Little is known about the quantity and quality of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in waters from c... more Little is known about the quantity and quality of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in waters from continental geothermal systems, with only a few reports available from the Yellowstone US National Park. In this study, we explored the chemodiversity of DOM in water samples collected from two geothermal hot springs from the Kenyan East African Rift Valley, a region extremely rich in fumaroles, geysers, and spouting springs, located in close proximity to volcanic lakes. The DOM characterization included in-depth assessments performed by negative electrospray ionization Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR-MS). Reduced, saturated and little aromatic DOM compounds were dominant in the hot spring waters collected from either the Ol Njorowa gorge (ON) or the south shore of the soda-saline Lake Elementaita (ELM). Oxygen-poor and sulfur-bearing DOM molecules prevailed in ON, probably reflecting abiotic sulfurization from sulfide-rich geofluids. Nitrogen-bearing a...
27 The meat of wild animals (bushmeat) is consumed extensively in many tropical regions. 28 Over ... more 27 The meat of wild animals (bushmeat) is consumed extensively in many tropical regions. 28 Over the past few decades bushmeat consumption has greatly increased, threatening the 29 survival of some hunted species and the supply of animal protein to countless numbers of 30 people. Understanding patterns of bushmeat consumption is thus vital to ensure the 31 sustainable use of this resource. Although the economic drivers of bushmeat consumption 32 have been well studied, non-wealth correlates have been poorly considered. Here, we 33 analyse how variables such as age and gender may influence bushmeat consumption in 34 four West African countries, within the Guinean forests (Togo and Nigeria) and Sahel 35 (Burkina Faso and Niger). We interviewed a total of 2,453 persons (1,253 urban, 1,200 in 36 rural areas) to determine frequency of consumption of bushmeat as well as the main 37 species eaten. We found significant differences in bushmeat consumption between rural 38 and urban areas in ...
The forest hingeback tortoises Kinixys homeana and Kinixys erosa are two of the most declining Af... more The forest hingeback tortoises Kinixys homeana and Kinixys erosa are two of the most declining African chelonians. Although the population size trends of these species have received attention in some specific areas of West Africa, an overall perception of their declining trajectories are still largely unexplored. We used interviews with rural people (hunters, farmers and snail gatherers) in order to explore the general perception that these experienced people have on the population trends of these threatened tortoises. Overall, we interviewed over 2000 people in three West African countries (Côte d’Ivoire, Togo and Nigeria), which mostly supported the notion that these tortoises are heavily declining in Togo and Nigeria, but less so in Côte d’Ivoire. In addition, many respondents suggested that snail gatherers are the main providers of tortoises to the bushmeat trade. Indeed, our market surveys revealed that, in Nigeria, there was a significantly positive correlation between number ...
The bushmeat trade in West and Central Africa embraces a broad range of ecological, economic, and... more The bushmeat trade in West and Central Africa embraces a broad range of ecological, economic, and conservation issues. To date, most studies have focused on the economic and conservation aspects of the bushmeat trade, with less emphasis on the ecological implications of wildlife extraction. Here, we analysed available literature on the bushmeat trade in 5 countries in west and central Africa exploring ecological traits such as niche width breadth and trophic position of the species involved, and habitats impacted. We also examine temporal changes over a 40-year period. Our results confirm that mammals dominated the trade in all studied areas and time periods, in terms of (i) number of species, (ii) number of traded individuals, and (iii) overall biomass. Herbivores were the most common trophic animal guild traded. Forest-specialists were the most abundant in the trade, and in riverine habitats reptile biomass almost as important as mammals. Overall, the most traded species and indiv...
Despite increasing pressures on freshwater resources worldwide, and the threatened status of most... more Despite increasing pressures on freshwater resources worldwide, and the threatened status of most freshwater turtles, there is still limited knowledge of habitat use and niche partitioning in Afrotropical freshwater turtle communities. In this study, we describe habitat associations, community diversity, and temporal patterns of occurrence of freshwater turtle species in the Dahomey Gap ecoregion of Ghana (West Africa). We gathered data from 13 sites in central Ghana and along the Sene Arm of Lake Volta in the Digya National Park (Bono East Region). We employed opportunistic short-term surveys (at seven sites) together with longer-term (six-months duration) standardized evaluations of turtle presence and numbers in different habitats (at six sites). In addition, we interviewed fishers in the Lake Volta area to explore their perception about turtle abundance trends. Overall, 210 turtle individuals belonging to four species (Trionyx triunguis, Cyclanorbis senegalensis, Pelomedusa sp. ...
Resource partitioning, the division of limited resources by species to help avoid competition, ha... more Resource partitioning, the division of limited resources by species to help avoid competition, has been observed in freshwater turtle assemblages in several natural systems but has rarely been studied in tropical African ecosystems. Here, we investigate habitat preferences of two congeneric species in the family Pelomedusidae, Pelusios castaneus and P. cupulatta, in riverine/wetland habitats in the southern Ivory Coast (West Africa). Pelusios castaneus is a widespread species across West-central African savannahs and open forests, whereas P. cupulatta is endemic to the Upper Guinean forest region in West Africa. The two species have a similar diet composition (mainly carnivorous) but diverge considerably in body size, P. cupulatta being much larger. We use hand-fishing-nets and fishing funnel traps to record turtles in 18 distinct sites and analyze habitat preferences by species at two spatial scales. At a macro-habitat scale, P. castaneus is captured mainly in marshlands, whereas P...
Ecohydrology: processes, models and case studies: an approach to the sustainable management of water resources
This book contains 15 chapters dealing with the integration of ecology with hydrology at the rive... more This book contains 15 chapters dealing with the integration of ecology with hydrology at the river basin scale. The patterns and processes in the catchment including nutrients, lotic vegetation ...
ABSTRACT The analysis of land use and landscape structure changes over the last two centuries has... more ABSTRACT The analysis of land use and landscape structure changes over the last two centuries has allowed us to articulate proposals for the conservation and the rehabilitation of natural, aesthetic and historical landscape values in the Křemže Basin. Landscape assessment was based mainly on information extracted from Stabile Cadastre maps drawn in 1826–1827, supplemented by military maps from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries and 1950s aerial photographs obtained historical archives. In the early nineteenth century, the landscape reflected a spatial order and a balance of regulatory and provisional ecosystem services as well as aesthetic appeal. The evolution of land use practices brought about by the industrial revolution period was associated with structural changes, such as fragmentation and homogenisation that impacted negatively on environmental stability. The restoration of selected elements, crucial for the preservation of landscape character as well as of cultural and aesthetic values, provides a chance to enhance the current structural diversity. This is of paramount importance for stabilising landscape functions and ecosystem services such as water cycling, nutrient processing, support to biodiversity, aesthetic appeal and transfer of educational values. The Stabile Cadastre maps offer an ideal baseline for streamlining the rehabilitation of selected natural, aesthetic and historical landscape features that can be reappraised during participatory processes with the contribution of local communities.
... FRANCESCA GHERARDI*, KENNETH M. MAVUTI, NIC PACINI, ELENA TRICARICO* ANDDAVID M. HARPER§ *D... more ... FRANCESCA GHERARDI*, KENNETH M. MAVUTI, NIC PACINI, ELENA TRICARICO* ANDDAVID M. HARPER§ *Dipartimento di Biologia Evoluzionistica 'Leo Pardi ... Britton et al., 2007), the African Tilapia zillii (Gervais) (order: Perciformes; family: Cichlidae) (Muchiri, Hart & ...
A survey conducted in Terekeka, Mongalla (=Mongalla) and Gemmaiza (= Gemeiza), payams of Central ... more A survey conducted in Terekeka, Mongalla (=Mongalla) and Gemmaiza (= Gemeiza), payams of Central Equatoria in South Sudan using face-to-face interviews, structured questionnaire and focused group discussion provided information on income generating strategies of fishing communities. These included: full time or part time fishing, small-scale farming, cattle breeding and firewood collection. Stationary gill nets were the dominant type of fishing gear, followed by monofilament, hook and long line, cast nets, spears and harpoons. Fishing vessels included planked canoes, steel boats and fibreglass. The best fishing months were August, September, followed by May. Main species caught included large bodied potamodromous predators adapted to channel habitats, as well as floodplain migrants. Overall the fish community appeared to be at equilibrium, with no evidence of impacts due to excessive catch efforts. The good health of the White Nile fishery is related to the high resilience of South...
The contribution of oxic methane production to greenhouse gas emissions from lakes is globally re... more The contribution of oxic methane production to greenhouse gas emissions from lakes is globally relevant, yet uncertainties remain about the levels up to which methanogenesis can counterbalance methanotrophy by leading to CH4 oversaturation in productive surface waters. Here, we explored the biogeochemical and microbial community variation patterns in a meromictic soda lake, in the East African Rift Valley (Kenya), showing an extraordinarily high concentration of methane in oxic waters (up to 156 µmol L−1). Vertical profiles of dissolved gases and their isotopic signature indicated a biogenic origin of CH4. A bloom of Oxyphotobacteria co-occurred with abundant hydrogenotrophic and acetoclastic methanogens, mostly found within suspended aggregates promoting the interactions between Bacteria, Cyanobacteria, and Archaea. Moreover, aggregate sedimentation appeared critical in connecting the lake compartments through biomass and organic matter transfer. Our findings provide insights into ...
Little is known about the quantity and quality of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in waters from c... more Little is known about the quantity and quality of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in waters from continental geothermal systems, with only a few reports available from the Yellowstone US National Park. In this study, we explored the chemodiversity of DOM in water samples collected from two geothermal hot springs from the Kenyan East African Rift Valley, a region extremely rich in fumaroles, geysers, and spouting springs, located in close proximity to volcanic lakes. The DOM characterization included in-depth assessments performed by negative electrospray ionization Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR-MS). Reduced, saturated and little aromatic DOM compounds were dominant in the hot spring waters collected from either the Ol Njorowa gorge (ON) or the south shore of the soda-saline Lake Elementaita (ELM). Oxygen-poor and sulfur-bearing DOM molecules prevailed in ON, probably reflecting abiotic sulfurization from sulfide-rich geofluids. Nitrogen-bearing a...
27 The meat of wild animals (bushmeat) is consumed extensively in many tropical regions. 28 Over ... more 27 The meat of wild animals (bushmeat) is consumed extensively in many tropical regions. 28 Over the past few decades bushmeat consumption has greatly increased, threatening the 29 survival of some hunted species and the supply of animal protein to countless numbers of 30 people. Understanding patterns of bushmeat consumption is thus vital to ensure the 31 sustainable use of this resource. Although the economic drivers of bushmeat consumption 32 have been well studied, non-wealth correlates have been poorly considered. Here, we 33 analyse how variables such as age and gender may influence bushmeat consumption in 34 four West African countries, within the Guinean forests (Togo and Nigeria) and Sahel 35 (Burkina Faso and Niger). We interviewed a total of 2,453 persons (1,253 urban, 1,200 in 36 rural areas) to determine frequency of consumption of bushmeat as well as the main 37 species eaten. We found significant differences in bushmeat consumption between rural 38 and urban areas in ...
The forest hingeback tortoises Kinixys homeana and Kinixys erosa are two of the most declining Af... more The forest hingeback tortoises Kinixys homeana and Kinixys erosa are two of the most declining African chelonians. Although the population size trends of these species have received attention in some specific areas of West Africa, an overall perception of their declining trajectories are still largely unexplored. We used interviews with rural people (hunters, farmers and snail gatherers) in order to explore the general perception that these experienced people have on the population trends of these threatened tortoises. Overall, we interviewed over 2000 people in three West African countries (Côte d’Ivoire, Togo and Nigeria), which mostly supported the notion that these tortoises are heavily declining in Togo and Nigeria, but less so in Côte d’Ivoire. In addition, many respondents suggested that snail gatherers are the main providers of tortoises to the bushmeat trade. Indeed, our market surveys revealed that, in Nigeria, there was a significantly positive correlation between number ...
The bushmeat trade in West and Central Africa embraces a broad range of ecological, economic, and... more The bushmeat trade in West and Central Africa embraces a broad range of ecological, economic, and conservation issues. To date, most studies have focused on the economic and conservation aspects of the bushmeat trade, with less emphasis on the ecological implications of wildlife extraction. Here, we analysed available literature on the bushmeat trade in 5 countries in west and central Africa exploring ecological traits such as niche width breadth and trophic position of the species involved, and habitats impacted. We also examine temporal changes over a 40-year period. Our results confirm that mammals dominated the trade in all studied areas and time periods, in terms of (i) number of species, (ii) number of traded individuals, and (iii) overall biomass. Herbivores were the most common trophic animal guild traded. Forest-specialists were the most abundant in the trade, and in riverine habitats reptile biomass almost as important as mammals. Overall, the most traded species and indiv...
Despite increasing pressures on freshwater resources worldwide, and the threatened status of most... more Despite increasing pressures on freshwater resources worldwide, and the threatened status of most freshwater turtles, there is still limited knowledge of habitat use and niche partitioning in Afrotropical freshwater turtle communities. In this study, we describe habitat associations, community diversity, and temporal patterns of occurrence of freshwater turtle species in the Dahomey Gap ecoregion of Ghana (West Africa). We gathered data from 13 sites in central Ghana and along the Sene Arm of Lake Volta in the Digya National Park (Bono East Region). We employed opportunistic short-term surveys (at seven sites) together with longer-term (six-months duration) standardized evaluations of turtle presence and numbers in different habitats (at six sites). In addition, we interviewed fishers in the Lake Volta area to explore their perception about turtle abundance trends. Overall, 210 turtle individuals belonging to four species (Trionyx triunguis, Cyclanorbis senegalensis, Pelomedusa sp. ...
Resource partitioning, the division of limited resources by species to help avoid competition, ha... more Resource partitioning, the division of limited resources by species to help avoid competition, has been observed in freshwater turtle assemblages in several natural systems but has rarely been studied in tropical African ecosystems. Here, we investigate habitat preferences of two congeneric species in the family Pelomedusidae, Pelusios castaneus and P. cupulatta, in riverine/wetland habitats in the southern Ivory Coast (West Africa). Pelusios castaneus is a widespread species across West-central African savannahs and open forests, whereas P. cupulatta is endemic to the Upper Guinean forest region in West Africa. The two species have a similar diet composition (mainly carnivorous) but diverge considerably in body size, P. cupulatta being much larger. We use hand-fishing-nets and fishing funnel traps to record turtles in 18 distinct sites and analyze habitat preferences by species at two spatial scales. At a macro-habitat scale, P. castaneus is captured mainly in marshlands, whereas P...
Ecohydrology: processes, models and case studies: an approach to the sustainable management of water resources
This book contains 15 chapters dealing with the integration of ecology with hydrology at the rive... more This book contains 15 chapters dealing with the integration of ecology with hydrology at the river basin scale. The patterns and processes in the catchment including nutrients, lotic vegetation ...
ABSTRACT The analysis of land use and landscape structure changes over the last two centuries has... more ABSTRACT The analysis of land use and landscape structure changes over the last two centuries has allowed us to articulate proposals for the conservation and the rehabilitation of natural, aesthetic and historical landscape values in the Křemže Basin. Landscape assessment was based mainly on information extracted from Stabile Cadastre maps drawn in 1826–1827, supplemented by military maps from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries and 1950s aerial photographs obtained historical archives. In the early nineteenth century, the landscape reflected a spatial order and a balance of regulatory and provisional ecosystem services as well as aesthetic appeal. The evolution of land use practices brought about by the industrial revolution period was associated with structural changes, such as fragmentation and homogenisation that impacted negatively on environmental stability. The restoration of selected elements, crucial for the preservation of landscape character as well as of cultural and aesthetic values, provides a chance to enhance the current structural diversity. This is of paramount importance for stabilising landscape functions and ecosystem services such as water cycling, nutrient processing, support to biodiversity, aesthetic appeal and transfer of educational values. The Stabile Cadastre maps offer an ideal baseline for streamlining the rehabilitation of selected natural, aesthetic and historical landscape features that can be reappraised during participatory processes with the contribution of local communities.
... FRANCESCA GHERARDI*, KENNETH M. MAVUTI, NIC PACINI, ELENA TRICARICO* ANDDAVID M. HARPER§ *D... more ... FRANCESCA GHERARDI*, KENNETH M. MAVUTI, NIC PACINI, ELENA TRICARICO* ANDDAVID M. HARPER§ *Dipartimento di Biologia Evoluzionistica 'Leo Pardi ... Britton et al., 2007), the African Tilapia zillii (Gervais) (order: Perciformes; family: Cichlidae) (Muchiri, Hart & ...
A survey conducted in Terekeka, Mongalla (=Mongalla) and Gemmaiza (= Gemeiza), payams of Central ... more A survey conducted in Terekeka, Mongalla (=Mongalla) and Gemmaiza (= Gemeiza), payams of Central Equatoria in South Sudan using face-to-face interviews, structured questionnaire and focused group discussion provided information on income generating strategies of fishing communities. These included: full time or part time fishing, small-scale farming, cattle breeding and firewood collection. Stationary gill nets were the dominant type of fishing gear, followed by monofilament, hook and long line, cast nets, spears and harpoons. Fishing vessels included planked canoes, steel boats and fibreglass. The best fishing months were August, September, followed by May. Main species caught included large bodied potamodromous predators adapted to channel habitats, as well as floodplain migrants. Overall the fish community appeared to be at equilibrium, with no evidence of impacts due to excessive catch efforts. The good health of the White Nile fishery is related to the high resilience of South...
The contribution of oxic methane production to greenhouse gas emissions from lakes is globally re... more The contribution of oxic methane production to greenhouse gas emissions from lakes is globally relevant, yet uncertainties remain about the levels up to which methanogenesis can counterbalance methanotrophy by leading to CH4 oversaturation in productive surface waters. Here, we explored the biogeochemical and microbial community variation patterns in a meromictic soda lake, in the East African Rift Valley (Kenya), showing an extraordinarily high concentration of methane in oxic waters (up to 156 µmol L−1). Vertical profiles of dissolved gases and their isotopic signature indicated a biogenic origin of CH4. A bloom of Oxyphotobacteria co-occurred with abundant hydrogenotrophic and acetoclastic methanogens, mostly found within suspended aggregates promoting the interactions between Bacteria, Cyanobacteria, and Archaea. Moreover, aggregate sedimentation appeared critical in connecting the lake compartments through biomass and organic matter transfer. Our findings provide insights into ...
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