Tropical Wet Forest
Effet de la lumière des trouées de la canopée sur le potentiel et la dissémination de Gnetum africanum dans les écosystèmes forestiers congolaisThis article examines Gnetum africanum, a species of commercial interest in Central African forests. The authors Iinvestigated the importance of light in Gnetum africanum dispersal and regeneration by analysing the effect of canopy gaps on Gnetum africanum in different forest types. Ther determined that Gnetum africanum is a shade tolerant species that needs shade to germinate and prefers low light levels as juveniles.
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Aspects de la régénération naturelle en forêt dense de Côte-d’Ivoire (Aspects of natural forest regeneration in Ivory Coast)The author describes forest dynamics in the Ivory Coast. He discusses primarily forest regeneration as a process disturbed by perturbations that leave a gap in the canopy and notes that leading up to these disturbances, forested areas build up seed banks. The author concludes that characteristics of the disturbance determine future forest vegetation.
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Successions Post-Culturales en Foret Tropicale: Essai de Synthèse Bibliographique (Secondary succession in tropical forests: essay and bibliographic synthesis)This article discusses four models of secondary succession (facilitation, inhibition, tolerance, and random). The authors examine the differences between the fundamental niche and the realized niche and they note that very little has been studied about ecosystem function of tropical forests.
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Etude environnementale de la Réserve naturelle forestière de Bururi (Environmental study of the Bururi forest reserve)The author presents a study of the Buruni forest reserve in Burundi (RNFB). He puts the current state of the forest in a historical context and provides a survey of animals and plants living in the reserve. The author details the forest reserve's ecological functioning and provides hydrologic and climatic data about the reseve along with discusses the threats to the Buruni forest reserve and offers suggestions for its protection.
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La participation communautaire au cœur du modèle de restauration de la Grande muraille verte africaine (Community participation at the heart of the model for restoration of the Great Green Wall)The authors describe the African initiative of the Great Green Wall for the Sahara and the Sahel, which is currently in process. Thay note that the initiative is gainaing visibility and includes 110 participating villages. The article concludes by calling for support for these types of initiaties.
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Mitigation Needs Adaptation: Tropical Forestry and Climate ChangebackgroundThis paper examines how tropical forestry practices can contribute to maintaining and enhancing the ability of forests to adapt to global climate change. It considers challenges and opportunities for the integration of tropical forest management in broader methods of adaptation to climate change. Open access copy available |
Mise à échelle du reverdissement: six étapes vers le succès--une approche pratique pour la restauration des forêts et des paysages (Scaling up Regreening: Six Steps to Success--A Practical Approach to Forest and Landscape Restoration)Open access copy available |
Les plantations forestières en afrique centrale: des sylvicultures nouvelles pour répondre aux nouveaux besoins des sociétésThe article provide several arguments for investing in tree plantations in central Africa where tropical wet and dry forests have been degraded and exploitation of forest resources is unsustainable. The authors give examples of benefits from native plantations in addition to exotic plantations. The article concludes by discussing the benefits tree plantations can have on society and the need for more scientific research on native tree plantations in central Africa.
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Évaluation des impacts socio-économiques: cas d’unité forestière d’aménagement de la compagnie forestière Leroy-Gabon (Socio-economic Impact Assessment: The Case of the Leroy-Gabon Forest Management Unit)BackgroundThis article provides a socioeconomic impact assessment of forest operations by the Leory-Gabon forest company. Research Goals & MethodsData were collected in villages and forest-exploitation camps between 2001 and 2002. The study relied on group survey data and selected research villages that experienced direct effects of forestry that were located in the UFA1 forestry zone. Open access copy available |
Quelles sont les causes de la déforestation dans le bassin du Congo? Synthèse bibliographique et études de cas (What are the causes of deforestation in the Congo Basin? Bibliographic synthesis and case studies)The article presents a literature review of different factors affecting deforestation rates in the Congo (especially Cameroon and Gabon), the most devastating of which they identified as agriculture. The authors argue that the Congo Bassin is one of the most important and best preserved ecosystems on earth. Finally, the author calls for moe studies of socio-economic factors representing the different stages of degradation, so as to better inform policy.
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