Anthropogenic disturbance regimes reduce biomass and alter floristic composition in montane forests of Kahuzi-Biega National Park, Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo - 2026
Anthropogenic disturbance regimes reduce biomass and alter floristic composition in montane forests of Kahuzi-Biega National Park, Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo
Aboveground biomass; Anthropogenic disturbances; Ecological filtering; Floristic composition; Forest structure; Protected areas; Tropical montane forests; Forestry; Economics, Econometrics and Finance (miscellaneous); Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law
Abstract :
[en] Montane forests of Kahuzi-Biega National Park (PNKB), located in the Albertine Rift, represent a major reservoir of biodiversity and carbon, yet they are increasingly affected by anthropogenic disturbances despite their protected status. This study assessed how anthropogenic disturbances are spatially organized and how they affect forest structure, aboveground biomass, floristic diversity, and community composition in the high-altitude montane forests of PNKB. Specifically, we examined whether disturbances form non-random spatial regimes and whether their effects on floristic composition operate through both structural changes and direct ecological filtering. A total of 63 plots (0.25 ha each) were established along nine 1-km transects in the high-altitude zone, with seven plots per transect spaced approximately 100 m apart. Each transect represented a disturbance gradient ranging from more accessible areas to more remote locations. Disturbances were characterized using field-based indicators and analyzed through similarity indices and hierarchical clustering, while their effects were assessed using non-parametric tests and multivariate analyses (NMDS, PERMANOVA, dbRDA). Similarity analyses revealed a non-random organization of disturbances, dominated by the co-occurrence of logging, charcoal production, and agriculture. Disturbed plots exhibited significant reductions in tree density (−42%), basal area (−54%), and aboveground biomass (−51%; 53 vs 109 Mg ha⁻¹, p < 0.001). Species richness was lower (p = 0.047), and floristic composition differed significantly among disturbance categories (PERMANOVA, p < 0.01). Disturbances independently explained 10% of the variation in floristic composition, while the full model accounted for 31%, indicating both structural and directional effects on plant assemblages. These findings demonstrate that diffuse but cumulative disturbances can act as major structuring forces, capable of durably reshaping the ecological trajectory of tropical montane forests, even within protected areas.
Disciplines :
Environmental sciences & ecology
Author, co-author :
Cirezi Cizungu, Nadège ; Université de Liège - ULiège > TERRA Research Centre > Biodiversité, Ecosystème et Paysage (BEP)
Mushagalusa, Pyame Balemirwe; Department of Natural Resource Management, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Université Evangélique en Afrique, Democratic Republic Congo ; Institut National pour l'Etude et la Recherche Agronomique (INERA), Kinshasa, Democratic Republic Congo
Mangaza Nondo, Lisette ; Université de Liège - ULiège > TERRA Research Centre > Gestion des ressources forestières
Pika, Lea Mukubu; Biodiversity, Ecosystems and Landscape Unit, TERRA Teaching and Research Center, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liège, Gembloux, Belgium
Jesuka, Roselande ; Université de Liège - ULiège > TERRA Research Centre > Biodiversité, Ecosystème et Paysage (BEP) ; Campus Henry Christophe de Limonade, Université d'État d'Haïti, Limonade, Haiti
Balezi, Alphonse Zihalirwa; Faculty of Science, Université Officielle de Bukavu, Bukavu, Democratic Republic Congo
Karume, Katcho; Department of Natural Resource Management, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Université Evangélique en Afrique, Democratic Republic Congo
Lumbuenamo, Raymond Sinsi; Ecole Régionale Post-universitaire d'Aménagement et de Gestion intégrés des Forêts et Territoires tropicaux (ERAIFT), Democratic Republic Congo
Rakotondrasoa, Olivia Lovanirina ; Mention Foresterie et Environnement, Ecole Supérieure des Sciences Agronomiques (ESSA-forêts), Université d'Antananarivo, Antananarivo, Madagascar
Bastin, Jean-François ; Université de Liège - ULiège > TERRA Research Centre > Biodiversité, Ecosystème et Paysage (BEP)
Fayolle, Adeline ; Université de Liège - ULiège > TERRA Research Centre > Gestion des ressources forestières ; UPR Forêts et Sociétés, Centre de coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (CIRAD), Montpellier, France
Bogaert, Jan ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département GxABT > Biodiversité, Ecosystème et Paysage (BEP)
Language :
English
Title :
Anthropogenic disturbance regimes reduce biomass and alter floristic composition in montane forests of Kahuzi-Biega National Park, Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo
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