Provisioning of Ecosystem Services Provided by the Relics Forest in Togo’s Mono Biosphere Reserve

Akpamou, Kokouvi G., Pilabina, Somiyabalo, Egbelou, Hodabalo, Sewonou, Kokou R., Walz, Yvonne, Luiselli, Luca, Segniagbeto, Gabriel H., Dendi, Daniele and Kokou, Kouami, (2024). Provisioning of Ecosystem Services Provided by the Relics Forest in Togo’s Mono Biosphere Reserve. Conservation, 4(3), 486-504

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  • Sub-type Journal article
    Author Akpamou, Kokouvi G.
    Pilabina, Somiyabalo
    Egbelou, Hodabalo
    Sewonou, Kokou R.
    Walz, Yvonne
    Luiselli, Luca
    Segniagbeto, Gabriel H.
    Dendi, Daniele
    Kokou, Kouami
    Title Provisioning of Ecosystem Services Provided by the Relics Forest in Togo’s Mono Biosphere Reserve
    Appearing in Conservation
    Volume 4
    Issue No. 3
    Publication Date 2024-09-10
    Place of Publication Basel
    Publisher MDPI
    Start page 486
    End page 504
    Language eng
    Abstract In most Sub-Saharan African countries, such as Togo, forest ecosystems provide ecosystem services to the local population. These ecosystem services are of vital importance to the local populations, who depend on the benefits derived from their use to meet their socio-economic needs. The permanent dependence of these populations on ecosystem services is a major factor accelerating the degradation of natural resources, which are already under pressure from climatic factors. The present study assesses the provisioning of ecosystem services provided by the relics forest in the southeast region of the Mono Biosphere Reserve in Togo. Individual interviews and group discussions were carried out with 420 households in fourteen villages around the reserve to identify the current uses of woody species. The results show that 100% of the respondents cited plant species, such as Mitragyna inermis, Lonchocarpus sericeus, and Diospyros mespiliformis, as used for wood. Species, such as Mimusops andogensis and Triplohiton scleroxylon, were cited as exclusively used for wood by 94% and 86%, respectively. Other species, such as Vitex doniana and Dialium guineense, in addition to their use for wood (93% and 70%), were cited, respectively, by 97% and 98% of respondents as used for fruit, and by 82% and 90% for their leaves. The heavy daily use of these species compromises their sustainability. An analysis of Sorensen’s similarity index, according to gender, age, ethnic group, and sector of activity, revealed a variation in this index ranging from 0.6 to 1, reflecting households’ knowledge of the use of these seven species. The local populations are already feeling the effects of the low availability of these commonly used species. According to them, the depletion of these resources is caused mainly by agricultural clearing, illegal logging, and bushfires.
    UNBIS Thesaurus TOGO
    Keyword Ecosystem services
    Biosphere reserve
    Mono
    Wood resources
    Relics forest
    Copyright Holder The Authors
    Copyright Year 2024
    Copyright type Creative commons
    DOI 10.3390/conservation4030030
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    Created: Thu, 14 Nov 2024, 17:54:29 JST by Aarti Basnyat on behalf of UNU EHS