TY - GEN A1 - Opuni-Frimpong, Emmanuel A1 - Gabienu, Elizabeth M. A1 - Adusu, Daniel A1 - Opuni-Frimpong, Nana Yeboaa A1 - Damptey, Frederick Gyasi T1 - Plant diversity, conservation significance, and community structure of two protected areas under different governance T2 - Trees, Forests and People N2 - Protected areas have become a vital component of the global biodiversity conservation strategy due to the increasing extinction and vulnerability of different species in the 21st century. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) emphasises the need to harness all available resources and models, including collaborative and indigenous forest conservation practices, to ensure holistic global biodiversity conservation strategies. In Ghana, besides the shared governance of protected area management, there also exists the governance by indigenous community models in which traditional structures (clans and stools) use taboos, deities, totems, and myths as tools in managing protected areas. To study the effectiveness of the various governance systems in protected area management, we compared species diversity, vegetation structure, and biomass stock of an area under shared governance (wildlife sanctuary) to communal governance (sacred grove). Each protected area was purposively stratified and each stratum assigned condition score based on the degree to which the area has been disturbed. Six spatially separated plots (at least 200 m apart) with sizes 25 × 25 m were demarcated in each of the two protected areas. All trees with a diameter ≥ 10 cm at breast height were inventoried. For each tree, the diameter and height were measured and further used for biomass stock estimation. Each tree conservation significance was determined based on star ratings in-country and the IUCN red list of threatened species database. The study recorded a total of 201 trees consisting of 40 species and 23 families with a higher diversity in the wildlife sanctuary. Anogeissus leiocarpus mostly dominated the sacred grove, while the wildlife sanctuary was dominated by Trichilia prieureana, Ceiba pentandra, Cola gigantea, Pycnanthus angolensis, Cola caricifolia, and Pterygota macrocarpa. Most trees in the sacred grove were green star rated, with one scarlet, red and black tree. Only one tree was vulnerable, endangered with a decreasing population trend. The wildlife sanctuary is also characterised mainly by green star ratings, with few red, pink, and scarlets. Most of the species were least concerned on the IUCN list, with three been vulnerable and one endangered species. Mean diameter at breast height (dbh) and the average height was greater in wildlife sanctuary than the sacred grove. Basal area and above-ground biomass were 12.814 m2ha−1, 922 Mg ha−1, and 5.156 m2ha−1, 211 Mg ha−1 for the wildlife sanctuary and the sacred grove, respectively. Though the wildlife sanctuary supports a greater composition and diversity of plant species than the sacred grove, some synergies could be seen in both governance models. Therefore, both governance models should be employed to ensure sustainable management of the country's protected areas and diverse resources. Y1 - 2021 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tfp.2021.100082 SN - 2666-7193 IS - 4 ER - TY - GEN A1 - Damptey, Frederick Gyasi A1 - Garcia de la Riva, Enrique A1 - Birkhofer, Klaus T1 - Trade-offs and synergies between food and fodder production and other ecosystem services in an actively restored forest in Ghana. T2 - Frontiers in Forests and Global Change N2 - Active restoration of degraded areas with multi-purpose tree species has been proposed as a measure to counter the losses from deforestation and mitigate consequences for local human communities. In a restoration project at a former mining site in Ghana, ecosystem services (ES) proxies in an actively restored forest were compared to a local agroforestry system and a natural forest. The results provide information about trade-offs and synergies between proxies of multiple ES(s). ES proxies were assessed according to the following categories: (a) food-tree ES: biomass of food and fodder trees, (b) other trees ES: biomass of fuelwood, medicine or mulch trees, (c) ES-providing arthropods: the number of detritivorous and predaceous arthropods, (d) carbon storage, and (e) tree diversity. Eight replicated plots with sizes of 20 m × 20 m were established in each forest type, and the following ES proxies were quantified: tree diversity was estimated as taxonomic richness of all trees with a diameter at breast height ≥ 10 cm in each plot. Tree species were then classified into ES categories (food, fodder, fuelwood, medicine, or mulch). Ground-dwelling arthropods were sampled for 10 weeks with five pitfall traps in each plot and categorized as decomposers and predators. Tree above-ground biomass was estimated based on the measured tree diameter, height, and specific wood density using an improved allometric equation. The above-ground biomass was later converted into carbon storage by assuming 50% of the above-ground biomass of each tree. ES proxies based on tree biomass were highest in the natural forest. Fodder, medicine, fuelwood, and mulch ES proxies were significantly higher in the restored forest than the agroforestry system. Decomposer arthropods were most dominant in the natural forest, followed by the restored forest and the agroforestry system. Predacious arthropods were more dominant in the restored forest than in the other forest types. Carbon storage was highest in the natural forest, followed by the agroforestry system and the restored forest. The actively restored forest took an intermediate position between the agroforestry system and the natural forest regarding values for all nine ES proxies. Out of the 14 possible relationships between food or fodder and other ES proxies, five were significantly positive (synergies) with no observed trade-offs (significant negative relationships). High fodder production in the restored and natural forests went along with higher values of other biomass ES proxies and numbers of beneficial arthropods, while higher food biomass also correlated positively with numbers of decomposing arthropods. Our results document that active restoration of degraded sites provides a valuable framework to promote ES provision to local communities compared to agroforestry system, but at the cost of lower food and fuelwood biomass and carbon storage compared to natural forests. Y1 - 2021 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3389/ffgc.2021.630959 SN - 2624-893X IS - 4 ER - TY - GEN A1 - Damptey, Frederick Gyasi A1 - Adofo, Ernest A1 - Duah-Gyamfi, Akwasi A1 - Adusu, Daniel A1 - Opuni-Frimpong, Emmanuel T1 - Logging effects on seedling regeneration and diversity in a tropical moist semi-deciduous forest in Ghana T2 - Geology, Ecology, and Landscapes N2 - The effect of time lag after logging on seedling dynamics was assessed in logged and unlogged forest plots located in the Pra-Anum Forest Reserve. Remnant tree attributes were sampled in six plots with sizes of 25 × 25 m in each forest type. Within each forest type, ten subplots with sizes 1 × 1 m were established for sampling seedling regeneration dynamics. Enumerated seedlings were grouped as pioneer, non-pioneer light demander, and shade-tolerant species. Regenerating seedlings were more diverse in the recently logged forest area characterised by Broussonetia papyrifera and Musanga cecropioides, and least in the unlogged forest driven predominantly by Celtis mildbraedii and Baphia nitida. Pioneer species were primarily dominant in the recently logged forest, while shade-tolerant and non-pioneer light-demanding species characterised the logged-over forest. Species richness and canopy openness of remnant stands explained 32 percent of the variations in regeneration richness between the logged and unlogged areas. Twenty-seven percent of the variations in seedling abundance was also explained by remnant trees richness, their size diameter and the degree to which their canopy has been opened. Logging-induced disturbance favours the sporadic emergence of pioneer species in recently disturbed areas which are later replaced by non-pioneer light-demanding or shade-tolerant species as light becomes limiting in the understory. KW - Canopy Gaps KW - Logging-induced Disturbance KW - Pioneer Species KW - Species Colonisation KW - Seedling Diversity Y1 - 2021 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1080/24749508.2021.1952769 SN - 2474-9508 VL - 7(2023) IS - 4 SP - 269 EP - 280 ER - TY - GEN A1 - Damptey, Frederick Gyasi A1 - Birkhofer, Klaus A1 - Menor, Imma Oliveras A1 - Garcia de la Riva, Enrique T1 - The functional Structure of Tropical Plant Communities and soil Properties Enhance Ecosystem Functioning and Multitunctionality in Different Ecosystems in Ghana T2 - Forests N2 - Plant functional traits are useful in tracking changes in the environment, and play an important role in determining ecosystem functioning. The relationship between plant functional traits and ecosystem functioning remains unclear, although there is growing evidence on this relationship. In this study, we tested whether the functional structure of vegetation has significant effects on the provision of ecosystem services. We analysed plant trait composition (specific leaf area, leaf carbon and nitrogen ratio, isotopic carbon fraction, stem dry matter content, seed mass and plant height), soil parameters (nutrients, pH, bulk density) and proxies of ecosystem services (carbon stock, decomposition rate, invertebrate activity) in twenty-four plots in three tropical ecosystems (active restored and natural forests and an agroforestry system) in Ghana. For each plot, we measured above-ground biomass, decomposition rates of leaves and invertebrate activity as proxies for the provision of ecosystem services to evaluate (i) whether there were differences in functional composition and soil properties and their magnitude between ecosystem types. We further aimed to (ii) determine whether the functional structure and/or soil parameters drove ecosystem functions and multifunctionality in the three ecosystem types. For functional composition, both the leaf economic spectrum and seed mass dimension clearly separated the ecosystem types. The natural forest was more dominated by acquisitive plants than the other two ecosystem types, while the non-natural forests (agroforest and restored forest) showed higher variation in the functional space. The natural forest had higher values of soil properties than the restored forest and the agroforestry system, with the differences between the restored and agroforestry systems driven by bulk density. Levels of ecosystem service proxies and multifunctionality were positively related to the functional richness of forest plots and were mainly explained by the differences in site conditions. Our study demonstrated the effects of functional forest structure on ecosystem services in different forest ecosystems located in the semi-deciduous forest zone of Ghana. KW - functional traits KW - functional diversity KW - multifunctionality KW - plants KW - post-mining restorations KW - resource use strategies KW - tropical forest KW - West Africa Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3390/f13020297 SN - 1999-4907 VL - 13 IS - 2 ER - TY - GEN A1 - Bentsi-Enchill, Felicity A1 - Damptey, Frederick Gyasi A1 - Nii Moi Pappoe, Alexander A1 - Ekumah, Bernard A1 - Komla Akotoye, Hugh Komla Akotoye T1 - Impact of anthropogenic disturbance on tree species diversity, vegetation structure and carbon storage potential in an upland evergreen forest of Ghana, West Africa T2 - Trees, Forests and People N2 - The impact of anthropogenic disturbance on tree species diversity, vegetation structure and carbon storage potential was assessed in an upland evergreen forest on a disturbance gradient (highly stressed, moderately stressed and non-stressed vegetation) in the Atewa Range Forest Reserve. Five spatially separated plots with sizes 50 × 50 m were demarcated in each gradient and sampled for vegetation and soil attributes. Specifically, we sampled tree species diversity, vegetation structure and carbon storage potentials in each gradient. A total of 193 tree species belonging to 44 families and 131 genera were recorded. Tree species composition and diversity differed across the gradient. Significantly higher species diversity was recorded in the non-stressed vegetation gradient than in the stressed vegetation gradients. Similarly, the gradients differed in terms of basal area, the density of stands, the height of trees and carbon stock with significantly higher attributes in the non-stressed than the stressed vegetation gradients. Only the basal area and height of stands correlated significantly with tree carbon stock. Anthropogenic disturbances (illegal logging, farming, mining) contributed to the reduced tree species diversity, density of stands and removal of mature trees, which translated into a reduction in the forest's ability to store carbon KW - Anthropogenic disturbance KW - Carbon storage potentials KW - Species diversity KW - Upland evergreen forest KW - Vegetation structure Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tfp.2022.100238 SN - 2666-7193 IS - 8 SP - 1 EP - 9 ER - TY - GEN A1 - Damptey, Frederick Gyasi A1 - Frimpong, Bernard Fosu A1 - Kwame Debrah, Daniel A1 - Agro, Prince Pascal A1 - Debrah Wiafe, Edward T1 - Vegelation attributes drive the taxonomic richness and functional composition of beetles and spidersr In mountalnous urban green T2 - Energy, Ecology and Environment N2 - Urban green spaces (UGS) enhance the quality of life in urban environments and serve as habitat corridors or refuge for organisms, including beetles and spiders. The attributes of UGS allow them to harbour species that offer essential ecosystem services. However, the ability of UGS to provide services is limited by the extent to which they have been altered anthropogenically. We described the taxonomic richness and functional composition of arthropods in a mountainous urban ecosystem of Ghana by focussing on the activity of both beetles and spiders at the family level. Two main land-use types (woodlands and built-up areas) were identified and characterised based on the presence or absence of certain vegetation attributes. Sixteen plots in each land-use type with sizes 20 × 20 m were demarcated and fitted with four pitfall traps in each plot to sample continuously for eight weeks, the activity density of both beetles and spiders. Samples were sorted into families and functional groups (detritivores, fungivores, herbivores and predators). The taxonomic richness and activity density were both significantly higher in the woodlands than in the built-up areas. Similarly, all functional groups showed a higher affinity to the woodlands than the built-up areas. Habitat attributes defined by plant diversity and structural complexity were the underlying drivers explaining the differences in arthropod communities between the land-use types. Though the built-up areas seem degraded and open, the remaining small vegetation patches still support the activities of some taxa that should merit the protection of such remnant vegetation in urban ecosystems. KW - Activity density KW - Arthropod community composition KW - Functional composition KW - Land-use change KW - Taxonomic richness KW - Mountainous urban ecosystem Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1007/s40974-021-00236-z SN - 2363-7692 VL - 7 IS - 3 SP - 268 EP - 280 ER - TY - GEN A1 - Damptey, Frederick Gyasi A1 - Birkhofer, Klaus A1 - Nsiah, Paul Kofi A1 - Garcia de la Riva, Enrique T1 - Soil properties and biomass attributes in a former gravel mine area after two decades of forest restoration T2 - Land N2 - The ongoing global deforestation resulting from anthropogenic activities such as unsustainable agriculture and surface mining threatens biodiversity and decreases both soil carbon and above-ground biomass stocks. In this study, we assessed soil properties and below- and above-ground biomass attributes in a restored former gravel mine area in Ghana two decades after active restoration with potted plants and fresh topsoil. We compared conditions to four alternative land-use types (unrestored abandoned gravel mine, arable land, semi-natural forest, and natural forest) representing pre- and post-disturbance as well as natural reference states. We hypothesized that soil properties and related levels of below- and above-ground biomass in the restored area share similarities with the natural reference systems and thereby are indicative of a trajectory towards successful restoration. Eight replicated subareas in each land-use type were assessed for a set of soil parameters as well as below- and above-ground biomass attributes. The soil properties characteristic for the restored area differed significantly from pre-restoration stages, such as the abandoned gravel site, but did not differ significantly from properties in the natural forest (except for bulk density and base saturation). Above-ground biomass was lower in the restored area in comparison to the reference natural forests, while differences were not significant for below-ground biomass. Silt and effective cation exchange capacity were closely related to above-ground biomass, while below-ground biomass was related to soil organic carbon, bulk density, and potassium concentration in soils. Our results suggest that major steps towards successful restoration can be accomplished within a relatively short period, without the wholesale application of topsoil. Improving soil conditions is a vital tool for the successful development of extensive vegetation cover after surface mining, which also affects carbon sequestration by both above- and below-ground biomass. We emphasize that the use of reference systems provides critical information for the monitoring of ecosystem development towards an expected future state of the restored area. KW - carbon sequestration KW - degradation KW - forest management KW - mining KW - restoration success Y1 - 2020 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3390/land9060209 SN - 2073-445X VL - 9 IS - 6 ER - TY - GEN A1 - Damptey, Frederick Gyasi A1 - Djoudi, El Aziz A1 - Birkhofer, Klaus T1 - Effects of post-mining forest restoration and alternative land uses on ground-dwelling arthropods in Ghana T2 - Community Ecology Y1 - 2023 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1007/s42974-023-00144-8 SN - 1588-2756 VL - 24 SP - 215 EP - 228 ER - TY - GEN A1 - Damptey, Frederick Gyasi A1 - Opuni-Frimpong, Nana Yeboaa A1 - Arimiyaw, Abdul Wahid A1 - Bentsi-Enchill, Felicity A1 - Wiafe, Edward Debrah A1 - Abeyie, Betty Boante A1 - Mensah, Martin Kofi A1 - Debrah, Daniel Kwame A1 - Yeboah, Augustine Oti A1 - Opuni-Frimpong, Emmanuel T1 - Citizen Science Approach for Assessing the Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service Potential of Urban Green Spaces in Ghana T2 - Land N2 - Urban green spaces are linked to good human health and well-being, sustainable cities and communities, climate action, life on land and under water, as well as offering a platform for quality nature-based education. Their efficient management will no doubt be necessary if strides are to be made in efforts to protect biodiversity and enhance ecosystem service delivery in urban areas. This will, in part, require building the capacity of community members as citizen scientists to take up conservation roles. This study explored the levels of biodiversity and the proxy-based ecosystem service potential of urban green spaces in Sunyani, Ghana, using citizen science approaches. The green spaces accessed were the University of Energy and Natural Resources Wildlife Sanctuary and Arboretum, the Sunyani Parks and Gardens, the Sunyani Residency Park, and the Sunyani Senior High School Woodlot. The different levels of biodiversity (trees, arthropods) and ecosystem services were observed for the five green spaces assessed, with a significant relationship observed between arthropod communities and vegetation variables. Our results showed that citizen scientists perceived urban green spaces to supply more significant provisioning and regulating services than any other ecosystem services, even though they were highly dissatisfied with how green spaces are managed. The children’s perception of the composition of nature was slightly narrow, as they largely centered on plants and animals only. Even so, their awareness of the value of nature was high, as were the threats of human activities to nature. Citizen science approaches could complement biodiversity studies in data-deficient regions; however, collected data may require additional verification and validation from experts for conclusive and better inferences. KW - environmental education KW - nature conservation KW - sustainable development goals KW - urbanization Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3390/land11101774 SN - 2073-445X VL - 11 IS - 10 ER - TY - GEN A1 - Damptey, Frederick Gyasi A1 - Opuni-Frimpong, Emmanuel A1 - Ayine Nsor, Collins A1 - Addai, James A1 - Kwame Debrah, Daniel A1 - Schnerch, Benjamin A1 - Bentsi-Enchill, Felicity A1 - Korjus, Henn T1 - Taxonomic and community composition of epigeal arthropods in monoculture and mixed tree species plantations in a deciduous forest of Ghana T2 - Journal of Forestry Research N2 - Tropical forests provide several ecosystem services and functions and support approximately two-thirds of the world’s biodiversity but are seriously threatened by deforestation. Approaches to counteract this menace have revolved around aforestation with several or a single tree species. We thus investigated how plantation forests with either a single or several tree species infuenced arthropod taxonomic and community composition using pitfall traps to sample selected groups of epigeal arthropods (Araneae, Coleoptera, Orthoptera and Hymenoptera) and with environmental variables assessed simultaneously. Our results revealed 54 taxonomic groups with signifcantly higher taxonomic richness, activity density, and diversity in the mixed stands than in the monoculture stands. The significant differences in community composition were mainly driven by families including Lycosidae, Formicidae, Staphylinidae, Scotylidae, Hydrophilidae, Gryllidae and Scarabaeidae and were explained by distinct habitat characteristics (canopy openness, litter depth, deadwood volume, and tree height). While the diverse tree communities and heterogeneous vegetation structure ofered food and habitat resources for diverse arthropod groups, the allelopathic nature coupled with homogenous stand characteristics of the Tectona grandis stands in the monoculture suppressed the growth of understorey vegetation that could otherwise serve as food and habitat resources for arthropods, which might have led to limited activities and diversity of arthropods in the monoculture plantation stands. The fndings thus highlight the need to promote mixed tree plantations in degraded tropical areas, especially when restoring biodiversity is the prime management focus. KW - Arthropod community KW - Forest plantations KW - Structural complexity KW - Tree diversity KW - Tropical deforestation Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1007/s11676-022-01508-y VL - 34 IS - 3 SP - 641 EP - 653 ER -