FLORA FAUNA & MAN, Ecological Services Limited



Research



Our Values



FLORA FAUNA & MAN, Ecological Services Ltd. supports scientific research.


The majority of our work has clear links to fundamental research, however, we often find that where we go and work there are neither data nor recent published records. Moreover, a lot of our work has to be build on principles, methodologies and theories that often prove to be poorly adapted or suited for our purposes and for the habitat types we work in.


As such, we have slowly developed our own set of methods and we support our Members and Associates in doing research and publishing their work in peer reviewed scientific journals.


Since 2016, FFMES has also supported research projects at universities, based on data we have gathered and exploring information gaps we have identified in our work.


To date, we have 27 publications in peer-reviewed scientific journals and can claim credit for the description of 8 new vertebrate species and two new genera. 



Research Project 1 - PhD - University of the Witwatersrand

‘What is the instream community structure and functional ecology of west central African tropical streams, how do they respond to anthropogenic changes and are available tools suitable for monitoring changes in these systems?’

Candidate: Mrs Gina Walsh - Freshwater Ecologist
Registered - January 2016
Expected date of completion: December 2022





Little is known about the ecology of Afrotropical stream ecosystems in a rapidly changing environment. Dudgeon et al. (2010) indicates that fundamental differences in ecosystem functioning show temperate models are inadequate to describe/predict tropical ecosystem structure, functioning and response to land use impacts. While some detailed studies have been undertaken in different parts of the tropics, very few have been carried out in the Afrotropics, and the noted differences across tropical streams in various regions implies that this characterisation of ecosystem function and response cannot be captured by a simplistic tropical vs. temperate dichotomy or mere extrapolation between different tropical regions.

Dudgeon et al. (2010) and Dudgeon (2008) highlight the need for assessment of tropical ecosystem functionality, in and between regions, and Winemiller et al. (2008) calls for research to assess the impact of anthropogenic activities on stream ecosystems in the tropics and notes that such studies could pave the way for development of new region specific approaches to manage and mitigate impacts. This study wishes to characterise the ecology and response of Afrotropical streams and comment on suitability of available methods for monitoring in a fast growing region of west central Africa, where the need for more suitable monitoring and management is immediate.

Research Question: The proposed research aims to address aspects of the identified problem by answering the following questions:

1. Is the ecology of Afrotropical streams in west central Africa structurally and functionally different from temperate and tropical counterparts?

2. Do Afrotropical streams in west central Africa respond to mine related impacts in a predictable way (i.e. similar to streams from other regions)?

3. Are available and commonly used methods and monitoring concepts applicable to Afrotropical streams in west central Africa?

Concisely: ‘What is the instream community structure and functional ecology of west central African tropical streams, how do they respond to anthropogenic changes and are available tools suitable for monitoring changes in these systems?’

FFMES Support: FFMES supports this project by providing mentorship, data, logistic support and funding. In 2016 and 2017, FFMES financial support represented a significant portion of the costs related to project logistics. In 2022 FFMES provided financial support for the finalization of this effort.

Follow this project on Research Gate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Gina_Walsh2/projects ​



Scientific Publications on vegetation, habitats, animals and people



1) Walsh, G. Negreiros de Bragança, P.H. & Van der Zee, J. (2022). Plataplochilus eliasi (Cyprinodontiformes: Procatopodidae) a new species from the upper Noumbi River in the Republic of the Congo. Journal of Natural History. https://doi.org/10.1080/00222933.2022.2027035
2) Blackburn, D. C., Nielsen, S. V., Ghose, S. L., Burger, M., Gonwouo, L. N., Greenbaum, E., ... & Rödel, M. O. (2021). Phylogeny of African Long-Fingered Frogs (Arthroleptidae: Cardioglossa) Reveals Recent Allopatric Divergences in Coloration. Ichthyology & Herpetology, 109(3), 728-742.
3) Gaugris, J., Niemand, L., Thomas, A., et al. (2021). A snapshot camera trap assessment of mammals in Congo’s Massif du Chaillu with a noteworthy record of grey-necked rockfowl Picathartes oreas. African Journal of Ecology: 2021.
4) Miabangana, E.S., Lubini Ayingweu, C., Gaugris, J.Y. and Malaisse, F. (2020). Floristic and structural characteristics of the Congo River riparian forest in the plateau of Cataracts. Geo-Eco-Trop. 2020, 44, 3: 383-397.
5) Melville, H.I.A.S. and Gaugris J. (2019). The shortcomings of short-term biodiversity studies in assessing mammalian diversity, a case study in the Niari Province, Republic of Congo. African Journal of Ecology. https ://doi.org/10.1111/aje.12712
6) Trape, J.-F., Crochet, P.A., Broadley, D.G., Sourouille, P., Mané, Y., Burger, M., Böhme, W., Saleh, M., Karan, A., Lanza, B. and Mediannikov, O. (2019). On the Psammophis sibilans group (Serpentes, Lamprophiidae, Psammophiinae) north of 12°S, with the description of a new species from West Africa. Bonn Zoological Bulletin 68(1): 61–91.
7) Portik, D. M., Bell, R. C., Blackburn, D. C., Bauer, A. M., Barratt, C. D., Branch, W. R., ... & Dehling, J. M. (2019). Sexual dichromatism drives diversification within a major radiation of African amphibians. Systematic biology, 68(6), 859-875.
8) Orban, B., Gaugris, J.Y., Kabafouako, G., Morley, R., Vasicek Gaugris, C. and Melville, H.I.A.S. (2019). Live trapping of Small-mammals in the Kouilou Département, Republic of Congo. African Journal of Ecology. https ://doi.org/10.1111/aje.12672
9) Walsh, G., Lamboj, A., Stiassny, M.L.J. (2019). Review of the cichlid genus Thysochromis (Teleostei: Ovalentaria) with the description of a new species from the Kouilou Province in the Republic of Congo, west–Central Africa. Journal of Fish Biology. https://doi.org/10.1111/jfb.14144
10) Portillo, F., Stanley, E. L., Branch, W. R., Conradie, W., Rödel, M. O., Penner, J., ... & Bauer, A. M. (2019). Evolutionary history of burrowing asps (Lamprophiidae: Atractaspidinae) with emphasis on fang evolution and prey selection. PloS one, 14(4), e0214889.
11) Engelbrecht, H. M., Branch, W. R., Greenbaum, E., Alexander, G. J., Jackson, K., Burger, M., ... & Tolley, K. A. (2019). Diversifying into the branches: species boundaries in African green and bush snakes, Philothamnus (Serpentes: Colubridae). Molecular phylogenetics and evolution, 130, 357-365.
12) Van Rooyen, M. Van Rooyen, N., Miabangana, E.S., Nsongola, G., Vasicek Gaugris, C. and J.Y. Gaugris (2019). Floristic composition, diversity and structure of the rainforest in the Mayoko district, Republic of Congo, Open Journal of Forestry 9 (1). DOI: 10.4236/ojf.2019.91002
13) Broadley, D. G., Tolley, K. A., Conradie, W., Wishart, S., Trape, J. F., Burger, M., ... & Greenbaum, E. (2018). A phylogeny and genus-level revision of the African file snakes Gonionotophis Boulenger (Squamata: Lamprophiidae). African journal of herpetology, 67(1), 43-60.



Scientific Publications on vegetation, habitats, animals and people



14) Jongsma, G. F., Barej, M. F., Barratt, C. D., Burger, M., Conradie, W., Ernst, R., ... & Portik, D. M. (2018). Diversity and biogeography of frogs in the genus Amnirana (Anura: Ranidae) across sub-Saharan Africa. Molecular phylogenetics and evolution, 120, 274-285.

15) Portillo, F., Branch, W. R., Conradie, W., Rödel, M. O., Penner, J., Barej, M. F., ... & Trape, J. F. (2018). Phylogeny and biogeography of the African burrowing snake subfamily Aparallactinae (Squamata: Lamprophiidae). Molecular phylogenetics and evolution, 127, 288-303.

16) Charles, K. L., Bell, R. C., Blackburn, D. C., Burger, M., Fujita, M. K., Gvoždík, V., ... & Portik, D. M. (2018). Sky, sea, and forest islands: Diversification in the African leaf‐folding frog Afrixalus paradorsalis (Anura: Hyperoliidae) of the Lower Guineo‐Congolian rain forest. Journal of Biogeography, 45(8), 1781-1794.

17) Orban, B., Kabafouako, G. Morley, R., Vasicek Gaugris, C., Melville, H.I.A.S., and J.Y. Gaugris (2018). Common Mammal Species inventory utilizing camera trapping in the forests of Kouilou Département, Republic of Congo. African Journal of Ecology 56 (4): https://doi.org/10.1111/aje.12551

18) Van der Zee, J. R., Walsh, G., Mikembi, V. N. B., Jonker, M. N., Alexandre, M. P., & Sonnenberg, R. (2018). Three new endemic Aphyosemion species (Cyprinodontiformes: Nothobranchiidae) from the Massif du Chaillu in the upper Louessé River system, Republic of the Congo. Zootaxa, 4369(1), 63-92.

19) Portik, D. M., Bell, R. C., Blackburn, D. C., Bauer, A. M., Barratt, C. D., Branch, W. R., ... & Dehling, J. M. (2018). Sexual Dichromatism Drives Diversification within a Major Radiation of African Amphibians. bioRxiv, 372250.

20) Miabangana, E.S., Nsongola, G., Orban, B., Van Rooyen, M., Van Rooyen and J.Y. Gaugris (2017): Floristic and Phytogeographical analysis of coastal and subcoastal vegetation in the Kouilou Department (Republic of Congo). International Journal of Innovation and Applied Studies: 19 (1): 206-217. ISSN 2028-9324

21) Van Rooyen, M.W., Van Rooyen, N., Orban, B., Nsongola, G., Miabangana, E.S. and J.Y. Gaugris (2017): Floristic composition, diversity and stand structure of the forest communities in the Kouilou Département, Republic of Congo. Tropical Ecology 58 (2): http://www.tropecol.com/index.htm .

22) Bell, R. C., Parra, J. L., Badjedjea, G., Barej, M. F., Blackburn, D. C., Burger, M., ... & Kielgast, J. (2017). Idiosyncratic responses to climate‐driven forest fragmentation and marine incursions in reed frogs from Central Africa and the Gulf of Guinea Islands. Molecular ecology, 26(19), 5223-5244.

23) Portik, D. M., Leaché, A. D., Rivera, D., Barej, M. F., Burger, M., Hirschfeld, M., ... & Fujita, M. K. (2017). Evaluating mechanisms of diversification in a Guineo‐Congolian tropical forest frog using demographic model selection. Molecular ecology, 26(19), 5245-5263.

24) Roedel, M. O., Burger, M., Zassi-Boulou, A. G., Emmrich, M., Penner, J., & Barej, M. F. (2015). Two new Phrynobatrachus species (Amphibia: Anura: Phrynobatrachidae) from the Republic of the Congo. Zootaxa, 4032(1), 55-80.

25) Vasicek, C.A. and J.Y. Gaugris (2014): Household firewood utilisation around the Hlathikulu Forest Reserve, South Africa. Ethnobotany Research and Applications, www.ethnobotanyjournal.org/vol12/i1547-3465-12-597.pdf

26) Gaugris, J.Y., C.A. Vasicek and M.W. Van Rooyen (2012): Herbivores and human impact on woody species dynamics in Maputaland, South Africa. Forestry. Doi:10.1093/forestry/cps046

27) Gaugris, J.Y. and M.W. Van Rooyen (2011): The effect of herbivores and humans on the Sand Forest species of Maputaland, northern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Ecological Research 26: 365-376. DOI: 10.1007/s11284-010-0791-2.





FLORA FAUNA & MAN, Ecological Services Limited