Wildlife mammal communities in post‐war Angola are depleted and simplified: Implications for biodiversity conservation.
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| Title: | Wildlife mammal communities in post‐war Angola are depleted and simplified: Implications for biodiversity conservation. |
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| Authors: | Rocha, F.1,2,3 (AUTHOR) filipe.rocha@cibio.up.pt, Chicomo, M.1,2,3 (AUTHOR), Lutondo, E.1,2,3,4 (AUTHOR), Monterroso, P.1,2,3,5 (AUTHOR) pmonterroso@cibio.up.pt |
| Source: | Animal Conservation. Aug2025, Vol. 28 Issue 4, p553-566. 14p. |
| Document Type: | Article |
| Subjects: | Biodiversity, Protected areas, Habitats, War, Ecotourism, Mammals, Animal ecology, Nature conservation |
| Geographic Terms: | Angola |
| Author-Supplied Keywords: | armed‐conflict biodiversity levels Community models mammal community structure non‐protected area protected area wildlife decline |
| Abstract (English): | Armed conflicts are recognized to significantly impact wildlife, as they are particularly prevalent in biodiversity hotspot areas. Understanding these impacts on biodiversity is important for comprehending the indirect consequences for ecosystem processes and promoting their rehabilitation. Although the impact of warfare on protected areas (PAs) has been a target of research, its understanding remains limited. Additionally, the influence of armed conflicts on biodiversity in non‐protected lands has been largely overlooked and underexplored. We aim to assess the impact of almost 40 years of armed conflicts on intermediate‐ and large‐sized mammals in two communities in southern Angola: a National Park with limited management capacity—Bicuar National Park (BNP)—and a recently established private ecotourism reserve, without legal protection—Cuatir Conservation Area (CCA). Specifically, we compared contemporary species richness, occupancy probabilities and evenness‐weighted diversity between the two areas, and contextualize it relative to historical records. Our results reveal a significant loss of species compared to known mammal species richness prior to the civil unrest, with some remaining species persisting at very low occupancy levels. Furthermore, our findings suggest equivalent contemporary biodiversity levels in both study areas, albeit with distinct community compositions and structures. Although both areas retained a relatively intact small‐ and intermediate‐sized mammal community, the PA better conserved the larger species community. Furthermore, occupancy probabilities of endangered and threatened species were higher in the PA than in the non‐PA. Our results underscore the critical role of PAs in conserving threatened species, even amidst limited law enforcement capacity and rehabilitation measures. Additionally, we highlight the significance of the non‐PA in conserving wildlife species and ecological processes on a larger scale. Our results support the idea that well‐preserved non‐PAs often harbor crucial wildlife nuclei and facilitate connectivity between populations, thereby aiding natural recolonizations. As such, these areas should be the focus of policies encouraging restoration and facilitating functional connections with protected areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Abstract (Portuguese): | Resumo: Os conflitos armados têm um impacto significativo na vida selvagem uma vez que são particularmente prevalentes em áreas com maior biodiversidade. Compreender esses impactos é importante para identificar as consequências indiretas para os processos do ecossistema e promover a sua recuperação. Embora o impacto de conflitos armados em áreas protegidas (APs) tenha sido alvo de alguma investigação, ainda há muitos efeitos que continuam por descobrir. Além disso, o seu efeito dos conflitos armados em paisagens não protegidas permanece largamente inexplorado. O nosso objetivo foi avaliar o impacto de quase 40 anos de conflitos armados em duas comunidades de mamíferos de médio e grande porte no sul de Angola: um Parque Nacional com pouca capacidade de gestão—o Parque Nacional de Bicuar (PNB)—e uma reserva de ecoturismo recentemente criada e sem proteção legal—a Área de Conservação de Cuatir (ACC). Especificamente, comparámos a composição da comunidade de mamíferos atual em relação aos registos históricos recolhidos de antes das guerras. Adicionalmente comparámos a riqueza específica, a probabilidade de ocupação de espécies e diversidade ponderada pela equitabilidade entre as comunidades das duas áreas. Os nossos resultados revelam a provável extinção local de várias espécies, comparando com a riqueza específica que era conhecida antes da guerra civil, e que algumas das espécies que persistem apresentam níveis muito baixos de ocupação. Além disso, descobrimos que os níveis contemporâneos de biodiversidade são semelhantes em ambas as áreas de estudo, mas têm composição e estrutura de comunidade diferentes. Embora ambas as áreas mantenham uma comunidade de mamíferos de tamanho pequeno e intermédio relativamente intacta, a AP exibe uma comunidade de espécies de maior porte mais bem conservada. Além disso, os níveis de ocupação de espécies com estado de conservação desfavorável são mais elevados na AP do que na área não protegida. Reforçamos a importância das APs para a conservação de espécies ameaçadas, mesmo com pouca capacidade de aplicação da lei e para implementação de medidas de reabilitação. Além disso, destacamos que as áreas não protegidas podem desempenhar um papel fundamental na conservação de espécies e processos ecológicos a uma escala mais alargada, uma vez que podem manter populações estáveis de vida selvagem e permitir a ligação entre populações, facilitando a recolonização natural. Como tal, devem ser o foco de políticas que incentivem o restauro e facilitem ligações funcionais com as áreas protegidas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| Author Affiliations: | 1CIBIO/InBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal 2Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal 3BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Vairão, Portugal 4Fundação Kissama, Luanda, Angola 5African Parks Network, Wickham House, Fairway Office Park, Johannesburg, South Africa |
| Full Text Word Count: | 10409 |
| ISSN: | 1367-9430 |
| DOI: | 10.1111/acv.13004 |
| Accession Number: | 188363838 |
| Database: | Veterinary Source |
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| Abstract: | Armed conflicts are recognized to significantly impact wildlife, as they are particularly prevalent in biodiversity hotspot areas. Understanding these impacts on biodiversity is important for comprehending the indirect consequences for ecosystem processes and promoting their rehabilitation. Although the impact of warfare on protected areas (PAs) has been a target of research, its understanding remains limited. Additionally, the influence of armed conflicts on biodiversity in non‐protected lands has been largely overlooked and underexplored. We aim to assess the impact of almost 40 years of armed conflicts on intermediate‐ and large‐sized mammals in two communities in southern Angola: a National Park with limited management capacity—Bicuar National Park (BNP)—and a recently established private ecotourism reserve, without legal protection—Cuatir Conservation Area (CCA). Specifically, we compared contemporary species richness, occupancy probabilities and evenness‐weighted diversity between the two areas, and contextualize it relative to historical records. Our results reveal a significant loss of species compared to known mammal species richness prior to the civil unrest, with some remaining species persisting at very low occupancy levels. Furthermore, our findings suggest equivalent contemporary biodiversity levels in both study areas, albeit with distinct community compositions and structures. Although both areas retained a relatively intact small‐ and intermediate‐sized mammal community, the PA better conserved the larger species community. Furthermore, occupancy probabilities of endangered and threatened species were higher in the PA than in the non‐PA. Our results underscore the critical role of PAs in conserving threatened species, even amidst limited law enforcement capacity and rehabilitation measures. Additionally, we highlight the significance of the non‐PA in conserving wildlife species and ecological processes on a larger scale. Our results support the idea that well‐preserved non‐PAs often harbor crucial wildlife nuclei and facilitate connectivity between populations, thereby aiding natural recolonizations. As such, these areas should be the focus of policies encouraging restoration and facilitating functional connections with protected areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| ISSN: | 13679430 |
| DOI: | 10.1111/acv.13004 |