Protecting an artificial savanna as a nature-based solution for restoring carbon and biodiversity in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
| dc.contributor.author | Djiofack, BY. | |
| dc.contributor.author | Beeckman, H. | |
| dc.contributor.author | Bourland, N. | |
| dc.contributor.author | Luse, BB. | |
| dc.contributor.author | Laurent, F. | |
| dc.contributor.author | Angoboy, BI. | |
| dc.contributor.author | Nsenga, L. | |
| dc.contributor.author | Huart, A. | |
| dc.contributor.author | Mbende, ML. | |
| dc.contributor.author | Deklerck, V. | |
| dc.contributor.author | Lejeune, G. | |
| dc.contributor.author | Verbiest, W. | |
| dc.contributor.author | Van den Bulcke, J. | |
| dc.contributor.author | Van Acker, J. | |
| dc.contributor.author | De Mil, T. | |
| dc.contributor.author | Hubau, W. | |
| dc.coverage.spatial | Africa | |
| dc.coverage.spatial | Africa - Central | |
| dc.coverage.spatial | Congo, The Democratic Republic of the | |
| dc.date | 2024 | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2025-03-05T14:25:08Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2025-03-05T14:25:08Z | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://orfeo.belnet.be/handle/internal/13913 | |
| dc.description | A large share of the global forest restoration potential is situated in unstable mesic African savannas, contributing about 23% to the worldwide mismatch between potential and actual terrestrial carbon stocks. However, uncertainty regarding central African forest recovery rates impedes science-informed implementation of forest restoration efforts. Here, we quantify the forest restoration success of 17 years of fire exclusion within a mesic artificial savanna patch in the Kongo Central province of the DR Congo. We found a rapid increase in the stem density of pioneer forest species (e.g., Xylopia aethiopica and Albizia adianthifolia) and a significant decrease in the stem density of savanna species (e.g., Hymenocardia acida and Maprounea africana). On average, forest species above ground carbon (AGC) recovery was 11.97 ± 0.20 Mg C ha−1. We predicted that AGC stocks take 112 ± 3 years to recover to 90% of AGC stocks in old-growth forests. We showed that unstable artificial savannas across DR Congo, Congo, and Angola have a total carbon uptake potential of 12.13 ± 2.25 Gt C by 2100. Species richness recovered to 33.17% after 17 years, and we predicted a 90% recovery at 54 ± 2 years. In contrast, the recovery of species composition was much slower, with an estimated 90% recovery after 12 ± 3 years. We conclude that the relatively simple and cost-efficient measure of fire exclusion in artificial savannas is an effective Nature-based solution to climate change and biodiversity loss. However, more long-term and in situ monitoring efforts are needed to quantify variation in longterm carbon and diversity recovery pathways. | |
| dc.language | eng | |
| dc.publisher | Africa Platform of Ghent University Association (GAPSYM) | |
| dc.title | Protecting an artificial savanna as a nature-based solution for restoring carbon and biodiversity in the Democratic Republic of the Congo | |
| dc.type | Conference | |
| dc.subject.frascati | Earth and related Environmental sciences | |
| dc.audience | Scientific | |
| dc.subject.free | Wood biology | |
| dc.source.title | GAPSYM17: Africa at the intersection of Climate, Migration & Health challenges | |
| Orfeo.peerreviewed | No | |
| dc.identifier.rmca | 6948 |