimated LDG in the tropics, where high species richness was also moderated by topographic, soil and anthropogenic factors operating at local scales. Given that local landscape variables operate synergistically with bioclimatic factors in shaping the global LDG pattern, we suggest that MTB be extended to account for co-limitation by subordinate drivers

High above-ground carbon stock of African tropical montane forests

Tropical forests store 40–50 per cent of terrestrial vegetation carbon1. However, spatial variations in aboveground live tree biomass carbon (AGC) stocks remain poorly understood, in particular in tropical montane forests2. Owing to climatic and soil changes with increasing elevation3, AGC stocks are lower in tropical montane forests compared with lowland forests2. Here we assemble and analyse a dataset of structurally intact old-growth forests (AfriMont) spanning 44 montane sites in 12 African countries. We find that montane sites in the AfriMont plot network have a mean AGC stock of 149.4 megagrams of carbon per hectare (95% confidence interval 137.1–164.2), which is comparable to lowland forests in the African Tropical Rainforest Observation Network4 and about 70 per cent and 32 per cent higher than averages from plot networks in montane2,5,6 and lowland7 forests in the Neotropics, respectively. Notably, our results are two-thirds higher than the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change default values for these forests in Africa8. We find that the low stem density and high abundance of large trees of African lowland forests4 is mirrored in the montane forests sampled. This carbon store is endangered: we estimate that 0.8 million hectares of old-growth African montane forest have been lost since 2000. We provide country-specific montane forest AGC stock estimates modelled from our plot network to help to guide forest conservation and reforestation interventions. Our findings highlight the need for conserving these biodiverse9,10 and carbon-rich ecosystems

Co-limitation towards lower latitudes shapes global forest diversity gradients

The latitudinal diversity gradient (LDG) is one of the most recognized global patterns of species richness exhibited across a wide range of taxa. Numerous hypotheses have been proposed in the past two centuries to explain LDG, but rigorous tests of the drivers of LDGs have been limited by a lack of high-quality global species richness data. Here we produce a high-resolution (0.025° × 0.025°) map of local tree species richness using a global forest inventory database with individual tree information and local biophysical characteristics from ~1.3 million sample plots. We then quantify drivers of local tree species richness patterns across latitudes. Generally, annual mean temperature was a dominant predictor of tree species richness, which is most consistent with the metabolic theory of biodiversity (MTB). However, MTB underestimated LDG in the tropics, where high species richness was also moderated by topographic, soil and anthropogenic factors operating at local scales. Given that local landscape variables operate synergistically with bioclimatic factors in shaping the global LDG pattern, we suggest that MTB be extended to account for co-limitation by subordinate drivers

LAM-ICPMS U-Pb dating of kimberlitic perovskite: Eocene-Oligocene kimberlites from the Kundelungu Plateau, DR Congo

Kimberlites are small-volume melts whose eruption is related to weak extension of the lithosphere, and their ages can carry important tectonic information. We have carried out in situ LAM-ICPMS U-Pb dating of groundmass perovskite in two kimberlitic pipes (Kambeli and Msipashi) in Kundelungu Plateau (SE Congo). The method is validated by the analysis of perovskites from four previously dated South African Group I kimberlites. Intercepts of regression lines on inverse-Concordia plots yield precise U-Pb ages (2σ = 2-6 Ma) and a well-constrained value for the 207Pb/206Pb of the common-Pb component. The ages of Group I kimberlites in Kimberley District cluster around 87 Ma, similar to those determined by other techniques demonstrating the robustness of the technique. The perovskites from the Kundelungu kimberlites that are intrusive into the Biano Subgroup (Neoproterozoic Katangan Supergroup) yield an age of 32.3 ± 2.2 Ma. The Eocene-Oligocene age of the Kundelungu kimberlites corresponds to the opening of the northern part of the East African Rift and implies the southward prolongation of this extension. Considering the position of the Kundelungu Plateau and gravity data for the region, the kimberlite intrusion may reflect extension on the Lake Mweru-Luapula graben. The Luizi impact structure in the Kundelungu Plateau, previously described as Pleistocene, pre-dates the kimberlitic event.11 page(s

Emplacement ages and sources of kimberlites and related rocks in southern Africa : U-Pb ages and Sr-Nd isotopes of groundmass perovskite

Groundmass perovskite has been dated by LA-ICPMS in 135 kimberlites and related rocks from 110 localities across southern Africa. Sr and/or Nd isotopes have been analysed by LA-MC-ICPMS in a subset of these and integrated with published data. The age distribution shows peaks at 1,600-1,800, 1,000-1,200, 500-800 and 50-130 Ma. The major "bloom" of Group I kimberlites at ca 90 ± 10 Ma was preceded by a slow build-up in magmatic activity from ca 180 Ma. The main pulse of Group II kimberlites at 120-130 Ma was a distinct episode within this build-up. Comparison of the isotopic data with seismic tomography images suggests that metasomatized subcontinental lithospheric mantle (SCLM) with very low εNd and high ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr, (the isotopic signature of Group II kimberlites) was focused in low-Vs zones along translithospheric structures. Such metasomatized zones existed as early as 1,800 Ma, but were only sporadically tapped until the magmatic build-up began at ca 180 Ma, and contributed little to the kimberlitic magmas after ca 110 Ma. We suggest that these metasomatized volumes resided in the deep SCLM and that their low-melting point components were "burned off" by rising temperatures, presumably during an asthenospheric upwelling that led to SCLM thinning and a rise in the ambient geotherm between 120 and 90 Ma. The younger Group I kimberlites therefore rarely interacted with such SCLM, but had improved access to shallower volumes of differently metasomatized, ancient SCLM with low ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr and intermediate εNd (0-5). The kimberlite compositions therefore reflect the evolution of the SCLM of southern Africa, with metasomatic-enrichment events from as early as 1.8 Ga, through a major thermal and compositional change at ca 110 Ma, and the major kimberlite "bloom" around 90 Ma.13 page(s

HB 467, Relating to the Fish and Wildlife Advisory Committees - Statement for House Committee Water, Land Use Development and Hawaiian Affairs Public Hearing, 23 February 1981

info:eu-repo/semantics/publishe