Optimisation of ecosystem services provided by elephants, a flagship species of certified forest concessions (ELEFOR)
This research project is part of a doctoral thesis carried out at the Faculty of Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech (University of Liège, Belgium). The purpose of the thesis is to study the interactions between certified logging and forest elephant populations (Loxodonta cyclotis).
The forest elephant is known to play an important role in the dynamics of forest ecosystems. In particular, it facilitates the regeneration of plant species. The availability of food as well as the presence of human activities can influence the spatial distribution and movements of elephants. Furthermore, this species is one of the few mammals with a real potential for developing ecotourism in the forests of Central Africa. But elephants could also have negative impacts on commercial tree species by feeding on their bark or seedlings or damaging the plantations.
Project questions
- Does the creation of new tracks in concessions modify elephant movements and impact their densities in time and space?
- Do the seeds dispersed by elephants benefit from better development conditions in the areas modified by logging?
- What is the extent of damage caused by the elephant to commercial trees and plantations?
- Is it possible to develop ecotourism in a forest concession in order to increase the services of elephants?
