@article{DossoYeoKonateetal.2012, author = {Dosso, Kanvaly and Yeo, Kolo and Konate, Souleymane and Linsenmair, Karl Eduard}, title = {Importance of protected areas for biodiversity conservation in central Cote d'Ivoire: Comparison of termite assemblages between two neighboring areas under differing levels of disturbance}, series = {Journal of Insect Science}, volume = {12}, journal = {Journal of Insect Science}, number = {131}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-133218}, year = {2012}, abstract = {To highlight human impact on biodiversity in the Lamto region, termites were studied with regard to their use as bio-indicators of habitat change in the tropics. Using a standardized method, termites were sampled in the three most common habitat types, i.e., in semi-deciduous forest, savanna woodland, and annually burned savanna, all inside Lamto Reserve and its surrounding rural domain. Termite species richness fell from 25 species in the Lamto forest to 13 species in the rural area, involving strong modification in the species composition (species turnover = 59 \%). In contrast, no significant change in diversity was found between the Lamto savannas and the rural ones. In addition, the relative abundance of termites showed a significantly greater decline in the rural domain, even in the species Ancistrotermes cavithorax (Sjostedt) (Isoptera: Termitidae), which is known to be ecologically especially versatile. Overall, the findings of this study suggest further investigation around Lamto Reserve on the impact of human activities on biodiversity, focusing on forest conversion to land uses (e.g. agricultural and silvicultural systems).}, language = {en} } @article{SteinCoulibalyStenchlyetal.2017, author = {Stein, Katharina and Coulibaly, Drissa and Stenchly, Kathrin and Goetze, Dethardt and Porembski, Stefan and Lindner, Andr{\´e} and Konat{\´e}, Souleymane and Linsenmair, Eduard K.}, title = {Bee pollination increases yield quantity and quality of cash crops in Burkina Faso, West Africa}, series = {Scientific Reports}, volume = {7}, journal = {Scientific Reports}, number = {17691}, doi = {10.1038/s41598-017-17970-2}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-169914}, year = {2017}, abstract = {Mutualistic biotic interactions as among flowering plants and their animal pollinators are a key component of biodiversity. Pollination, especially by insects, is a key element in ecosystem functioning, and hence constitutes an ecosystem service of global importance. Not only sexual reproduction of plants is ensured, but also yields are stabilized and genetic variability of crops is maintained, counteracting inbreeding depression and facilitating system resilience. While experiencing rapid environmental change, there is an increased demand for food and income security, especially in sub-Saharan communities, which are highly dependent on small scale agriculture. By combining exclusion experiments, pollinator surveys and field manipulations, this study for the first time quantifies the contribution of bee pollinators to smallholders' production of the major cash crops, cotton and sesame, in Burkina Faso. Pollination by honeybees and wild bees significantly increased yield quantity and quality on average up to 62\%, while exclusion of pollinators caused an average yield gap of 37\% in cotton and 59\% in sesame. Self-pollination revealed inbreeding depression effects on fruit set and low germination rates in the F1-generation. Our results highlight potential negative consequences of any pollinator decline, provoking risks to agriculture and compromising crop yields in sub-Saharan West Africa.}, language = {en} }