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Research Article

Influence of human population density upon the spatial structure of a forested landscape in the Congo Basin in the Democratic Republic of Congo [ 31-44 ]

Issouf Bamba, Yao Sadaiou Sabas Barima and Jan Bogaert

Abstract
Habitat fragmentation reduces total forest area and increases of the number of forest patches; it constitutes one of the major threats for biodiversity. The hypothesis according to which, in forest zone, the change in population density leads a change of landscape structure was verified by means of a study area situated in the Oriental Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. We determined forest cover using a classified Landsat ETM+ scene of 2001. After subdivision of the study area in 266 grid cells of 10 km x 10 km, four landscape metrics quantifying the degree of forest fragmentation were calculated: the number of forest patches, the total proportion covered by forest, the index of the largest patch, and the fractal dimension. Population density for each grid cell was based on 2000 UNEP data. Highly significant correlations between population density and the aforementioned fragmentation metrics were observed, which confirms the influence of population density on the degradation of natural ecosystems, evidenced by the appearance of isolated forest patches in the landscape.


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    English: The degradation and deforestation of the forest of the Congo Basin have a significant impact on the ecosystems involved and on local communities living from and nearby them. Habitat fragmentation reduces total forest area and increases of the number of forest patches; it constitutes one of the major threats for biodiversity. Conducted in the equatorial forest of the Oriental Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, this study aimed to show the influence of population density on forest pattern. We determined forest cover using a classified Landsat ETM+ scene of 2001. Highly significant correlations between population density and forest fragmentation were observed. Due to the increase of population density and to the socio-economical situation in the study area, forests are found to be under various kinds of pressures. Indirectly, through human activities, population density leads to changes in the forest pattern as was evidenced by its degradation and area loss. The Congo Basin is the largest forest after the Amazon tropical forest complex; consequently, its change will influence negatively the global climate cycles. For a better ecological balance of the planet, the Congo Basin forests should be subjected to management programs, in which the position of the local communities should be taken into account.

    Español: Bamba et al estudiaron la influencia de la densidad de la población humana sobre la conservación de las selvas en la Provincia Oriental de la cuenca del Congo, en la Republica Democrática del Congo. El examen de imágenes satelitales y los modelos espaciales mostrando la densidad de la población mostro correlaciones estrechas entre esta ultima y la ausencia y degradación de la cobertura forestal en las áreas de estudio. Bamba et al infieren que el incremento en la densidad poblaciones acoplado a niveles socioeconómicos bajos de la población tiende a incrementar las presiones sobre las selvas, que después de ser fragmentadas continúan degradándose. Los autores llaman la atención a este problema y recomiendan que las estrategias de conservación a desarrollar deben tomar en cuenta las necesidades de las comunidades locales. Esto último, según los autores, es de suma importancia, ya que la cuenca del Congo aloja la extensión de selva húmedo tropical más grande en el planeta, después de la cuenca Amazónica.

    Français: La fragmentation des habitats forestiers, induisant une réduction de l’aire totale et une augmentation du nombre de taches forestières constitue l’une des menaces majeures pour le maintien de la biodiversité. La présente étude menée dans la province orientale de la République Démocratique du Congo s’articule autours de l’hypothèse selon laquelle, dans les zones forestières, la variation de la densité de la population entraîne un changement de la structure du paysage. Nous avons déterminé la classe forestière à partir de la classification d’une image de type Landsat ETM+ datant de 2001. Après avoir subdivisé la zone en 266 cellules de 10 km x 10 km, quatre indices de structures spatiales quantifiant la fragmentation de la forêt (classe forêt) ont été calculés : le nombre d’îlots de forêt (taches de forêt), la proportion de couverture forestière, la dominance de la plus grande tache et la dimension fractale. La densité de la population dans chaque cellule a été obtenue à partir des données de l’UNEP de l’année 2000. Les résultats ont montré l’existence de corrélations hautement significatives entre la densité de la population et les indices de fragmentation confirmant ainsi l’influence de la densité de la population sur la dégradation de l’écosystème naturel matérialisée par la fragmentation forestière.
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   Tropical Conservation Science is an open-access e-journal that publishes research relating to conservation of tropical forests and other tropical ecosystems.

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