Deforestation in an African biodiversity hotspot: Extent, variation and the effectiveness of protected areas

• Published in: Biological conservation Vol. 164; pp. 62 - 72
• Main Authors: Green, Jonathan M.H., Larrosa, Cecilia, Burgess, Neil D., Balmford, Andrew, Johnston, Alison, Mbilinyi, Boniface P., Platts, Philip J., Coad, Lauren
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01-08-2013; Elsevier
• Subjects: Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Applied ecology; Biological and medical sciences; Conservation; Conservation, protection and management of environment and wildlife; Conversion; Eastern Arc Mountains; Forestry; Forests; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; General forest ecology; Generalised additive models; Generalities. Production, biomass. Quality of wood and forest products. General forest ecology; Habitat conversion; Habitats; Mathematical models; Miombo woodland; Mountains; Parks, reserves, wildlife conservation. Endangered species: population survey and restocking; Strategy; Synecology; Tanzania; Topography; Tropical forest; Woodlands; East Africa; Sub-Saharan Africa; Africa; Tanzania; ISW, Tanzania; Miombo woodland; Generalised additive models; Habitat conversion; Tropical forest; Eastern Arc Mountains; Tanzania; Deforestation; Forest zone; Tropical zone; Hot spot; Protected area; Biodiversity; Conversion; Additive model; African; Woodland; Mountain; Habitat; Environmental protection
• ISSN: 0006-3207; 1873-2917
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biocon.2013.04.016

•Generalised additive models built to describe forest and woodland loss in the Eastern Arc Mountains of Tanzania.•Rates of evergreen forest loss, at −0.2% per year, are lower than rates of miombo woodland loss, at −2.3% per year.•Protected areas are partially effective at reducing forest (40% decrease) and woodland (16% decrease) loss.•The majority of remaining forest lies within protected areas, while most remaining woodland lies outside protected areas.•More resources are needed to reduce the loss of forest and, in particular, woodland, both valuable for ecosystem services.
The Eastern Arc Mountains of Tanzania show exceptional endemism that is threatened by high anthropogenic pressure leading to the loss of natural habitat. Using a novel habitat conversion model, we present a spatially explicit analysis of the predictors of forest and woodland conversion in the Eastern Arc over 25years. Our results show that 5% (210km2) of evergreen forest and 43% (2060km2) of miombo woodland was lost in the Eastern Arc Mountains between 1975 and 2000. Important predictors of habitat conversion included distance to natural habitat edge, topography and measures of remoteness. The main conservation strategy in these mountains for the past 100years has been to develop a network of protected areas. These appear to have reduced rates of habitat loss and most remaining evergreen forest is now within protected areas. However, the majority of miombo woodland, an important source of ecosystem services, lies outside formal protected areas, where additional conservation strategies may be needed.