On a species complex, Afzelia, in African forests of economic and ecological interest. A review

The purpose of this review is to provide a knowledge update and a comprehensive literature review of the genus Afzelia, a complex of sister species exploited for their timber in Central Africa. The distribution of Afzelia species in Africa suggests that the tree has made various adaptations due to ecological factors. However, on the basis of only vegetative criteria, it is difficult to distinguish species in forest inventory, and this could compromise the sustainable management approach promoted by the populations of Central African countries. We show that the genus remains generally understudied, although some of its species are considered by the IUCN as being under threat. Therefore, the ecological and genetic aspects of our investigations should prove relevant to the future cultivation of Afzelia

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

Revealing hidden species diversity in closely related species using nuclear SNPs, SSRs and DNA sequences - a case study in the tree genus Milicia

Background: Species delimitation in closely related plant taxa can be challenging because (i) reproductive barriers are not always congruent with morphological differentiation, (ii) use of plastid sequences might lead to misinterpretation, (iii) rare species might not be sampled. We revisited molecular-based species delimitation in the African genus Milicia, currently divided into M. regia (West Africa) and M. excelsa (from West to East Africa). We used 435 samples collected in West, Central and East Africa. We genotyped SNP and SSR loci to identify genetic clusters, and sequenced two plastid regions (psbA-trnH, trnC-ycf6) and a nuclear gene (At103) to confirm species’ divergence and compare species delimitation methods. We also examined whether ecological niche differentiation was congruent with sampled genetic structure. Results: West African M. regia, West African and East African M. excelsa samples constituted three well distinct genetic clusters according to SNPs and SSRs. In Central Africa, two genetic clusters were consistently inferred by both types of markers, while a few scattered samples, sympatric with the preceding clusters but exhibiting leaf traits of M. regia, were grouped with the West African M. regia cluster based on SNPs or formed a distinct cluster based on SSRs. SSR results were confirmed by sequence data from the nuclear region At103 which revealed three distinct ‘Fields For Recombination’ corresponding to (i) West African M. regia, (ii) Central African samples with leaf traits of M. regia, and (iii) all M. excelsa samples. None of the plastid sequences provide indication of distinct clades of the three species-like units. Niche modelling techniques yielded a significant correlation between niche overlap and genetic distance. Conclusions: Our genetic data suggest that three species of Milicia could be recognized. It is surprising that the occurrence of two species in Central Africa was not reported for this well-known timber tree. Globally, our work highlights the importance of collecting samples in a systematic way and the need for combining different nuclear markers when dealing with species complexes. Recognizing cryptic species is particularly crucial for economically exploited species because some hidden taxa might actually be endangered as they are merged with more abundant species

How Tightly Linked Are Pericopsis elata (Fabaceae) Patches to Anthropogenic Disturbances in Southeastern Cameroon?

peer reviewedWhile most past studies have emphasized the relationships between specific forest stands and edaphic factors, recent observations in Central African moist forests suggested that an increase of slash-and-burn agriculture since 3000–2000 BP (Before Present) could be the main driver of the persistence of light-demanding tree species. In order to examine anthropogenic factors in the persistence of such populations, our study focused on Pericopsis elata, an endangered clustered timber species. We used a multidisciplinary approach comprised of botanical, anthracological and archaeobotanical investigations to compare P. elata patches with surrounding stands of mixed forest vegetation (“out-zones”). Charcoal samples were found in both zones, but were significantly more abundant in the soils of patches. Eleven groups of taxa were identified from the charcoals, most of them also present in the current vegetation. Potsherds were detected only inside P. elata patches and at different soil depths, suggesting a long human presence from at least 2150 to 195 BP, as revealed by our charcoal radiocarbon dating. We conclude that current P. elata patches most likely result from shifting cultivation that occurred ca. two centuries ago. The implications of our findings for the dynamics and management of light-demanding tree species are discussed

Sentiers de suivi de la croissance, de la mortalité et de la phénologie des arbres tropicaux. Guide méthodologique

The sustainability of natural forest management in Central Africa depends on a thorough understanding of the population dynamics of commercial tree populations. These dynamics are studied in systems designed to be monitored over the long term, known as plots and trails. While the methodological approach for setting up and monitoring plots is fairly well documented, the approach for trails is less well documented. This book fills this gap by capitalizing on the experience accumulated over more than 20 years by the members of the DYNAFAC collective, a group created on the initiative of ATIBT, CIRAD, Nature+ and Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech. It is a practical and illustrated guide explaining the process necessary for the installation and monitoring of these trails. In addition to the technical procedures, the guide also assesses the costs, taking into account the economic specificities of different countries in the sub-region. By addressing all stakeholders in the development and management of Africa's forests, the book aims to promote the implementation of robust and efficient systems within everyone's reach. / La durabilité de l'aménagement des forêts naturelles d'Afrique centrale est tributaire d'une connaissance approfondie de la dynamique démographique des populations d'arbres commerciaux. Cette dynamique est étudiée dans des dispositifs destinés à être suivis sur le long terme, dénommés parcelles et sentiers. Si la démarche méthodologique d'installation et de suivi des parcelles est assez bien documentée, celle des sentiers l'est moins. Le présent ouvrage vient combler ce vide en capitalisant l'expérience accumulée depuis plus de 20 ans par les membres du collectif DYNAFAC, un collectif créé à l'initiative de l'ATIBT, du CIRAD, de Nature+ et de Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech. Il s'agit d'un guide pratique et illustré explicitant la démarche nécessaire à l'installation et au suivi de ces sentiers. Outre les procédures techniques, le guide évalue également les coûts en tenant compte des spécificités économiques de différents pays de la sous-région. En s'adressant à l'ensemble des parties prenantes de l'aménagement et de la gestion des forêts d'Afrique, l'ouvrage a pour ambition de promouvoir la mise en oeuvre de dispositifs robustes et efficients à la portée de tous