Abstract
The Mayombe tropical forest has experienced dramatic changes over several decades due to human activities. However, the impact of these changes on tree biodiversity and ecosystem services has not been studied yet. Such a study could advance the current knowledge on tree biodiversity and carbon storage within the Mayombe forest, which is presently under high anthropogenic pressures. This information could benefit decision-makers to design and implement strategies for biodiversity conservation and sustainable natural resource utilization. As such, biodiversity surveys were conducted within the forest under different land utilization regimes. To evaluate the effect of human utilization on tree biodiversity and ecosystem services (carbon storage), land was classified into three categories based on the intensity of human utilization: low utilization, moderate utilization, and high utilization. Additionally, the study evaluated the recovery potential of the disturbed forest under both moderate and high utilization, after abandonment for 10 and 20 years. Tree diameter and height were measured for all trees whose diameter at breast height was greater than or equal to 10 cm. Our findings revealed that forest land with both high and moderate utilization regimes, and having no regulation, resulted in the decline of tree species richness, tree species diversity, and carbon storage. The magnitude of decrease was greater in high utilization compared to moderate utilization regimes. On the other hand, high values of biodiversity indices and carbon storage were observed in the low utilization regime. This study also demonstrated that fallow land that had been left undisturbed for more than 10 years, but had experienced both high and moderate utilization regimes, could reasonably recover carbon storage, and an acceptable level of tree species biodiversity can be achieved. However, there remains a significant difference when compared with the original level in the low utilization regime, suggesting that the Mayombe forest takes longer to recover. Based on the findings on tree biodiversity and carbon storage over the recovery trajectory, this study improves the understanding of the degraded forest restoration process within the Mayombe forest. It is therefore necessary to formulate new strategies to regulate forest land utilization within the Mayombe forest. This will ensure sustainability and availability of all ecosystem services this forest provides to a human population that strongly depends on it for their survival.
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Claims 12
Claim · model-written summary
High utilization reduced tree species richness.
Verbatim
e0“forest land with both high and moderate utilization regimes, and having no regulation, resulted in the decline of tree species richness, tree species diversity, and carbon storage”
t0“Tree”
Claim · model-written summary
Moderate utilization reduced tree species richness.
Verbatim
e0“forest land with both high and moderate utilization regimes, and having no regulation, resulted in the decline of tree species richness, tree species diversity, and carbon storage”
t0“Tree”
Claim · model-written summary
High utilization reduced tree species diversity.
Verbatim
e0“forest land with both high and moderate utilization regimes, and having no regulation, resulted in the decline of tree species richness, tree species diversity, and carbon storage”
t0“Tree”
Claim · model-written summary
Moderate utilization reduced tree species diversity.
Verbatim
e0“forest land with both high and moderate utilization regimes, and having no regulation, resulted in the decline of tree species richness, tree species diversity, and carbon storage”
t0“Tree”
Claim · model-written summary
High utilization reduced carbon storage.
Verbatim
e0“forest land with both high and moderate utilization regimes, and having no regulation, resulted in the decline of tree species richness, tree species diversity, and carbon storage”
t0“Tree”
Claim · model-written summary
Moderate utilization reduced carbon storage.
Verbatim
e0“forest land with both high and moderate utilization regimes, and having no regulation, resulted in the decline of tree species richness, tree species diversity, and carbon storage”
t0“Tree”
Claim · model-written summary
The decrease was greater under high than moderate utilization.
Verbatim
e0“The magnitude of decrease was greater in high utilization compared to moderate utilization regimes”
e1“tree species richness, tree species diversity, and carbon storage”
t0“Tree”
Claim · model-written summary
Biodiversity indices and carbon storage were high under low utilization.
Verbatim
e0“high values of biodiversity indices and carbon storage were observed in the low utilization regime”
t0“Tree”
Claim · model-written summary
After more than ten undisturbed years, previously utilized fallow land could recover carbon storage.
Verbatim
e0“fallow land that had been left undisturbed for more than 10 years, but had experienced both high and moderate utilization regimes, could reasonably recover carbon storage”
t0“Tree”
Claim · model-written summary
After more than ten undisturbed years, previously utilized fallow land could recover acceptable tree species biodiversity.
Verbatim
e0“an acceptable level of tree species biodiversity can be achieved”
e1“fallow land that had been left undisturbed for more than 10 years”
t0“Tree”
Claim · model-written summary
Recovered fallow land remained significantly different from the low utilization regime.
Not reportedDirection
Verbatim
e0“there remains a significant difference when compared with the original level in the low utilization regime”
e1“tree species biodiversity”
t0“Tree”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors recommend regulating forest land utilization in Mayombe.
Verbatim
e0“It is therefore necessary to formulate new strategies to regulate forest land utilization within the Mayombe forest”
t0“Tree”