Que planter dans ma parcelle ? Arbre de décision pour le choix des espèces et des systèmes agroforestiers en périphérie de Kinshasa

Projet Campus Ver

Élaboration et mise en oeuvre d'un plan de gestion de la faune.

The intensification of human activities, the growing demand for animal proteins due to the population explosion and organized poaching (ivory, pangolin scales, etc.) are leading to increasing pressure on the wildlife of Central African forests. To respond to these threats, strategies are being put in place at the national and regional levels. Effective wildlife management within certified concessions contributes to the overall objective of sound and sustainable management of Central Africa's forest heritage. This guide is an operational tool for Central African loggers. It presents in a pragmatic and illustrated manner the process of developing and implementing a wildlife management plan, starting with the legislative and regulatory frameworks to be respected and ending with the evaluation of its performance. The main wildlife management and conservation measures to be implemented are described in thematic sheets. A model wildlife management plan is presented, which proposes a hierarchy for the implementation of these different measures. This book aims to improve the practices of forestry operators in terms of wildlife management and to accompany them in a process of certification of legality or sustainability. / L'intensification des activités humaines, la demande croissante en protéines animales suite à l'explosion démographique et le braconnage organisé (ivoire, écailles de pangolins, ...) entrainent une pression croissante sur la faune sauvage des forêts d'Afrique centrale. Pour répondre à ces menaces, des stratégies sont mises en place aux échelles nationales et régionales. Une gestion efficace de la faune sauvage au sein des concessions certifiées concourt à l'objectif global d'une gestion raisonnée et durable du patrimoine forestier d'Afrique centrale. Le présent guide constitue un outil opérationnel à destination des exploitants forestiers d'Afrique centrale. Il présente de manière pragmatique et illustrée la démarche d'élaboration et de mise en oeuvre d'un plan de gestion de la faune, en partant des cadres législatifs et règlementaires à respecter jusqu'à l'évaluation de sa performance. Les principales mesures de gestion et de conservation de la faune à mettre en place sont décrites dans des fiches thématiques. Un canevas modèle de plan de gestion de la faune proposant une hiérarchisation dans la mise en oeuvre de ces différentes mesures est présenté. Cet ouvrage vise à améliorer les pratiques des exploitants forestiers en termes de gestion de la faune et à les accompagner dans une démarche de certification de légalité ou de durabilité

Hautes valeurs de conservation (HVC) dans les unités forestières d'aménagement du Cameroun.

he Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification system aims to promote sustainable forest management. It is based on a set of standards, one of which is particularly complex to implement in Central Africa, principle 9 dealing with High Conservation Values (HCV). This principle should be interpreted at the national level to take into account the specificities of each country. Although there are already books developed by various organizations, none specifically target large forest concessions. In Cameroon, these concessions, or Forest Management Units (FMUs), represent 40% of the national forest estate. This guide aims to provide forest management actors in Cameroon with the most relevant knowledge to enable them to identify, manage and monitor High Conservation Values in FMUs. It differs from previous guides in several ways: (i) a detailed literature review is provided on the thorny subject of identifying each HCV, and the authors' opinions are highlighted; (ii) the identification process is supported by the most relevant references, avoiding the manager's search for documentation; (iii) based on their experience, the authors propose a series of threats that can affect HCVs, management measures and monitoring indicators. The approach developed is based on empirical and pragmatic methods on the one hand, and on scientific studies on the other. This book should provide an interesting basis for a solid interpretation of HCVs in Cameroon. Furthermore, although it focuses on Cameroonian FMUs, it could inspire other forest actors working in the Congo Basin. / Le système de certification FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) vise à promouvoir la gestion durable des forêts. Il repose sur un ensemble de normes dont une est particulièrement complexe à mettre en oeuvre en Afrique Centrale, le principe 9 traitant des Hautes Valeurs de Conservation (HVC). Ce principe devrait être interprété aux échelons nationaux afin de prendre en compte les spécificités de chaque pays. Bien que des ouvrages aient déjà été élaborés par diverses organisations, aucun ne cible particulièrement les grandes concessions forestières. Au Cameroun, ces concessions ou Unités Forestières d’Aménagement (UFA), représentent pourtant 40 % du domaine forestier national. Le présent guide ambitionne de fournir aux acteurs de la gestion forestière au Cameroun les connaissances les plus pertinentes afin de leur permettre d’identifier, de gérer et de suivre les Hautes Valeurs de Conservation dans les UFA. Il se démarque des précédents guides par plusieurs points : (i) une revue bibliographique détaillée est fournie sur le sujet épineux de l’identification de chaque HVC, et l’opinion des auteurs y est mise en exergue; (ii) la démarche d’identification est appuyée par les références les plus pertinentes, évitant au gestionnaire de se disperser dans sa quête de documentation; (iii) sur la base de leur expérience, les auteurs proposent une série de menaces pouvant affecter les HVC, de mesures de gestion et d’indicateurs de suivi. L’approche développée se base sur des méthodes empiriques et pragmatiques d’une part et, d’autre part, sur des études scientifiques. Cet ouvrage devrait constituer une base intéressante pour une interprétation solide des HVC au Cameroun. De plus, bien que ciblant les UFA camerounaises, il pourrait inspirer d’autres acteurs forestiers œuvrant dans le Bassin du Congo

Predicting range shifts of African apes under global change scenarios

Aim: Modelling African great ape distribution has until now focused on current or past conditions, while future scenarios remain scarcely explored. Using an ensemble forecasting approach, we predicted changes in taxon-specific distribution under future scenarios of climate, land use and human populations for (1) areas outside protected areas (PAs) only (assuming complete management effectiveness of PAs), (2) the entire study region and (3) interspecies range overlap. Location: Tropical Africa. Methods: We compiled occurrence data (n = 5,203) on African apes from the IUCN A.P.E.S. database and extracted relevant climate-, habitat- and human-related predictors representing current and future (2050) conditions to predict taxon-specific range change under a best- and a worst-case scenario, using ensemble forecasting. Results: The predictive performance of the models varied across taxa. Synergistic interactions between predictors are shaping African ape distribution, particularly human-related variables. On average across taxa, a range decline of 50% is expected outside PAs under the best scenario if no dispersal occurs (61% in worst scenario). Otherwise, an 85% range reduction is predicted to occur across study regions (94% worst). However, range gains are predicted outside PAs if dispersal occurs (52% best, 21% worst), with a slight increase in gains expected across study regions (66% best, 24% worst). Moreover, more than half of range losses and gains are predicted to occur outside PAs where interspecific ranges overlap. Main Conclusions: Massive range decline is expected by 2050, but range gain is uncertain as African apes will not be able to occupy these new areas immediately due to their limited dispersal capacity, migration lag and ecological constraints. Given that most future range changes are predicted outside PAs, Africa\u27s current PA network is likely to be insufficient for preserving suitable habitats and maintaining connected ape populations. Thus, conservation planners urgently need to integrate land use planning and climate change mitigation measures at all decision-making levels both in range countries and abroad

Pangolins in global camera trap data: Implications for ecological monitoring

Despite being heavily exploited, pangolins (Pholidota: Manidae) have been subject to limited research, resulting in a lack of reliable population estimates and standardised survey methods for the eight extant species. Camera trapping represents a unique opportunity for broad-scale collaborative species monitoring due to its largely non-discriminatory nature, which creates considerable volumes of data on a relatively wide range of species. This has the potential to shed light on the ecology of rare, cryptic and understudied taxa, with implications for conservation decision-making. We undertook a global analysis of available pangolin data from camera trapping studies across their range in Africa and Asia. Our aims were (1) to assess the utility of existing camera trapping efforts as a method for monitoring pangolin populations, and (2) to gain insights into the distribution and ecology of pangolins. We analysed data collated from 103 camera trap surveys undertaken across 22 countries that fell within the range of seven of the eight pangolin species, which yielded more than half a million trap nights and 888 pangolin encounters. We ran occupancy analyses on three species (Sunda pangolin Manis javanica, white-bellied pangolin Phataginus tricuspis and giant pangolin Smutsia gigantea). Detection probabilities varied with forest cover and levels of human influence for P. tricuspis, but were low (<0.05) for all species. Occupancy was associated with distance from rivers for M. javanica and S. gigantea, elevation for P. tricuspis and S. gigantea, forest cover for P. tricuspis and protected area status for M. javanica and P. tricuspis. We conclude that camera traps are suitable for the detection of pangolins and large-scale assessment of their distributions. However, the trapping effort required to monitor populations at any given study site using existing methods appears prohibitively high. This may change in the future should anticipated technological and methodological advances in camera trapping facilitate greater sampling efforts and/or higher probabilities of detection. In particular, targeted camera placement for pangolins is likely to make pangolin monitoring more feasible with moderate sampling efforts

Pangolins in Global Camera Trap Data: Implications for Ecological Monitoring

Despite being heavily exploited, pangolins (Pholidota: Manidae) have been subject to limited research, resulting in a lack of reliable population estimates and standardised survey methods for the eight extant species. Camera trapping represents a unique opportunity for broad-scale collaborative species monitoring due to its largely non-discriminatory nature, which creates considerable volumes of data on a relatively wide range of species. This has the potential to shed light on the ecology of rare, cryptic and understudied taxa, with implications for conservation decision-making. We undertook a global analysis of available pangolin data from camera trapping studies across their range in Africa and Asia. Our aims were (1) to assess the utility of existing camera trapping efforts as a method for monitoring pangolin populations, and (2) to gain insights into the distribution and ecology of pangolins. We analysed data collated from 103 camera trap surveys undertaken across 22 countries that fell within the range of seven of the eight pangolin species, which yielded more than half a million trap nights and 888 pangolin encounters. We ran occupancy analyses on three species (Sunda pangolin Manis javanica, white-bellied pangolin Phataginus tricuspis and giant pangolin Smutsia gigantea). Detection probabilities varied with forest cover and levels of human influence for P. tricuspis, but were low (M. javanica and S. gigantea, elevation for P. tricuspis and S. gigantea, forest cover for P. tricuspis and protected area status for M. javanica and P. tricuspis. We conclude that camera traps are suitable for the detection of pangolins and large-scale assessment of their distributions. However, the trapping effort required to monitor populations at any given study site using existing methods appears prohibitively high. This may change in the future should anticipated technological and methodological advances in camera trapping facilitate greater sampling efforts and/or higher probabilities of detection. In particular, targeted camera placement for pangolins is likely to make pangolin monitoring more feasible with moderate sampling efforts

Role of western lowland gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) in the regeneration of rainforests and interaction with selective timber exploitation

Selon l'IUCN, le gorille des plaines de l'Ouest (Gorilla gorilla gorilla Savage & Wyman) est une espèce en danger critique d'extinction. Or il jouerait un rôle important dans la dynamique des forêts tropicales. En effet, son régime hautement frugivore et son importante masse corporelle lui confèrerait un rôle majeur en tant que disperseur des graines de nombreuses espèces végétales. En outre, en installant ses sites de nidification au sein d'habitats forestiers à canopée ouverte, il déposerait la majorité des graines dans des environnements qui semblent favorables à leur germination et à la croissance des plantules. Cependant, en raison de l'expansion de l'exploitation forestière en Afrique Centrale, les services écologiques assurés par le gorille pourraient être menacés. L'objectif de cette thèse est de caractériser les impacts de l'exploitation forestière sur les populations de gorilles et le rôle de celles-ci dans la régénération forestière post-exploitation. Les résultats montrent qu'une population viable de gorilles peut être maintenue en forêt exploitée de manière sélective (< 2 pieds ha-1). En effet, bien que les gorilles aient tendance à fuir les forêts en cours d'exploitation, leur densité en forêt exploitée atteint sa valeur initiale, voire un niveau supérieur, endéans l'année suivant l'arrêt de l'exploitation. La sélection préférentielle des zones forestières à canopée ouverte pour la nidification a été confirmée, avant et après l'exploitation. Le dépôt des graines au sein d'habitats présentant des conditions lumineuses favorables est donc validé, bien que l'utilisation préférentielle des trouées d'abattage et des pistes forestières n'ait pas été observée au cours de la période de suivi (une année après l'exploitation). Les graines de 59 espèces végétales ont été retrouvées dans des excréments de gorilles collectés pendant 20 mois. Un quart des ces espèces présentait un intérêt économique en raison de leur utilisation comme bois d'œuvre ou produits forestiers non-ligneux. Les unités fécales analysées contenaient entre une et six espèces différentes, et en moyenne 81,0 ± 107,8 graines intactes (0-566). Selon les espèces, les taux de germination ont varié de 0 à 100 %, avec une moyenne de 46 ± 36 %. Le gorille est le principal disperseur d'une espèce exploitée pour son bois d'œuvre, Dacryodes normandii. Durant la période de fructification, le gorille a consommé des fruits de cette espèce lors de 87,8 % des visites (durée moyenne de 85 ± 89 min.). L'impact du passage dans le tractus digestif a été évalué pour deux espèces, Santiria trimera et Chrysophyllum lacourtianum. Ces espèces présentaient des taux de germination supérieurs après ingestion, en raison de la suppression de la pulpe et de la scarification de la graine. En outre, un effet positif de la matière fécale sur le développement des plantules a été observé pour trois espèces étudiées, S. trimera, C. lacourtianum et Plagiostyles africana. Enfin, le développement des plantules est favorisé dans les sites de nidification, sites de dépôt des graines les plus fréquents. Deux espèces étudiées, S. trimera et D. normandii ont montré une croissance de deux à dix fois plus rapide dans les sites de nidification qu'en forêt à canopée fermée. Le gorille est donc impliqué dans un processus de dispersion dirigée. En conséquence, en l'absence de braconnage, les populations de gorille des plaines de l'Ouest semblent résilientes à l'exploitation sélective et jouent un rôle déterminant dans le processus de dispersion des graines, tant en termes quantitatifs que qualitatifs, dans les forêts exploitées. Des pistes d'amélioration de la gestion des forêts exploitées qui hébergent des gorilles ont été proposées dans le but de favoriser leur préservation au sein des forêts concédées. En particulier, la généralisation des pratiques d'exploitation à faible impact est souhaitable.According to the IUCN, the western lowland gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla Savage & Wyman) is a critically endangered species. This species would play an important role in tropical forest dynamics. Indeed, its highly frugivorous diet and its large body mass would result in the implication of gorilla in the seed dispersal of many plant species. Moreover, by building its nest sites in open canopy forest, it would deposit the majority of seeds in habitats displaying potentially suitable light condition for their germination and for the subsequent seedling development. However, given the expansion of timber exploitation in Central Africa, ecological services dispensed by gorilla could be threatened. The objective of this thesis is to characterize the impacts of timber exploitation on gorilla populations and the role of these populations in forest regeneration after logging. The results demonstrate that a viable population of gorilla may be maintained in selectively logged forests (< 2 trees ha-1). Indeed, although gorillas tend to flee areas during timber exploitation activities, their density in logged forest reaches its initial value, or even a higher level, within one year after the end of logging. The preferential selection of open canopy forest areas for nesting was verified, before and after logging. The deposition of seeds in habitats providing favorable light conditions is therefore confirmed, even though the preference for tree fall gaps and forest skid trails was not observed in the course of the monitoring period (one year after logging). The seeds of 59 plant species were found in gorilla feces collected over a period of 20 months. A quarter of these species presented an economically value because of their use as timber or non-timber forest products. The analyzed fecal units contained between one and six different seed species, and on average 81.0 ± 107.8 intact seeds (0-566). Depending on the species considered, germination success varied from 0 to 100 %, with an average of 46 ± 36 %. The gorilla is the main disperser of a timber species, Dacryodes normandii. Over the fructification period, the gorilla consumed fruits of this species in 87.8 % of its visits (of an average length of 85 ± 89 min.). The impact of gut passage was evaluated for two tree species, Santiria trimera and Chrysophyllum lacourtianum. These species displayed higher germination successes after gorilla ingestion because of both pulp suppression and seed coat scarification. In addition, a positive effect of fecal matrix on seedling development was observed for three studied species, S. trimera, C. lacourtianum and Plagiostyles africana. Finally, the development of seedlings is favored in nesting sites, the most frequent seed deposition sites. Two studied species, S. trimera and Dacryodes normandii displayed a growth between two and ten times faster in nest sites than in closed canopy forest. Therefore, gorilla is implicated in directed seed dispersal. Consequently, when poaching is absent, western lowland gorilla populations seem to be resilient to selective logging and they play a critical role in the seed dispersal process, both quantitatively and qualitatively, in logged forests. Some recommendations to improve the management of logged forest that host gorilla populations were proposed in order to favor their preservation within logging concessions. In particular, the generalization of reduced impact logging practices is advisable