African rainforests: past, present and future - PubMed (original) (raw)
Review
African rainforests: past, present and future
Yadvinder Malhi et al. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 2013.
Abstract
The rainforests are the great green heart of Africa, and present a unique combination of ecological, climatic and human interactions. In this synthesis paper, we review the past and present state processes of change in African rainforests, and explore the challenges and opportunities for maintaining a viable future for these biomes. We draw in particular on the insights and new analyses emerging from the Theme Issue on 'African rainforests: past, present and future' of Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B. A combination of features characterize the African rainforest biome, including a history of climate variation; forest expansion and retreat; a long history of human interaction with the biome; a relatively low plant species diversity but large tree biomass; a historically exceptionally high animal biomass that is now being severely hunted down; the dominance of selective logging; small-scale farming and bushmeat hunting as the major forms of direct human pressure; and, in Central Africa, the particular context of mineral- and oil-driven economies that have resulted in unusually low rates of deforestation and agricultural activity. We conclude by discussing how this combination of factors influences the prospects for African forests in the twenty-first century.
Keywords: Africa; climate change; deforestation; hunting; logging; tropical rainforest.
Similar articles
- Extent and ecological consequences of hunting in Central African rainforests in the twenty-first century.
Abernethy KA, Coad L, Taylor G, Lee ME, Maisels F. Abernethy KA, et al. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 2013 Jul 22;368(1625):20120303. doi: 10.1098/rstb.2012.0303. Print 2013. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 2013. PMID: 23878333 Free PMC article. Review. - State and evolution of the African rainforests between 1990 and 2010.
Mayaux P, Pekel JF, Desclée B, Donnay F, Lupi A, Achard F, Clerici M, Bodart C, Brink A, Nasi R, Belward A. Mayaux P, et al. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 2013 Jul 22;368(1625):20120300. doi: 10.1098/rstb.2012.0300. Print 2013. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 2013. PMID: 23878331 Free PMC article. - Climatic and cultural changes in the west Congo Basin forests over the past 5000 years.
Oslisly R, White L, Bentaleb I, Favier C, Fontugne M, Gillet JF, Sebag D. Oslisly R, et al. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 2013 Jul 22;368(1625):20120304. doi: 10.1098/rstb.2012.0304. Print 2013. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 2013. PMID: 23878334 Free PMC article. - Correlation and persistence of hunting and logging impacts on tropical rainforest mammals.
Brodie JF, Giordano AJ, Zipkin EF, Bernard H, Mohd-Azlan J, Ambu L. Brodie JF, et al. Conserv Biol. 2015 Feb;29(1):110-21. doi: 10.1111/cobi.12389. Epub 2014 Sep 5. Conserv Biol. 2015. PMID: 25196079 - Human behaviour and climate-linked fluctuations in the rainforests of West-Central Africa.
Orijemie EA. Orijemie EA. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 2022 Apr 25;377(1849):20200488. doi: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0488. Epub 2022 Mar 7. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 2022. PMID: 35249382 Free PMC article. Review.
Cited by
- Disturbance sensitivity shapes patterns of tree species distribution in Afrotropical lowland rainforests more than climate or soil.
Núñez CL, Clark JS, Poulsen JR. Núñez CL, et al. Ecol Evol. 2024 May 1;14(5):e11329. doi: 10.1002/ece3.11329. eCollection 2024 May. Ecol Evol. 2024. PMID: 38698930 Free PMC article. - Revision of the Afrotropical genus Leiodontocercus (Orthoptera, Tettigoniidae, Phaneropterinae) with a description of four new species.
Massa B. Massa B. Zookeys. 2020 Jul 22;951:47-65. doi: 10.3897/zookeys.951.53814. eCollection 2020. Zookeys. 2020. PMID: 32774105 Free PMC article. - The past, present and future of Africa's rainforests.
Malhi Y, Adu-Bredu S, Asare RA, Lewis SL, Mayaux P. Malhi Y, et al. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 2013 Jul 22;368(1625):20120293. doi: 10.1098/rstb.2012.0293. Print 2013. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 2013. PMID: 23878326 Free PMC article. No abstract available. - Climate drivers of vector-borne diseases in Africa and their relevance to control programmes.
Thomson MC, Muñoz ÁG, Cousin R, Shumake-Guillemot J. Thomson MC, et al. Infect Dis Poverty. 2018 Aug 10;7(1):81. doi: 10.1186/s40249-018-0460-1. Infect Dis Poverty. 2018. PMID: 30092816 Free PMC article. - Contact to Non-human Primates and Risk Factors for Zoonotic Disease Emergence in the Taï Region, Côte d'Ivoire.
Mossoun A, Pauly M, Akoua-Koffi C, Couacy-Hymann E, Leendertz SA, Anoh AE, Gnoukpoho AH, Leendertz FH, Schubert G. Mossoun A, et al. Ecohealth. 2015 Dec;12(4):580-91. doi: 10.1007/s10393-015-1056-x. Epub 2015 Aug 25. Ecohealth. 2015. PMID: 26302959
References
- Malhi Y, Adu-Bredu S, Asare RA, Lewis SL, Mayaux P. 2013. The past, present and future of Africa's rainforests. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B 368, 20120293 (doi:10.1098/rstb.2012.0293) - DOI - PMC - PubMed
- Mayaux P, et al. 2013. State and evolution of the African rainforests between 1990 and 2010. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B 368, 20120300 (doi:10.1098/rstb.2012.0300) - DOI - PMC - PubMed
- Rudel TK. 2013. The national determinants of deforestation in sub-Saharan Africa. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B 368, 20120405 (doi:10.1098/rstb.2012.0405) - DOI - PMC - PubMed
- Mitchard ETA, Flintrop CM. 2013. Woody encroachment and forest degradation in sub-Saharan Africa's woodlands and savannas 1982–2006. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B 368, 20120406 (doi:10.1098/rstb.2012.0406) - DOI - PMC - PubMed
- James R, Washington R, Rowell DP. 2013. Implications of global warming for the climate of African rainforests. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B 368, 20120298 (doi:10.1098/rstb.2012.0298) - DOI - PMC - PubMed
Publication types
MeSH terms
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources
Other Literature Sources
Miscellaneous