23.01.2015 Views

Landscapes Forest and Global Change - ESA - Escola Superior ...

Landscapes Forest and Global Change - ESA - Escola Superior ...

Landscapes Forest and Global Change - ESA - Escola Superior ...

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS
  • No tags were found...

Create successful ePaper yourself

Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.

J. Hartter et al. 2010. Fortresses <strong>and</strong> fragments: impacts of fragmentation in a forest park l<strong>and</strong>scape<br />

235<br />

Figure 1. Kibale National Park in western Ug<strong>and</strong>a.<br />

2. Study Site<br />

Kibale National Park (795km 2 , Figure 1), medium altitude tropical moist forest in<br />

western Ug<strong>and</strong>a represents one of the best-studied forest sites in forested Africa, having<br />

been the site for multiple field projects for 40 years. The human population surrounding<br />

Kibale has increased seven-fold since 1920 <strong>and</strong> exceeds 270 people/km 2 at the western<br />

edge. Annual population growth rates range between 3 <strong>and</strong> 4% per year. The l<strong>and</strong>scape<br />

is a mosaic of small farms (most 200ha), <strong>and</strong> interspersed<br />

forest fragments <strong>and</strong> wetl<strong>and</strong>s (0.5-200ha or more), effectively isolating the park<br />

(Hartter <strong>and</strong> Southworth 2009). <strong>Forest</strong> fragments <strong>and</strong> wetl<strong>and</strong>s extending from Kibale’s<br />

boundaries <strong>and</strong> isolated within the agricultural matrix vary in size, shape, <strong>and</strong> resource<br />

types <strong>and</strong> amount. The Kibale l<strong>and</strong>scape is an extremely valuable setting because the<br />

biophysical <strong>and</strong> social response to social <strong>and</strong> ecological change may be emblematic of<br />

forest park l<strong>and</strong>scapes across the entire Albertine Rift <strong>and</strong> likely elsewhere. Parks in the<br />

Albertine Rift have been identified as areas of extremely high endemic biodiversity <strong>and</strong><br />

have been classed as a conservation priority (Plumptre et al. 2007).<br />

<strong>Forest</strong> <strong>L<strong>and</strong>scapes</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Global</strong> <strong>Change</strong>-New Frontiers in Management, Conservation <strong>and</strong> Restoration. Proceedings of the IUFRO L<strong>and</strong>scape Ecology<br />

Working Group International Conference, September 21-27, 2010, Bragança, Portugal. J.C. Azevedo, M. Feliciano, J. Castro & M.A. Pinto (eds.)<br />

2010, Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Bragança, Portugal.

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!