2 research outputs found

    Traditional taro (Colocasia esculenta) cultivation in the swamp forest of Guadeloupe (F.W.I.): impact on forest structure and plant biodiversity

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    In Guadeloupe, traditional taro monoculture (Colocasia esculenta) is conducted under partial, natural shade in the Pterocarpus swamp forest. The impact of this original agroforestry practice on forest structure, soil and flora was investigated on inventory plots totalling 4000 m2 within the MAB reserve, in the Bay of the Grand Cul-de-sac Marin. Taro cultivation was responsible for important qualitative and quantitative changes of vegetation and, to a lesser extent, soil characteristics. Stem density decreased by 80 %, and a number of weeds invaded cultivated stands while several shade-tolerant understorey species were eliminated. However, such disturbances were confined to the landward forest edge, and forest recovery appeared to be efficient on formerly cultivated stands. Regarding the development of conservation strategies applicable to the Pterocarpus swamp forest, and providing that complementary studies on especially endangered species be conducted, we believe that this sustainable agroforestry system could be a useful tool in the building of effective “buffer zones”En Guadeloupe, le taro (Colocasia esculenta) est cultivé traditionellement dans la forêt marécageuse à Pterocarpus sous couvert partiel. L'impact de cette pratique agroforestière originale sur la structure, le sol et la flore de la forêt a été étudié dans la Baie du Grand Cul-de-sac Marin, au sein de la réserve MAB, dans des parcelles d'inventaire totalisant 4000 m2. Il s'avère que la culture du taro entraîne d'importantes modifications qualitatives et quantitatives de la végétation et, dans une moindre mesure, du sol. Dans les peuplements cultivés, la densité de tiges était réduite de 80 % et de nombreuses espèces herbacées opportunistes apparaissaient alors que plusieurs espèces sciaphiles du sous-bois, elles, disparaissaient. Cependant, ces perturbations étaient localisées à la frange amont de la forêt, et le couvert forestier semblait se reconstituer sans difficulté dans les peuplements anciennement cultivés. Nous croyons que, dans le cadre de la mise en place d'une stratégie de conservation de la forêt marécageuse à Pterocarpus et dans la mesure où des études complémentaires sur des espèces particulièrement menacées pourront être menées, ce type d'agroforesterie durable constitue un intéressant outil pour la mise en oeuvre effective du concept de « zone tampon »

    The conservation status assessment of Natura 2000 forest habitats in Europe: capabilities, potentials and challenges of national forest inventories data

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    This article is part of the topical collection on Forest information for bioeconomy outlooks at European level- Key message - There is a need to improve the consistency of international information concerning the conservation status assessment of the species and habitat types in the Natura 2000 reports. National Forest Inventories could contribute towards a more objective and harmonised assessment although their use shows some challenges as low precision for rare or small area habitats. Recommendations for a set of 12 structural and functional indicators are provided. - Context - There are differences among Member States as regards applying conservation status assessment and priorities according to the Directive on the conservation of natural habitats (Habitats Directive). - Aims -This paper aims to analyse the consistency as regards forest habitat types reporting and the use and suitability of National Forest Inventories (NFIs) to assess their conservation status, as well as to provide recommendations for harmonised assessments through NFIs. - Methods - A survey was carried out concerning the use of NFI data to report within the commitments of the Habitat Directive. The survey covered 13 European countries, accounting for 62% of forest habitat area. Additionally, case studies were carried out in four countries. - Results -The identification of forest habitat types and the set of quantitative and/or qualitative indicators differ between countries. The use of NFI data is being considered in seven countries and it is expected to increase for the 2013–2018 reporting period. The main challenges reported of use of NFI data are related to the habitat identification and their mapping, and the monitoring frequency, design and costs (i.e. rare or small area habitats). - Conclusion - It is necessary to improve the comparability of the conservation status assessments between countriesinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
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