Biodiversity in a forest-agriculture mosaic – The changing face of West African rainforests

摘要: Abstract The biodiversity of West African rainforests is globally significant but poorly described, little understood in terms its functional significance, and under threat from forest loss degradation. Estimates suggest that about 10 million ha may have been lost the 20th Century, around 80% original area now an agriculture-forest mosaic. These highly modified forests provide food, fuel, fibre a range ecosystem services for over 200 people. As consequence, future region intimately linked with lives livelihoods local available evidence suggests degradation has caused primarily by agricultural expansion, sometimes facilitated other human activities such as wood extraction. This expansion response to demand generated growing increasingly urbanised population, exacerbated small increases crop yields recent decades. We synthesize review our state knowledge on value human-modified habitats region. Data are patchy, we show across plant, invertebrate vertebrate groups, there species tree cover reduced vegetation structure simplified. Agricultural clearly causes loss. argue replicated landscape-scale studies needed describe changes groups (above below ground) relation land-use landscape context address gaps biases. Such descriptive need be complemented deeper understanding turnover patterns, together work consequences function services. Biodiversity conservation becoming embedded within more multi-functional view mosaics attempts recognise provided land-uses. relatively new perspective potential, at least principle, re-shape drivers change because can generate additional revenue through carbon trading or certification schemes. It will become clearer coming decades whether this potential realised, implications potentially profound. socio-economic processes driven Africa having increasing impact undisturbed rainforest Congo Basin. conclude pointing out while landscapes potent reminder what might happen Central near future, they also insights developing policies practice avoid comparable levels