The Moyen-Bafing National Park, located in the Fouta-Djalon region of the Republic of Guinea, was established in 2021 to protect the West African chimpanzee, a species classified as critically endangered. However, the protection of the area remains limited and requires continued scientific research. To support conservation efforts in this region where wildlife and human communities coexist, a botanical inventory is being carried out, leading to the discovery of species previously unknown to science as well as the rediscovery of taxa not recorded by botanists for decades. Plot-based inventories allow for the classification of natural habitats, while allometric measurements of trees, coupled with soil and dominant woody species sampling, enable the extrapolation of organic and inorganic carbon stocks at the landscape scale. Through this approach, the project seeks to develop a holistic understanding of these little-studied ecosystems across multiple spatial scales, highlighting their ecological richness and importance as essential arguments for the ongoing protection of the region.
Publication
Rieder C., Couch C., & Darbyshire I. (2024). Rediscovery of Barleria maclaudii (Acanthaceae) in Guinea after 86 years. Oryx 58: 150-150.