Article (Scientific journals)
The Spatiotemporal Dynamics of the Landscape of the Itombwe Nature Reserve and Its Periphery in South Kivu, the Democratic Republic of Congo
Citwara, Cléophace Bayumbasire; Selemani, Trésor Mbavumoja; Bwazani Balandi, Julien et al.
2025In Land, 14 (4), p. 907
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Abstract :
[en] This study examines the evolution of anthropogenic pressures on the Itombwe Nature Reserve and its periphery over the period 1990–2024 using satellite imagery. Two landscape ecology indices were employed: the Percentage of Landscape (PLAND) and the Largest Patch Index (LPI). The PLAND quantifies the overall extent of each habitat type, while the LPI provides insights into their spatial configuration. Eighty-three plots (each 2.5 km per side, i.e., 6.25 km2) were sampled in both the reserve and its periphery to generate robust landscape replications. Analysis focused on three key land use classes: forests, savannahs, and fields. Statistical comparisons using Kruskal–Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests revealed a decline in forest cover within the reserve and its periphery, accompanied by a steady increase in savannahs and fields. The decline in forest cover is particularly pronounced along the reserve’s periphery. For instance, in the reserve, forest cover decreased from 78.4% in 1990 to approximately 60.2% in 2024, whereas on the periphery, it dropped from 37.5% to about 21.4%. In contrast, the savannah areas increased from 17.7% to 29.5% within the reserve and maintained a marked predominance on the periphery (rising from 53.9% to 55.2%). Additionally, the area dedicated to fields exhibited notable expansion, rising from 3.70% to 10.22% in the reserve and from 7.54% to 21.98% along the periphery. These findings underscore the significant impacts of anthropogenic pressure on the forest ecosystems in both the reserve and its periphery. They highlight the urgent need for enhanced conservation measures within the reserve, as well as the implementation of sustainable land use practices (e.g., agroforestry and sustainable agriculture) in the peripheral zones to reduce the local population’s dependence on forest resources.
Disciplines :
Environmental sciences & ecology
Author, co-author :
Citwara, Cléophace Bayumbasire;  Ecole Régionale Post-Universitaire d’Aménagement et Gestion Intégrés des Forêts et Territoires Tropicaux (ERAIFT), Kinshasa P.O. Box 15.373, Democratic Republic of the Congo ; Biodiversité, Ecosystème et Paysage, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, Université de Liège, 5030 Gembloux, Belgium ; Département de l’Environnement, Centre de Recherche en Sciences Naturelles de Lwiro (CRSN-LWIRO), D.S.Bukavu, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Selemani, Trésor Mbavumoja;  Biodiversité, Ecosystème et Paysage, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, Université de Liège, 5030 Gembloux, Belgium
Bwazani Balandi, Julien  ;  Université de Liège - ULiège > TERRA Research Centre ; Ecole Régionale Post-Universitaire d’Aménagement et Gestion Intégrés des Forêts et Territoires Tropicaux (ERAIFT), Kinshasa P.O. Box 15.373, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Cirezi Cizungu, Nadège  ;  Université de Liège - ULiège > Département GxABT > Biodiversité, Ecosystème et Paysage (BEP) ; Ecole Régionale Post-Universitaire d’Aménagement et Gestion Intégrés des Forêts et Territoires Tropicaux (ERAIFT), Kinshasa P.O. Box 15.373, Democratic Republic of the Congo ; Natural Resource Management Department, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Université Evangélique en Afrique, Bukavu P.O. Box 3323, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Nduwimana, André ;  Centre de Recherche en Sciences de Productions Animales Végétales et Environnementales (CRAVE), Université du Burundi, Bujumbura BP 1550, Burundi
Kakira, Léonard Mubalama;  Centre de Recherche en Gestion de la Biodiversité et Changement Climatique, ISDR Bukavu, Bukavu P.O. Box 2849, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Sambieni, Kouagou Raoul  ;  Université de Liège - ULiège > Département GxABT > Biodiversité, Ecosystème et Paysage (BEP) ; Ecole Régionale Post-Universitaire d’Aménagement et Gestion Intégrés des Forêts et Territoires Tropicaux (ERAIFT), Kinshasa P.O. Box 15.373, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Mweru, Jean-Pierre Mate;  Ecole Régionale Post-Universitaire d’Aménagement et Gestion Intégrés des Forêts et Territoires Tropicaux (ERAIFT), Kinshasa P.O. Box 15.373, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Bastin, Jean-François  ;  Université de Liège - ULiège > TERRA Research Centre > Biodiversité, Ecosystème et Paysage (BEP)
Tchekote, Hervé;  Département de Géographie, Centre d’Études et de Recherche en Espaces, Arts et Humanités (CEREAH), Université de Dschang, Dschang P.O. Box 96, Cameroon
Bogaert, Jan  ;  Université de Liège - ULiège > Département GxABT > Biodiversité, Ecosystème et Paysage (BEP)
Language :
English
Title :
The Spatiotemporal Dynamics of the Landscape of the Itombwe Nature Reserve and Its Periphery in South Kivu, the Democratic Republic of Congo
Publication date :
21 April 2025
Journal title :
Land
eISSN :
2073-445X
Publisher :
MDPI
Volume :
14
Issue :
4
Pages :
907
Peer reviewed :
Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi
Funders :
ERAIFT - Regional Post-Graduate Training School on Integrated Management of Tropical Forests and Lands
Funding text :
ERAIFT-AGRINATURA Consortium
Available on ORBi :
since 02 June 2025

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