Mangroves are increasingly being degraded in West Africa. We explored local utilization, threats and assessed existing conservation practices in Ghana through field visits, mapping, laboratory analyses and interviews....Mangroves are increasingly being degraded in West Africa. We explored local utilization, threats and assessed existing conservation practices in Ghana through field visits, mapping, laboratory analyses and interviews. The study reports three species of mangroves along Ghana’s coastline;white (Avicennia germinans), red (Rhizophora racemosa), and black (Laguncularia racemosa) mangroves. White mangrove is the most dominant, with black mangroves being the least. The current mangrove cover of Ghana was estimated at 72.4 km<sup>2</sup> with over 18 million trees (average = 2284.21 trees per hectare), both naturally occurring and planted mangroves. The Volta Region had the most abundant mangroves, with the Central region recording the least. Notable flora within the mangrove forests included Acrostichum aureum, Sesuvium portulacastrum, Paspalum vaginatum, Sporobolus maritima and Conocarpus erectus. Mangrove wetland in Ghana provides suitable nursery habitats for several important fish species, including Sarotherodon melanotheron, Mugil cephalus, Callinectes amnicola, Cardiosoma armatum, Crassostrea sp, Periophthalmus papilio, Coptodon spp. Ghana’s mangrove forest is declining at a rate of 8.1 km<sup>2</sup> per annum due to over-cutting, land conversion, wildfires, pollution, overgrazing and natural death from disease. Over cutting mangrove for fish smoking and housing construction were significant threats to mangroves nationwide. Continuous education, law enforcement, nature-based methods and local control mechanisms effectively protect mangroves.展开更多
A baseline survey was carried out at four beaches along Ghana’s Accra-Tema coastline over a period of sixteen weeks to determine beach quality, seawater quality and the perception of beach users towards littering. A ...A baseline survey was carried out at four beaches along Ghana’s Accra-Tema coastline over a period of sixteen weeks to determine beach quality, seawater quality and the perception of beach users towards littering. A total of 18,241 items of marine debris which weighed 297.59 kg were collected. Plastic materials were the dominant debris, accounting for 63.72% of total debris. Land-based marine debris formed the largest proportion of debris collected (93% of items/m<sup>2</sup> and 85 kg/m<sup>2</sup>). Water quality analysis revealed high mean levels of coliforms and E. coli above World Health Organization (WHO) levels on all four beach locations. A social survey that targeted beach users and some stakeholders revealed a habit of littering and beach users as the main source of litter generation on Ghana’s beaches. Intensive education, continuous monitoring and the enforcement of appropriate policy initiatives remain vital to addressing beach and water quality issues along Ghana’s coastline.展开更多
文摘Mangroves are increasingly being degraded in West Africa. We explored local utilization, threats and assessed existing conservation practices in Ghana through field visits, mapping, laboratory analyses and interviews. The study reports three species of mangroves along Ghana’s coastline;white (Avicennia germinans), red (Rhizophora racemosa), and black (Laguncularia racemosa) mangroves. White mangrove is the most dominant, with black mangroves being the least. The current mangrove cover of Ghana was estimated at 72.4 km<sup>2</sup> with over 18 million trees (average = 2284.21 trees per hectare), both naturally occurring and planted mangroves. The Volta Region had the most abundant mangroves, with the Central region recording the least. Notable flora within the mangrove forests included Acrostichum aureum, Sesuvium portulacastrum, Paspalum vaginatum, Sporobolus maritima and Conocarpus erectus. Mangrove wetland in Ghana provides suitable nursery habitats for several important fish species, including Sarotherodon melanotheron, Mugil cephalus, Callinectes amnicola, Cardiosoma armatum, Crassostrea sp, Periophthalmus papilio, Coptodon spp. Ghana’s mangrove forest is declining at a rate of 8.1 km<sup>2</sup> per annum due to over-cutting, land conversion, wildfires, pollution, overgrazing and natural death from disease. Over cutting mangrove for fish smoking and housing construction were significant threats to mangroves nationwide. Continuous education, law enforcement, nature-based methods and local control mechanisms effectively protect mangroves.
文摘A baseline survey was carried out at four beaches along Ghana’s Accra-Tema coastline over a period of sixteen weeks to determine beach quality, seawater quality and the perception of beach users towards littering. A total of 18,241 items of marine debris which weighed 297.59 kg were collected. Plastic materials were the dominant debris, accounting for 63.72% of total debris. Land-based marine debris formed the largest proportion of debris collected (93% of items/m<sup>2</sup> and 85 kg/m<sup>2</sup>). Water quality analysis revealed high mean levels of coliforms and E. coli above World Health Organization (WHO) levels on all four beach locations. A social survey that targeted beach users and some stakeholders revealed a habit of littering and beach users as the main source of litter generation on Ghana’s beaches. Intensive education, continuous monitoring and the enforcement of appropriate policy initiatives remain vital to addressing beach and water quality issues along Ghana’s coastline.
