Marantaceae forests are tropical rainforests characterized by a continuous understory layer of perennial giant herbs and a near absence of tree regeneration. Although widespread in West-Central Africa, Marantaceae forests have rarely been considered in the international literature. Yet, they pose key challenges and opportunities for theoretical eco...
peer reviewed / Marantaceae forests are tropical rainforests characterized by a continuous understory layer of perennial giant herbs and a near absence of tree regeneration. Although widespread in West-Central Africa, Marantaceae forests have rarely been considered in the international literature. Yet, they pose key challenges and opportunities for...
peer reviewed / [en] BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Plant breeders are increasingly turning to crop wild relatives (CWRs) to ensure food security in a rapidly changing environment. However, CWR populations are confronted with various human-induced threats, including hybridisation with their nearby cultivated crops. This might be especially a problem for wild...
In the context of global change, understanding the knowledge and values given to plants is crucial for choosing relevant approaches towards a more sustainable future. Children are central holders of ethnobotanical knowledge, yet they are still under-considered in ethnobotany. Our study explored the medicinal knowledge of children of the Baka, forag...
Background and aims: Plant breeders are increasingly turning to crop wild relatives (CWRs) to ensure food security in a rapidly changing environment. However, CWR populations are confronted with various human-induced threats, including hybridization with their nearby cultivated crops. This might be a particular problem for wild coffee species, whic...
A large share of the global forest restoration potential is situated in artificial 'unstable' mesic African savannas, which could be restored to higher carbon and biodiversity states if protected from human-induced burning. However, uncertainty on recovery rates in protected unstable savannas impedes science-informed forest restoration initiatives....
Soil fertility depletion is a major constraint to agricultural production in the Congo Basin and is aggravated by climate change. Therefore, agroforestry systems (AFS) are used to improve soil fertility and crop productivity. Indeed, Pentaclethra macrophylla and Acacia auriculiformis are among the most agroforestry species used in this basin. Howev...
Background and Aims: Heartwood plays an important role in maintaining the structural integrity of trees. Although its formation has long been thought to be driven solely by internal ageing processes, more recent hypotheses suggest that heartwood formation acts as a regulator of the tree water balance by modulating the quantity of sapwood. Testing b...
The growing global demand for cocoa is leading to large-scale land-use changes and habitat loss in biodiversity rich areas such as the tropical lowland forests of Africa. Low productivity and climate change are projected to affect cocoa production in major parts of West Africa, where most of the world's cocoa is produced. Such effects are expected ...
Trade in non-timber forest products (NTFPs) has increased in southeast Cameroon in recent years. To identify which NTFP species have the most potential to contribute to local people's livelihoods, it is necessary to understand the demand for NTFPs. This paper describes the actual status of the NTFP trade in Yokadouma, a major town in southeast Came...
