West African Rainforest Research Articles

Integration of large and diverse angiosperm DNA fragments into Asian Gnetum mitogenomes

BackgroundHorizontal gene transfer (HGT) events have rarely been reported in gymnosperms. Gnetum is a gymnosperm genus comprising 25‒35 species sympatric with angiosperms in West African, South American, and Southeast Asian rainforests. Only a single acquisition of an angiosperm mitochondrial intron has been documented to date in Asian Gnetum mitogenomes. We wanted to develop a more comprehensive understanding of frequency and fragment length distribution of such events as well as their evolutionary history in this genus.ResultsWe sequenced and assembled mitogenomes from five Asian Gnetum species. These genomes vary remarkably in size and foreign DNA content. We identified 15 mitochondrion-derived and five plastid-derived (MTPT) foreign genes. Our phylogenetic analyses strongly indicate that these foreign genes were transferred from diverse eudicots—mostly from the Rubiaceae genus Coptosapelta and ten genera of Malpighiales. This indicates that Asian Gnetum has experienced multiple independent HGT events. Patterns of sequence evolution strongly suggest DNA-mediated transfer between mitochondria as the primary mechanism giving rise to these HGT events. Most Asian Gnetum species are lianas and often entwined with sympatric angiosperms. We therefore propose that close apposition of Gnetum and angiosperm stems presents opportunities for interspecific cell-to-cell contact through friction and wounding, leading to HGT.ConclusionsOur study reveals that multiple HGT events have resulted in massive amounts of angiosperm mitochondrial DNA integrated into Asian Gnetum mitogenomes. Gnetum and its neighboring angiosperms are often entwined with each other, possibly accounting for frequent HGT between these two phylogenetically remote lineages.

Faecal Microbiota Characterisation of Potamochoerus porcus Living in a Controlled Environment.

Intestinal bacteria establish a specific relationship with the host animal, which causes the acquisition of gut microbiota with a unique composition classified as the enterotype. As the name suggests, the Red River Hog is a wild member of the pig family living in Africa, in particular through the West and Central African rainforest. To date, very few studies have analysed the gut microbiota of Red River Hogs (RRHs) both housed under controlled conditions and in wild habitats. This study analysed the intestinal microbiota and the distribution of Bifidobacterium species in five Red River Hog (RRH) individuals (four adults and one juvenile), hosted in two different modern zoological gardens (Parco Natura Viva, Verona, and Bioparco, Rome) with the aim of disentangling the possible effects of captive different lifestyle and host genetics. Faecal samples were collected and studied both for bifidobacterial counts and isolation by means of culture-dependent method and for total microbiota analysis through the high-quality sequences of the V3-V4 region of bacterial 16S rRNA. Results showed a host-specific bifidobacterial species distribution. Indeed, B. boum and B. thermoacidophilum were found only in Verona RRHs, whereas B. porcinum species were isolated only in Rome RRHs. These bifidobacterial species are also typical of pigs. Bifidobacterial counts were about 106 CFU/g in faecal samples of all the individuals, with the only exception for the juvenile subject, showing 107 CFU/g. As in human beings, in RRHs a higher count of bifidobacteria was also found in the young subject compared with adults. Furthermore, the microbiota of RRHs showed qualitative differences. Indeed, Firmicutes was found to be the dominant phylum in Verona RRHs whereas Bacteroidetes was the most represented in Roma RRHs. At order level, Oscillospirales and Spirochaetales were the most represented in Verona RRHs compared with Rome RRHs, where Bacteroidales dominated over the other taxa. Finally, at the family level, RRHs from the two sites showed the presence of the same families, but with different levels of abundance. Our results highlight that the intestinal microbiota seems to reflect the lifestyle (i.e., the diet), whereas age and host genetics are the driving factors for the bifidobacterial population.

The smallest of its kind: Description of a new cryptic Amnirana species (Amphibia, Anura, Ranidae) from West African rainforests

The distribution of the White-Lipped Frog Amnirana albolabris was long assumed to extend from eastern-central to western African rainforests. However, recent molecular phylogenetic analyses revealed that this taxon likely represents several undescribed species. Because the name-bearing types were collected in Gabon, the distantly related West African populations clearly represent an undescribed species that partly occurs in sympatry with Amnirana fonensis. Based on an integrative taxonomic approach, including molecular, morphological, and acoustic data, we describe the 'albolabris' populations from the Upper Guinean Forest Zone as a new species, and redescribe the morphologically similar A. fonensis on the bases of a larger series of genotyped individuals, including the first known females. We also provide new biological information for A. fonensis, including their advertisement call, habitat, and reproductive data. The new species is sister to A. fonensis and the two species differ by 5.8% in the mitochondrial 16S ribosomal RNA gene. Morphologically, males of the new species are smaller and have relatively smaller humeral glands. Females of the new species seem to have shorter legs than A. fonensis. In comparison to A. fonensis, the advertisement call of the new species has a higher dominant frequency and more pronounced frequency modulation. The two species differ in their distribution and habitat preferences, as revealed by environmental niche modelling. Whereas the new species is restricted to the Upper Guinean forests and thus is a true lowland-rainforest inhabitant, A. fonensis lives predominantly in Guinean montane forests in the forest-savanna mosaic zone.

PHYTOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS AND ESTIMATION OF ANTI OXIDANT POTENTIAL OF PHYTOSOMES FORMULATIONS OF MORINDA LUCIDA BENTH

Introduction: Lucid morinda (L) A medium-sized evergreen tree of the Morinda genus, the Benth (M. lucida, Rubiaceae) is a tropical West African rainforest plant that is also known as the Brimstone tree. In several West African nations, it is utilized in traditional medicine to cure a variety of human ailments. Phytosomes are freshly developed herbal formulations that have superior bioavailability and effects than traditional phyto molecules or botanical extracts because they are more readily absorbed. The goals of the current study were to evaluate ethanolic leaf extract of M. lucida's phytosomes, in vitro antioxidant properties, qualitative and quantitative phytochemical analyses, and phytosome formation. Methods: The ethanolic plant extract and cholesterol-containing phospholipids were used to make the phytosome. The entrapment efficiency, particle size and size distribution, optical microscopic research, stability tests, and in vitro dissolution investigations were used to characterize phytosomes. Alkaloids, glycosides, sterols, phenols, terpenoids, tannins, and saponins were found by phytochemical examination. Results: The ethanolic leaf extract of M. lucida contained 0.721 mg of total phenols and 0.464 mg of total alkaloids per 100 mg. Using industry-standard procedures, the ethanolic leaf extract's in vitro antioxidant activity was evaluated against the DPPH assay technique. Combining phospholipids and M. lucida can have a synergistic impact, which can be measured using the DPPH model for free radical scavenging activity. The optimised batch F10's particle size and entrapment efficiency were found to be 223.30±0.41 nm and 76.46±0.61 nm, respectively. Conclusion: It can be employed as a targeted medicine delivery system in the future for applications such as liver, brain, heart, etc. protection. The use of novel approaches rather than traditional methods for delivering herbal drugs increases the bioavailability of polar extracts and boosts patient compliance. Peer Review History: Received: 28 October 2022; Revised: 27 November; Accepted: 3 January 2023, Available online: 15 January 2023 Academic Editor: Dr. Gehan Fawzy Abdel Raoof Kandeel, Pharmacognosy Department, National Research Centre, Dokki, 12622, Giza, Egypt, gehankandeel9@yahoo.com Received file: Reviewer's Comments: Average Peer review marks at initial stage: 5.5/10 Average Peer review marks at publication stage: 7.0/10 Reviewers: Dr. George Zhu, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran, sansan4240732@163.com Dr. Hasniza Zaman Huri, University of Malaya Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur, hasnizazh@ummc.edu.my Similar Articles: NUTRITIONAL COMPOSITION, CONSTITUENTS, AND ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY OF POWDER FRACTIONS OF FICUS DICRANOSTYLA MILDBREAD LEAVES IN VITRO ASSESSMENT OF ANTIMICROBIAL AND ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITIES OF EXTRACTS OF YEMENI FAGONIA SCHWEINFURTHII HADIDI CYTOTOXIC EFFECT, ANTIOXIDANT POTENTIAL, AND PHYTOCHEMICAL STUDY OF THE ETHYL ACETATE EXTRACT OF PLEIOGYNIUM TIMORENSE SEEDS

Fizičko-hemijske osobine zemljišta nastalih iz različitih geoloških formacija u tipičnoj kišinoj agro-ekološkoj zoni

Climatic conditions and geologic formations have been found to influence the nature of soils formed. Therefore, this study seeks to study the physical and chemical properties of the soils derived from the different geologic formations of a typical West African rainforest agroecological zone. 90 soil samples were generated from the field using standard field procedures. Standard laboratory method was used in carrying out the physico-chemical analysis of the collected soil samples. The results obtained showed the range of some selected soil properties coarse sand (32.25 to 61.62), fine sand (18.17 to 29.87%), total sand (62.22 to 85.93), silt (2.88 to 19.86%), Clay (10.3 to 18.46%), the structural code (1.77 to 3.77), porosity (50.55 to 61.20%), permeability (2.98 to 9.27 cm/hr), bulk density (1.35 to 1.57g/cm3 ) and a permeability class (1.77 to 2.87 cm/hr), pH (5.22 to 5.62), organic matter (5.17 to 6.60%), available phosphorus (19.43 to 28.37%), calcium (4.98 to 19.11%), magnesium (1.39 to 3.34%), sodium (0.06 to 2.8%), potassium (0.04 to 0.29%) and ECEC (8.96 to 17.14 Cmolc/kg). The results indicate the different physico-chemical properties of the formed from the different geologic formation of the study area. There is no statistical difference on the soils across the depth of the each geologic formation. The results obtained show that geologic formation have impact on the physicochemical properties of the soils. The results obtained in this research can served as a guide in soil management, utilization and conservation.

Object-based characterization of vegetation heterogeneity with sentinel images proves efficient in a highly human-influenced National Park of Côte d’Ivoire

Forest monitoring requires more automated systems to analyze high ecosystem heterogeneity. The traditional pixel-based detection method has proven to be less and less effective. A novel change detection method is therefore proposed to detect changes in forest cover using satellite images at very high spatial resolution. This is object-oriented classification, which groups pixels into interpreted objects, based on their spectral values, spatial, and textural properties. Using sentinel and Lansat images, we tested for the first time in the West African rainforest zone the effectiveness of this method for better detection, delineation, and analysis of land use and occupation types. The mean shift algorithm was used in both the segmentation and classification processes. Next, we compared the proposed object-oriented method with a pixel-based image classification detection method by implementing both methods under the same conditions. High detection accuracy (> 90%) and an overall Kappa greater than 0.90 were obtained by the object-oriented method, which is about 20% higher than the pixel-based method. The object-based method was free of salt and pepper effects and was less prone to image misregistration in terms of change detection accuracy and mapping results. This study demonstrates that the object-based classifier is a much better approach than the classical pixel-based classifier. In addition, it shows the problems of detecting heterogeneous landscapes and explains the observed confusions between the types of vegetation formations specific to tropical wetlands. The results obtained are encouraging and the contribution of high-resolution images and the object-based method to better discrimination of tropical wetland vegetation is discussed.

Fá Divination, Well-being, and Coolness in Bénin, West Africa

Abstract For more than 40 years the relationships that exist between divination and knowledge have become central to anthropology’s understanding of African religious practice. This paper deemphasizes the commonly mobilized ‘divination as knowledge’ trope in favor of highlighting its role in achieving well-being. Indeed, I argue that by focusing on divination as a way of knowing ethnographers have inadvertently ignored what happens after said knowledge is acquired. It is these moments that I find to be at the heart of divination’s enduring value. Through an analysis of divination rituals, initiations, and material objects, alternative ways to examining divination in the West African rain forest are considered and explored. Looking to Fá divination, one of the major oracular systems employed by Fon speakers in the Republic of Bénin, I turn my attention to the ways in which divination helps individuals fulfill their destinies and achieve goodness in the world. In this way I argue that West African systems of divination are only secondarily about knowledge and first and foremost about achieving a sense of balance (coolness) and well-being.

The status of arboreta in South Africa and the taxa they contain

Collections of living trees (hereafter arboreta) are important for conservation, research on species selection for forestry, and as sentinel sites for monitoring pests and diseases. Arboreta can also be the source of propagules for biological invasions. Between 2012 and 2022 a survey was undertaken to assess the status of arboreta in South Africa and the taxa present in such sites, the first such assessment since 1986. At least 172 arboreta have existed in South Africa, but 51 of these are no longer present, with the total number of arboreta peaking around 1980 and declining thereafter. Arboreta have been lost mostly because of conversion of sites to other land-uses, but in some cases because the specimens were felled or burnt down and not replaced. Most of the remaining 121 arboreta are on municipal or forestry land. The biggest challenge facing the extant arboreta is the financial burden of maintaining the collections. The extant arboreta house 2 309 taxa from 158 plant families; of these, 128 taxa (occurring variously in 88 arboreta) are listed as Vulnerable, Endangered, Critically Endangered or Extinct in the Wild under the 2020 IUCN Red List, and 400 taxa (occurring variously in 113 arboreta) have been listed as invasive somewhere in the world. Biogeographic regions that are relatively well represented include the East African Steppe, Sino-Japanese Region, West African Rainforest, North-Eastern Australia, and the Caribbean, making the arboreta valuable sources of germplasm for taxa from these regions. Arboreta are an important resource for South Africa, but a resource that appears to be shrinking. If the value of current arboreta for conservation, education, and research is to be fulfilled, they need to be formally catalogued, their species lists regularly updated, and measures put in place to ensure their sustainability.

Diversity, Chemical Composition, and Domestication Potential of Allanblackia parviflora A. Chev. in West Africa

Allanblackia parviflora A. Chev. is an indigenous tree species which is found in West African rainforest zones. It is an underutilized fruit tree species that has been targeted for improvement as part of efforts to domesticate high-value indigenous multi-purpose trees for fruit and seed production in Africa. Allanblackia has several benefits, such as providing shade, timber, and medicine; however, the production of edible oil from its seeds is the economically most important use. There is evidence that the Allanblackia seed oil, which is used for cooking, the production of margarine and the manufacturing of ointments and soap, is being developed as a new agri-business in Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, and Tanzania. Despite the nutritional and socio-economic importance of A. parviflora, it is still at the early stages of its domestication process. Even though several researchers have explored the biology of this species, there is very limited scientific information available on its morphological and genetic diversity and silvicultural management in West Africa. Therefore, this systematic review presents an up-to-date overview on the uses, seed chemical composition, and morphological and genetic diversity of this fruit tree species, and proposes a way forward for future research towards improvement and domestication.

Follow the forest: Slow resilience of West African rainforest frog assemblages after selective logging

Assessing resilience of ecological communities, the ability of species assemblages to return to a previous state following disturbance, is an essential task when designing biodiversity friendly concepts for silvicultural management regimes. However, ecological communities may demonstrate resilience only after long time periods, and long-term data, collected on permanent study sites within standardized sampling frameworks, are scarce. We assessed the resilience of amphibian assemblages to disturbance via selective logging within the largest remaining rainforest in Ivory Coast, the Taï National Park. We analyzed extensive amphibian and habitat data obtained during two major assessment periods > 15 years apart (period P1 = in 2000, period P2 = in 2016–2017) and spanning 45 years post-logging recovery (period P1 = 30 years post-logging). We revisited identical sites and used identical, standardized methodology in both study periods. Forest structure in formerly selectively logged sites slowly recovered towards old growth forest structure over the course of 45 years, with most visible changes occurring between P1 and P2. While species richness and diversity in both old growth and secondary forests remained largely unchanged across the study periods, frog assemblage composition in formerly disturbed sites followed the forest recovery process. Yet, their composition was still distinctly different from old growth forest assemblages. The different levels of resilience over time indicate that the slowest organisms in our system (forest trees) set the pace for the recovery of associated taxa (frogs). Effective post-harvesting restoration schemes need to incorporate these delayed response times. Thus, significantly longer felling cycles than those commonly applied in regular harvesting schemes are needed if the goal is to conserve and restore original forest diversity in logged forest ecosystems.

Structure and functions of Yellow-breasted Boubou (Laniarius atroflavus) solos and duets.

BackgroundBirds have extremely well-developed acoustic communication and have become popular in bioacoustics research. The majority of studies on bird song have been conducted in the temperate zones where usually males of birds sing to attract females and defend territories. In over 360 bird species mostly inhabiting the tropics both males and females sing together in duets. Avian duets are usually formed when a male and female coordinate their songs. We focused on a species with relatively weakly coordinated duets, with male solo as the prevailing vocalisation type.MethodsInstead of analysing a set of recordings spread over a long time, we analysed whole day microphone-array recordings of the Yellow-breasted Boubou (Laniarius atroflavus), a species endemic to West African montane rainforests. We described the structure of the solo and duet vocalisations and temporal characteristics of daily activity based on 5,934 vocal bouts of 18 focal pairs and their neighbours.ResultsBirds had small, sex specific repertoires. All males shared three types of loud whistles functioning as song type repertoires in both solos and duets. Females vocalised with five types of harsh, atonal notes with a more variable and usually lower amplitude. Three of them were produced both as solos and in duets, while two seem to function as alarm and excitement calls given almost exclusively as a solo. Solos were the most common vocalisation mode (75.4%), with males being more vocally active than females. Duets accounted for 24.6% of all vocalisations and in most cases were initiated by males (81%). The majority of duets were simple (85.1%) consisting of a single male and female song type, but altogether 38 unique duet combinations were described. Males usually initiated singing at dawn and for this used one particular song type more often than expected by chance. Male solo and duet activities peaked around dawn, while female solos were produced evenly throughout the day.DiscussionYellow-breasted Boubou is a duetting species in which males are much more vocal than females and duetting is not a dominating type of vocal activity. Duet structure, context and timing of daily production support the joint resource defence hypothesis and mate guarding/prevention hypotheses, however maintaining pair contact also seems to be important. This study provides for the first time the basic quantitative data describing calls, solos and duet songs in the Yellow-breasted Boubou.

Plastome phylogeography in two African rain forest legume trees reveals that Dahomey Gap populations originate from the Cameroon volcanic line

Paleo-environmental data show that the distribution of African rain forests was affected by Quaternary climate changes. In particular, the Dahomey Gap (DG) – a 200 km wide savanna corridor currently separating the West African and Central African rain forest blocks and containing relict rain forest fragments – was forested during the mid-Holocene and possibly during previous interglacial periods, whereas it was dominated by open vegetation (savanna) during glacial periods. Genetic signatures of past population fragmentation and demographic changes have been found in some African forest plant species using nuclear markers, but such events appear not to have been synchronous or shared across species. To better understand the colonization history of the DG by rain forest trees through seed dispersal, the plastid genomes of two widespread African forest legume trees, Anthonotha macrophylla and Distemonanthus benthamianus, were sequenced in 47 individuals for each species, providing unprecedented phylogenetic resolution of their maternal lineages (857 and 115 SNPs, respectively). Both species exhibit distinct lineages separating three regions: 1. Upper Guinea (UG, i.e. the West African forest block), 2. the area ranging from the DG to the Cameroon volcanic line (CVL), and 3. Lower Guinea (LG, the western part of the Central African forest block) where three lineages co-occur. In both species, the DG populations (including southern Nigeria west of Cross River) exhibit much lower genetic diversity than UG and LG populations, and their plastid lineages originate from the CVL, confirming the role of the CVL as an ancient forest refuge. Despite the similar phylogeographic structures displayed by A. macrophylla and D. benthamianus, molecular dating indicates very contrasting ages of lineage divergence (UG diverged from LG since c. 7 Ma and 0.7 Ma, respectively) and DG colonization (probably following the Mid Pleistocene Transition and the Last Glacial Maximum, respectively). The stability of forest refuge areas and repeated similar forest shrinking/expanding events during successive glacial periods might explain why similar phylogeographic patterns can be generated over contrasting timescales.

Herpetological surveys in two proposed protected areas in Liberia, West Africa

In March and April 2018 we surveyed amphibians and reptiles in two Proposed Protected Areas (PPAs) in Liberia. In the Krahn-Bassa Proposed Protected Area (KBPPA) in eastern Liberia 36 species of amphibians and 13 species of reptiles were recorded. In the Foya Proposed Protected Area (FPPA) in western Liberia 39 species of amphibians and 10 species of reptiles were recorded. The encountered herpetological communities in both sites were typical for West African rainforests. However, some species indicated disturbances, in particular at the edges of the study areas, the surrounding villages and plantations, and old artisanal gold mining sites within forests. Of particular conservation interest was the discovery of a high percentage of typical rainforest specialists with ranges restricted to the western part of the Upper Guinea rainforest biodiversity hotspot. Outstanding discoveries in KBPPA were two new species of puddle frogs, and the first country record for the arboreal, parachuting lizardHolaspisguentheri. Remarkable records in FPPA comprise a new species of stiletto snake, a new puddle frog and records of various frog species typically breeding in undisturbed rainforest streams, such asOdontobatrachusnatatorandConrauaalleni. Both study areas comprise an important proportion of the remaining rainforests in the Upper Guinea forest zone. The new discoveries indicate that within this biogeographic area, southeastern and western Liberian rainforest may still hold various undiscovered species and species of conservation concern. Further surveys in KBPPA and FPPA and nearby forests should clarify the distribution and conservation status of the new taxa.This study also emphasizes that the western part of the Liberian forests comprise at least partly a herpetofauna which differs from that of the East of the country. The recorded threatened amphibian species are all specialized on relatively undisturbed rainforests and they all have only small geographic ranges. The remaining parts of undisturbed or little disturbed forests thus have high importance for the long-term survival of these species. In conclusion the study areas have a high conservation potential and should be urgently protected from any further forest loss degradation and uncontrolled hunting.

Intra-seasonal and seasonal variability of convective properties of monsoon precipitation systems over West and Central Africa

This study investigates the variability of convective properties during West and Central African monsoon season at both intra-seasonal and seasonal time scales based on 16-year Tropical Rainfall Measurement Mission (TRMM) precipitation features (PFs). Three rainforests (west coast, dry, Nigeria–Cameroon), two savannahs (Nigeria, Central Africa and South Sudan (CASS)), Sudano–Sahel and Sahel were classified. Convective properties were grouped according to six intra-seasonal periods defined as pre_monsoon, active_mam, break_mam, active_jjas, break_jjas and post_monsoon. Comparison of West (rainforest zone: south of 12° N) and Central (savannah zone: south of 12° N) African mean convective properties showed that West African rainforest zones often have higher numbers of PFs and mean convective properties than the CASS savannah at all the intra-seasonal periods except during the post-monsoon period. The convective properties are more frequent during pre_monsoon, active_mam and break_mam periods than during the intra-seasonal periods of JJAS (June–September) in the West African rainforest zone, and thus indicating the two distinct rainfall seasons in rainforest of West Africa, but this was not observed in Central Africa. Convective properties are found to have similar climatological pattern to precipitation climatology during March through May (MAM) and JJAS. Extreme cases of flashcounts (> 275), depressed 85-GHz polarisation-corrected temperature (49–65 K and 65–85 K) and maximum heights (> 17.59 km) of the 30 dBZ are frequent in the Nigeria–Cameroon rainforest during MAM, but extreme system sizes (≥ 80,000 km2) are found to be located in the CASS savannah zone during JJAS.

The Nile Basin waters and the West African rainforest: Rethinking the boundaries

This focus article presents the state of the West African rainforest (WARF), its role in atmospheric moisture transport to the Nile Basin, and the potential impact of its deforestation on the Nile Basin's water regime, as well as options for improving transboundary water governance. The Nile is the longest river in the world, but delivers less water per unit area than other major rivers. Pressures from the Basin's rapidly growing population and agricultural demand risk exacerbating transboundary water conflicts. About 85% of the surface water reaching Aswan in Egypt originates from the Ethiopian Highlands which comprise less than 10% of the Nile Basin's total area (3.3 million km2). Some of the atmospheric moisture reaching the Highlands crosses over the WARF; other moisture source areas include the Mediterranean Sea, the Indian Ocean, and the Atlantic Ocean. The WARF adds atmospheric moisture and modifies the regional climate system. Deforestation in the WARF has the potential to alter rainfall patterns over the Ethiopian Highlands and thus flows in the Nile River, with reductions a likely outcome. Transregional governance that looks beyond basin boundaries to the sources and routes of moisture transport (the precipitationshed) has yet to be integrated into land–atmosphere and water management negotiations. To better achieve sustainable land management and water resource development in the Nile Basin, scientific and governance frameworks need to be established that include the WARF region states in the ongoing negotiations between the Nile riparian states.This article is categorized under: Engineering Water > Planning Water Human Water > Water Governance Science of Water > Water and Environmental Change

Charcoal identification in a species-rich environment: The example of Dibamba, Cameroon

Identification of archaeological or soil charcoal in a species-rich biome, such as the Central African rainforest, is challenging because of the large number of woody taxa with similar and overlapping wood anatomical features. Valid environmental or archaeological interpretations can only derive from reliable and transparent identifications that allow comparison of and referencing between different charcoal assemblages. The identification of 30 archaeological charcoal types from the site Dibamba in southern Cameroon serves as a starting point for a discussion on classification and naming. These 30 types are fully documented and illustrated in the Supplementary Online Material (SOM). The discussion underlines the basics of “good practice” of charcoal identification in a speciesrich tropical environment. The value of differential diagnosis is stressed, as is the importance of leaving identification levels on higher taxonomic level if necessary. We argue that the level of identification must be reflected in the name of the charcoal type. Names of charcoal types are written in small capitals to clearly distinguish them from botanical taxa with which they are not necessarily identical. The Dibamba charcoal assemblage offers the first and so far unique possibility to directly comprehend human impact on the structure and composition of West Central African rainforest over the last 3000 years. The paleoenvironmental significance of the results presented here will be subject of a forthcoming publication.

Habitat Preferences of the Grey Parrot in Heterogeneous Vegetation Landscapes and Their Conservation Implications

The wild Grey ParrotPsittacus erithacusLinnaeus suffers from many habitat use challenges in the wake of extensive deforestation in its endemic range of West and Central African rainforests. To determine effects of these challenges on the bird species, seasonal densities of the Grey Parrot were determined using line transects in major heterogeneous vegetation types in the Korup Rainforest, south-western Cameroon. Results of the study highlight habitat preferences of this species on a seasonal base and under different situations of human activity intensity in the landscape. This information can be used to understand the causes of changes in the distribution and abundance of endangered species and also to determine sustainable conservation strategies. It is concluded that the parrot needs diverse vegetation types for survival in the wild state, as it depends on specific tree species for specific habitat resources such as food, roosts, security, and nests at specific periods of the year. Hence, the continuous survival of the Grey Parrot in the range states is not certain, if sustainable measures are not taken to conserve the parrot and its habitat resources both in and outside protected areas.

Origin and history of the Dahomey Gap separating West and Central African rain forests: insights from the phylogeography of the legume tree Distemonanthus benthamianus

AbstractAimThe aim of this study was to understand the origin of the forest flora currently found in the Dahomey Gap (DG), a 200‐km‐wide forest‐savanna mosaic separating the West African and Central African rain forest blocks. More specifically, using a widespread rain forest tree species, Distemonanthus benthamianus (Fabaceae), we will test the hypothesis that the DG populations are remnants of a population dating back from the African Humid Period of the Holocene, when West African and Central African rain forests were supposedly connected.LocationTropical forests of Upper Guinea (West Africa) and Lower Guinea (Atlantic Central Africa) and the forest‐savanna mosaic of the DG extending from eastern Ghana to Benin.MethodsFour hundred and twenty‐nine D. benthamianus samples from West to Central Africa were genotyped with 11 nuclear microsatellite markers. After detecting geographically coherent gene pools, their genetic diversity and differentiation were estimated and their demographic histories were inferred using coalescent simulations and approximate Bayesian computation (ABC) tests.ResultsFive parapatric gene pools were identified: three in Lower Guinea, one in Upper Guinea and one in the DG. ABC tests indicate that the DG gene pool probably originates from the admixture of adjacent Upper and Lower Guinean gene pools, with a higher contribution from Upper Guinea, at a timeframe consistent with the early Holocene (around 13–7 ka). The lower genetic diversity documented in the DG could result from a founder effect and/or from a demographic decline consistent with the Holocene climatic pejoration documented around 3 ka.Main conclusionsThis phylogeographical study inferring the history of the DG populations of D. benthamianus is consistent with palaeovegetation data that suggest that the forest flora of the DG might be essentially relicts of the early Holocene period when the Guineo‐Congolian forest reached its maximum geographical distribution.

An assessment of socio-economic drivers of avian body parts trade in West African rainforests

Several species of wildlife are hunted around the world for the perceived potency of certain parts of their bodies in traditional medicine and in fetish practices. In Africa, many cultures require animal parts for a wide range of traditional and religious practices. This has resulted in the persecution of more than 354 bird species across the continent. In this study, we evaluated the drivers and frequency of human-related avian mortality focusing on the trade in avian body parts around major protected areas in the Cross River region of southeastern Nigeria. We conducted personal interviews with men from 18 villages in proximity to four natural areas in the region, and asked the men questions related to their knowledge of trade in avian body parts. From the responses obtained, we identified 27 bird species from 13 families in regional trade. Three of the top 5 most reported species are globally threatened. Both knowledge of and participation in the trade were pervasive across the study sites and across different occupational groups. 94% of respondents claimed knowledge of trade in avian body parts; 66% had participated in that trade in the last 2years. To identify predictors of participation in the avian body part trade, we fitted all possible model combinations using the Generalized Linear Mixed Model approach and ranked them based on their AICc values. The top-ranked model identified age, average monthly income, perceived personal need for avian body parts, and number of wives as the top socio-economic drivers of participation. Younger people and villagers with low monthly income were more likely to participate in the trade. Probability of involvement also increased with the number of wives and a perceived personal need for avian body parts. The former may be an indication of a larger household that requires more resources to sustain it; the latter likely reflects personal conviction of the efficacy of using avian body parts in traditional medicine and other cultural practices. Our study highlights the importance of targeting socio-economic factors and integrating cultural needs of the people into conservation planning aimed at reducing human–wildlife conflicts.

Inbreeding Ratio and Genetic Relationships among Strains of the Western Clawed Frog, Xenopus tropicalis.

The Western clawed frog, Xenopus tropicalis, is a highly promising model amphibian, especially in developmental and physiological research, and as a tool for understanding disease. It was originally found in the West African rainforest belt, and was introduced to the research community in the 1990s. The major strains thus far known include the Nigerian and Ivory Coast strains. However, due to its short history as an experimental animal, the genetic relationship among the various strains has not yet been clarified, and establishment of inbred strains has not yet been achieved. Since 2003 the Institute for Amphibian Biology (IAB), Hiroshima University has maintained stocks of multiple X. tropicalis strains and conducted consecutive breeding as part of the National BioResource Project. In the present study we investigated the inbreeding ratio and genetic relationship of four inbred strains at IAB, as well as stocks from other institutions, using highly polymorphic microsatellite markers and mitochondrial haplotypes. Our results show successive reduction of heterozygosity in the genome of the IAB inbred strains. The Ivory Coast strains clearly differed from the Nigerian strains genetically, and three subgroups were identified within both the Nigerian and Ivory Coast strains. It is noteworthy that the Ivory Coast strains have an evolutionary divergent genetic background. Our results serve as a guide for the most effective use of X. tropicalis strains, and the long-term maintenance of multiple strains will contribute to further research efforts.