Living under a fluctuating climate and a drying Congo Basin

Humid conditions and equatorial forest in the Congo Basin have allowed for the maintenance of significant biodiversity and carbon stock. The ecological services and products of this forest are of high importance, particularly for smallholders living in forest landscapes and watersheds. Unfortunately...

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Main Authors: Sonwa, D.J., Oumarou Farikou, M., Martial, G., Félix, F.L.
Format: Journal Article
Language:Inglés
Published: MDPI 2020
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/112429
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author Sonwa, D.J.
Oumarou Farikou, M.
Martial, G.
Félix, F.L.
author_browse Félix, F.L.
Martial, G.
Oumarou Farikou, M.
Sonwa, D.J.
author_facet Sonwa, D.J.
Oumarou Farikou, M.
Martial, G.
Félix, F.L.
author_sort Sonwa, D.J.
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Humid conditions and equatorial forest in the Congo Basin have allowed for the maintenance of significant biodiversity and carbon stock. The ecological services and products of this forest are of high importance, particularly for smallholders living in forest landscapes and watersheds. Unfortunately, in addition to deforestation and forest degradation, climate change/variability are impacting this region, including both forests and populations. We developed three case studies based on field observations in Cameroon, the Central African Republic, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, as well as information from the literature. Our key findings are: (1) the forest-related water cycle of the Congo Basin is not stable, and is gradually changing; (2) climate change is impacting the water cycle of the basin; and, (3) the slow modification of the water cycle is affecting livelihoods in the Congo Basin. Developmental and environmental actions in the Congo Basin need to properly consider the slight modification of this water cycle in watersheds that affect products and services from the forest.
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spelling CGSpace1124292025-02-19T13:42:37Z Living under a fluctuating climate and a drying Congo Basin Sonwa, D.J. Oumarou Farikou, M. Martial, G. Félix, F.L. climate change carbon sinks water cycle watershed management Humid conditions and equatorial forest in the Congo Basin have allowed for the maintenance of significant biodiversity and carbon stock. The ecological services and products of this forest are of high importance, particularly for smallholders living in forest landscapes and watersheds. Unfortunately, in addition to deforestation and forest degradation, climate change/variability are impacting this region, including both forests and populations. We developed three case studies based on field observations in Cameroon, the Central African Republic, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, as well as information from the literature. Our key findings are: (1) the forest-related water cycle of the Congo Basin is not stable, and is gradually changing; (2) climate change is impacting the water cycle of the basin; and, (3) the slow modification of the water cycle is affecting livelihoods in the Congo Basin. Developmental and environmental actions in the Congo Basin need to properly consider the slight modification of this water cycle in watersheds that affect products and services from the forest. 2020-04-07 2021-03-08T08:31:02Z 2021-03-08T08:31:02Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/112429 en Open Access MDPI Sonwa, D.J., Oumarou Farikou, M., Martial, G., Félix, F.L. 2020. Living under a Fluctuating Climate and a Drying Congo Basin. Sustainability, 12 (7): 2936. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12072936
spellingShingle climate change
carbon sinks
water cycle
watershed management
Sonwa, D.J.
Oumarou Farikou, M.
Martial, G.
Félix, F.L.
Living under a fluctuating climate and a drying Congo Basin
title Living under a fluctuating climate and a drying Congo Basin
title_full Living under a fluctuating climate and a drying Congo Basin
title_fullStr Living under a fluctuating climate and a drying Congo Basin
title_full_unstemmed Living under a fluctuating climate and a drying Congo Basin
title_short Living under a fluctuating climate and a drying Congo Basin
title_sort living under a fluctuating climate and a drying congo basin
topic climate change
carbon sinks
water cycle
watershed management
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/112429
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