Are community forests a viable model for the Democratic Republic of Congo?

Since the second half of the 2000s, several options for implementing community-based forest management in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), like the local community forest concession (LCFC), have been discussed in the country's technical and political circles. Proposals and pilot testing have increased in the last five years, but the funding of initiatives is often proposed for divergent purposes and taking different approaches. We reviewed current experiences in the Eastern province of the DRC and found that nobody has carried out an estimation of the financial returns of the business models they drew up for/with the communities involved. We therefore conducted a financial feasibility analysis for two case studies, estimating the costs of developing/implementing activities and the benefits expected for the communities within the next five years. Three main conclusions were drawn from the analysis: (1) most activities conducted under the LCFC model deal with rural development, and not with forestry operations per se; (2) several forestry activities such as biodiversity conservation or carbon sequestration are not detailed in the management documents and appear to have little legitimacy for local populations; (3) the two LCFCs show a negative financial performance because the inception and implementation costs are substantially higher than the medium-term profits. Community forestry is unlikely to develop in the DRC unless local people are guaranteed that it will contribute to improving their livelihoods, notably their financial and physical capital. This requires that LCFC initiatives focus on actual productive uses of forest resources, which financial performance is systematically assessed ex ante. A simplification of the legal constraints is also needed to reduce the cost of creating and managing a LCFC

Physico-Chemical Factors of Lubilanji River (Oriental Kasaï Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo)

Background and aim: Fishing and fi sh farming sectors currently face major challenges related to the lack of knowledge of data on the physico-chemical quality of water bodies from Lubilanji River. This investigation intended to determine the physico-chemical parameters of Lubilanji River.Methods: Fourteen physico-chemical parameters were studied in Lubilanji River including temperature, turbidity, transparency, conductivity, pH, alkalimetric title, total hardness, calcium, nitrate, phosphate, oxygen dissolved, depth, width and velocity.Results: The analysis showed that average value of transparency in all stations is of 54.09 cm with coefficient of variation of 31.84%. While the average of water velocity is 91.30 m/s with coefficient of variation of 49.80% in all stations. The parameters like water velocity, turbidity, temperature, calcium and pH indicated their low infl uence on stations. According to the results found, the Libilanji River should be rich in ichthyological biodiversity.</p

Preliminary Data on Biology of Stomathorinus Cf Polli Matthes, 1964 of Masendula Stream (Kisangani, RD Congo)

Background and aim: Stomatorhinus cf polli, one of species of Mormyridae whose flesh is highly appreciated by local communities. Unfortunately, there is very little information about biology and ecology of Stomatorhinus cf polli. This study aimed to determine the ecology and biology of Stomathorinus cf polli.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Methods: The circular dip scoop net of 0.5 mm of mesh and the amplifier were used during twelve months. 260 specimens of Mormyridae were collected in a single site of Masendula stream. All fish samples were weighed using scales, as well as each fish were measured using a tape measure and caliper. Diet and reproduction were analyzed. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Results: The analysis of 151 stomach contents of Stomatorhinus cf polli allowed identifying three prey categories (animal detritus, vegetable detritus and chironomidae). The diet of Stomatorhinus cf polli expressed in the coefficient of occurrence showed that individuals feed the same prey but in different proportions. The mean intestinal coefficient calculated for specimens of Stomatorhinus cf polli is 0.58. This species prefers more to consume animal detritus. For reproduction, the findings showed that this species breeds throughout the year. The mean relative fecundity is 25,125 oocytes per kg.</p

Phytoplankton functional groups response to environmental parameters in Muling River basin of northeast China

The present study was carried out in the biggest tributary of Ussuri River of boundary between China and Russia. The Muling River basin has undergone a long-term dredging works, and waterbody became seriously turbid. The succession of phytoplankton functional groups succession and environmental factors in the river were sampled in 2015. We totally identified 83 species, belonging to 17 functional groups which 5 were predominant, including group F, M, MP, P and Y. The seasonal succession of phytoplankton functional groups was M/P-F/MP/P-MP/P. Results of Spearman correlation analysis and canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) revealed that phytoplankton functional groups were mainly influenced by nutrient concentrations and light availability including total nitrogen (TN), ammonium nitrogen (NH4+–N), nitrate nitrogen (NO3−–N), N:P ratio (N:P), water depth (D) and transparency (SD) in the basin.The concept of functional feeding groups was used to classify and reveal the seasonal variation of phytoplankton functional groups in relation to environmental parameters. Phytoplankton species were grouped into 17 functional groups that vary significant spatially and seasonally. The pattern of phytoplankton functional groups seasonal successions decided by the five predominant functional groups. Total nitrogen, ammonium nitrogen, nitrate nitrogen, N:P ratio, water depth and transparency were the major factor influencing phytoplankton community in this basin