A
new issue of the
Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B presenting an amalgamation of 18 studies says
the rate of deforestation in the Congo Basin has fallen over the past decade despite an increased in the rate of clearing in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Congo Basin is second to the Amazon Basin in extent covering about 178 million hectares (687,262 square miles). Analysis of satellite data by Phillipe Mayaux
et al shows the Congo Basin has the lowest deforestation rate of the planet's major tropical forests at about 0.3% annually. Deforestation is also less in absolute terms, falling about 36% from the 1990s to the last decade. The absence of industrialized agriculture such as that taking place in Southeast Asia seems to be the reason for the Basin's lower clearances. Commercial plantations and ranching account for half the world's forest loss. Also, mineral wealth has spurred urban migration.
One of the studies looked specifically at the effects of logging on Congo rainforests. Sylvie Gourlet-Fleury
et al found Congo tress are bigger and occur at lower densities than elsewhere probably due to the role elephants, gorillas and bongos play in shaping the forests. The crush and eat small trees, keeping density low. Elephants in particular play a role as seed dispersers. Killing off large mammals has a definite long term effect on forest structure.
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| Gabon logs, credit: monogabay.com |
The role of the Congo Basin in global climate change is not well understood at present. Computer models indicate the Basin will experience a rise of 4°C this century. How the vegetation and wildlife will respond to the increase is not known. Geological records indicate Congo forests have waxed and waned over millennia with changes in climate. There was a substantial retreat of forests 3,000 years ago. The Basin does play a substantial role in atmospheric circulation and has the highest lightening strike frequencies on the planet. Most climatologists agree denuding the planet through uncontrolled clearences for minerals, timber, and land is not condusive to planetary health. $550 million has already been committed to the REDD+ program that compensates tropical nations which protect their forests from overexploitation.
