Résumé

La photographie joue un grand rôle dans les Sciences naturelles, dans la conservation de la biodiversité. Elle constitue également une preuve matérielle de l’existence d’une espèce donnée dans un milieu. Les plaques numériques du type Lankester Composite Dissection Plate (LCDP), constituent une technique poussée de la photographie pour des images scientifiquement acceptables. Ainsi ce projet vise à révéler le secret des espèces de plantes et animales à travers la photographie. Spécifiquement ce projet vise à: (1) augmenter la qualité didactique et descriptive de nos illustrations taxonomiques, (2) rédiger un guide dans l’identification des plantes et animaux et (3) valoriser la flore et la faune à travers les images détaillées. C’est ainsi que CREGET à travers ses chercheurs visent à faire des films (livres) de la flore et de la faune, spécialement la flore Africaine et en particulier celle Congolaise.

Project brief description

Tropical mountain forests along the Albertine Rift play a great role in biodiversity conservation and biogeochemical cycles. Although this region harbors many major protected areas, it is under increasing climate, land use, and cover change pressure. However, mountain ecosystems present the advantage of acting as a natural laboratory to test the effect of climate change on biogeochemical cycles and biodiversity. Here, we aim to implement 32 permanent observation plots to understand the ecosystems’ functional change along an elevation gradient in the Albertine Rift. Therefore, we will (1) assess the elevation gradient’s effect on species’ functional traits and compare it to the temporal effect of climate change, (2) examine the effect of the elevation gradient on functional composition and diversity, and (3) investigate the effect of the elevation gradient on ecosystem productivity and carbon sink. This will improve our understanding of species’ resilience to the effects of global warming and the prediction of carbon sequestration.

Financé par : CARN (https://www.conservationactionresearch.net/) et TWAS UNESCO.

Project brief description

Tropical mountain forests along the Albertine Rift play a great role in biodiversity conservation and biogeochemical cycles. Although this region harbors many major protected areas, it is under increasing climate, land use, and cover change pressure. However, mountain ecosystems present the advantage of acting as a natural laboratory to test the effect of climate change on biogeochemical cycles and biodiversity. Here, we aim to implement 32 permanent observation plots to understand the ecosystems’ functional change along an elevation gradient in the Albertine Rift. Therefore, we will (1) assess the elevation gradient’s effect on species’ functional traits and compare it to the temporal effect of climate change, (2) examine the effect of the elevation gradient on functional composition and diversity, and (3) investigate the effect of the elevation gradient on ecosystem productivity and carbon sink. This will improve our understanding of species’ resilience to the effects of global warming and the prediction of carbon sequestration.

Financé par : CARN (https://www.conservationactionresearch.net/) et TWAS UNESCO.