Subproject

E04 - Flora and vegetation of rainforests in East Africa - conservation and sustainable use

Workpackage

WP1: GIS-based vegetation mapping of Kakamega and Budongo Forest - Monitoring and assessment of biodiversity

Project leader(s)

Prof. Dr. Eberhard Fischer

Project description

Finishing the monitoring of different natural and anthropogenic forest types of the transsect of Kakamega and Budongo Forest with last few needed plots. The already mapped plots within the Biodiversity Observatories of vascular plants and epiphytic and epiphyllous lichens and bryophytes with all biotic and abiotic parameters will be transformed into a GIS-based vegetation map of both forest types. Lichens and bryophytes - as highly sensitive system of bioindicators - supply a tool for Rapid Biodiversity Assessment (RBA). This will be the database for modelling future ecosystem processes in a changing environment.
According to World Conservation Monitoring Center (WCMC) and Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) it is absolutely necessary to install a permanent long-term monitoring biodiversity observatory system in endangered biodiversity areas to prevent a slink species extinction, which can alarm in time and initiate counteractions. The monitoring will be concentrated to Biodiversity Observatories (BDO). As the monitoring is embedded in several international programs, a coordinator is required. Finally monitoring in Kakamega Forest will be entirely conducted in the responsibility of the local counterparts.

Keywords

Rapid Biodiversity Assessment; vegetation map; biodiversity

Contribution to
cross-cutting themes (CCT)

• Monitoring and assessment of biodiversity in space and time (Theme1)
• Understanding human use, value and impact in space and time (Theme3)
• Recommendations and measures for sustainable use of biodiversity (Theme4)

Link to Subproject