The study assesses the functional status of the University of Energy and Natural Resources’ (UENR) bat sanctuary by examining its floral diversity and carbon stocks. Twenty-nine sampling points (plots) were randomly ...The study assesses the functional status of the University of Energy and Natural Resources’ (UENR) bat sanctuary by examining its floral diversity and carbon stocks. Twenty-nine sampling points (plots) were randomly generated by using the ArcGIS random sampling algorithm. Using a three-nest sampling plot of 100m2, 25m2, and 1m2 quadrat, the enumeration of trees (DBH>10cm), saplings (>2cm DBH 0.05) between the 10m buffer created and the core area with respect to species diversity and carbon stocks. The study has provided valuable information on the functional status of the bat sanctuary which will help promote its conservation for sustained provision of ecosystem services.展开更多
This paper investigates the effectiveness of conservation efforts in the Nyungwe Forest National Park (Nyungwe). The forest is one of the six key landscapes identified for conservation in the Albertine Rift because it...This paper investigates the effectiveness of conservation efforts in the Nyungwe Forest National Park (Nyungwe). The forest is one of the six key landscapes identified for conservation in the Albertine Rift because it hosts many threatened species. As such, a number of different stakeholders have been involved in its conservation since 1987;yet, studies that emphasize and evaluate the success of these conservation efforts are limited. We combined a rapid and relatively low cost remotely-sensed data and the Light Use Efficiency model to generate forest conservation indicators such as NDVI, forest canopy Net Primary Productivity and carbon sequestered from 1986 to 2010. The influence of topographic and climatic factors on these indicators was examined. The supervised classifier was used to catalogue the area into Forest, Wetland, and Bareland. The forest was the major category (above 90%) of Nyungwe relative to wetland and bareland. Based on degradation intensity, two distinctive periods were realised;the first period spans 8 years (1986-1994) whereas the second spans 16 years (1994-2010). The former degradation intensity period is 10 times higher than the latter period. Although the size of forest recovered up to 90%, the daily NPP and carbon sequestration capacity decreased by 37.1% (i.e. NPP 6.5 Mg tons in 1986 to 4.1 Mg tons in 2010). Areas of the forest that are physically constrained (high altitude) had a higher degradation. Guided by our indicators, there is an overall success in conservation efforts, but efforts were mostly concentrated in accessible areas. Therefore, conservation efforts that aim to respond to degradation of the inaccessible areas of the forest should be stressed in the management plan of the park.展开更多
文摘The study assesses the functional status of the University of Energy and Natural Resources’ (UENR) bat sanctuary by examining its floral diversity and carbon stocks. Twenty-nine sampling points (plots) were randomly generated by using the ArcGIS random sampling algorithm. Using a three-nest sampling plot of 100m2, 25m2, and 1m2 quadrat, the enumeration of trees (DBH>10cm), saplings (>2cm DBH 0.05) between the 10m buffer created and the core area with respect to species diversity and carbon stocks. The study has provided valuable information on the functional status of the bat sanctuary which will help promote its conservation for sustained provision of ecosystem services.
文摘This paper investigates the effectiveness of conservation efforts in the Nyungwe Forest National Park (Nyungwe). The forest is one of the six key landscapes identified for conservation in the Albertine Rift because it hosts many threatened species. As such, a number of different stakeholders have been involved in its conservation since 1987;yet, studies that emphasize and evaluate the success of these conservation efforts are limited. We combined a rapid and relatively low cost remotely-sensed data and the Light Use Efficiency model to generate forest conservation indicators such as NDVI, forest canopy Net Primary Productivity and carbon sequestered from 1986 to 2010. The influence of topographic and climatic factors on these indicators was examined. The supervised classifier was used to catalogue the area into Forest, Wetland, and Bareland. The forest was the major category (above 90%) of Nyungwe relative to wetland and bareland. Based on degradation intensity, two distinctive periods were realised;the first period spans 8 years (1986-1994) whereas the second spans 16 years (1994-2010). The former degradation intensity period is 10 times higher than the latter period. Although the size of forest recovered up to 90%, the daily NPP and carbon sequestration capacity decreased by 37.1% (i.e. NPP 6.5 Mg tons in 1986 to 4.1 Mg tons in 2010). Areas of the forest that are physically constrained (high altitude) had a higher degradation. Guided by our indicators, there is an overall success in conservation efforts, but efforts were mostly concentrated in accessible areas. Therefore, conservation efforts that aim to respond to degradation of the inaccessible areas of the forest should be stressed in the management plan of the park.
