The state of mature ecosystems must be taken into account before launching massive reforestation plans in sub-Saharan Africa, according to geo-ecologist Julie Aleman, a visiting researcher in the geography department of Université de Montréal.
The state of mature ecosystems must be taken into account before launching massive reforestation plans in sub-Saharan Africa, according to geo-ecologist Julie Aleman, a visiting researcher in the geography department of Université de Montréal.
“The biomes of the region we studied, which includes all the countries south of the Sahara, are divided into two fairly distinct types: savannah at about 70 per cent and tropical forest for the rest,” said Aleman, co-author of a major new study on African biomes.
Involving some 30 researchers, several from Africa itself, the study is published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science.
“When we analyze the assemblage of tree species in each biome, we find that each is extremely different,” Aleman said. “Moreover, if we look closely at the history of these biomes, we realize that they have been fairly stable for 2,000 years. Reforestation with tropical forest species in areas that are more associated with savannahs would therefore be a mistake.”
Read more at University of Montreal
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