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The tropical African Laetiporus species are revised, based on morphological, ecological, distribution, and phylogenetic data. Laetiporus discolor, originally described from insular Mauritius, is accepted for the species spanning over the African eastern mountain ranges. Laetiporus oboensis and Laetiporus tenuiculus are described as new from the African equatorial insular São Tomé, based on phylogenetic, morphological, and distribution data. Laetiporus oboensis is characterized by compound basidiomes, with densely imbricated pilei in pale orange tint, a lobed margin, 3–4 pores/mm, and basidiospores averaging 4.8 × 3.7 μm. Laetiporus tenuiculus has mostly solitary, small, thin basidiomes, with pale flesh to pale orange pileus, an incised margin, 4–5 pores/mm, and basidiospores averaging 5.4 × 4.2 µm. A fourth species, known from two isolates from Ethiopian highlands, but for which voucher specimens were not available for description, is uncertain. These four species form an African endemic lineage, whose distribution is Afromountainous. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IntroductionKey resultsConclusionsRecent taxonomic studies on tropical liverworts have led to a further increase in the number of Afro-American taxa. The present paper focuses on Afro-American relationships in Radulaceae.Our study of types and additional collections from various herbaria worldwide showed that Radula fulvifolia, R. galapagona and R. schaefer-verwimpii are morphologically identical and constitute a single, rather polymorphic species. The species is delicate and stands out by its fragile shoots that are highly denuded due to strongly caducous leaf lobes, its ovate to falcate-ovate leaf lobes, thin-walled leaf cells usually without trigones, rhombic (rarely subquadrate) lobules with the base varying in size and shape but not fully covering the stem, and straight to concave keels. Lectotypes are designated for the names R. fulvifolia and R. galapagona.Taxonomic study of Radulaceae in tropical America and Africa shows that the Neotropical names Radula galapagona and R. schaefer-verwimpii should be replaced by the older African name R. fulvifolia. Our study leads to a further increase in the number of Afro-American liverwort taxa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The wood structure of five species of Pterocarpus from Nigeria, distributed in tropical Africa, was studied using light and scanning electron microscopy. This was done to explore the usefulness of wood anatomical characters in distinguishing the species and investigate the influence of climatic factors in wet and dry tropical Africa on anatomical traits and distribution of Pterocarpus species. To investigate the ecological patterns of the wood anatomical features of the species, quantitative data from the wood traits and climatic variables from the species distribution were compiled and analyzed for Principal Component Analysis (PCA) using R. The Pterocarpus species studied can be distinguished by ray cell number and height. The ray cells are exclusively uniseriate in P. erinaceous, uniseriate with a few biseriate in P. osun and P. santalinoides and mostly multiseriate in P. lucens. Large ray height (>1 mm) is only found in P. lucens. The Pterocarpus species found in the dry tropical biome (P. erinaceous and P. lucens) have shorter vessel elements, higher vessel frequency, higher vessel grouping, and narrower vessels. These wood traits play a significant role in the vulnerability of wood xylem to cavitation and water conductance efficiency. The positive correlation observed between the percentage of solitary vessels and climatic factors means that as the environment gives way to higher rainfall and a more stable climate, there will be an increase in the number of solitary vessels in the species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Landslides and flash floods are geomorphic hazards (GH) that often co-occur and interact and frequently lead to societal and environmental impact. The compilation of detailed multi-temporal inventories of GH events over a variety of contrasting natural as well as human-influenced landscapes is essential to understanding their behavior in both space and time and allows to unravel the human drivers from the natural baselines. Yet, creating multi-temporal inventories of these GH events remains difficult and costly in terms of human labor, especially when relatively large regions are investigated. Methods to derive GH location from satellite optical imagery have been continuously developed and have shown a clear shift in recent years from conventional methodologies like thresholding and regression to machine learning (ML) methodologies given their improved predictive performance. However, these current generation ML methodologies generally rely on accurate information on either the GH location (training samples) or the GH timing (pre- and post-event imagery), making them unfit in unexplored regions without a priori information on GH occurrences. Currently, a detection methodology to create multi-temporal GH event inventories applicable in relatively large unexplored areas containing a variety of landscapes does not yet exist. We present a new semi-supervised methodology that allows for the detection of both location and timing of GH event occurrence with optical time series, while minimizing manual user interventions. We use the peak of the cumulative difference to the mean for a multitude of spectral indices derived from open-access, high spatial resolution (10–20 m) Copernicus Sentinel-2 time series and generate a map per Sentinel-2 tile that identifies impacted pixels and their related timing. These maps are used to identify GH event impacted zones. We use the generated maps, the identified GH events impacted zones and the automatically derived timing and use them as training sample in a Random Forest classifier to improve the spatial detection accuracy within the impacted zone. We showcase the methodology on six Sentinel-2 tiles in the tropical East African Rift where we detect 29 GH events between 2016 and 2021. We use 12 of these GH events (totalizing ∼3900 GH features) with varying time of occurrence, contrasting landscape conditions and different landslide to flash flood ratios to validate the detection methodology. The average identified timing of the GH events lies within two to four weeks of their actual occurrence. The sensitivity of the methodology is mainly influenced by the differences in landscapes, the amount of cloud cover and the size of the GH events. Our methodology is applicable in various landscapes, can be run in a systematic mode, and is dependent only on a few parameters. The methodology is adapted for massive computation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mushroom cultivation has become an essential element in the fight against food insecurity, particularly in tropical Africa where agricultural diversity is paramount. Existing literature underlines the importance of mushroom cultivation in improving availability of nutrients and fostering economic resilience. However, cultivation practices still need to be optimized and the diversity of cultivable species native in tropical Africa is largely unknown. This study addresses the role of mushroom cultivation in tropical Africa, its potential and the efforts being made. Data from 93 scientific articles on attempts to cultivate mushrooms in tropical Africa were compiled, revealing the cultivation of 31 fungal species, with Pleurotus ostreatus, Pleurotus tuber-regium, and Lentinus squarrosulus being the most common ones. Despite global popularity, species from genera of Auricularia and Volvariella are rarely cultivated. Wild edible species remain underexplored. The results of this paper also revealed that locally available materials like yams, cassava, and maize are used for media for spawn production. Sorghum grains and sawdust are popular substrates respectively for spawn and fruiting production. Challenges include controlling environmental parameters, limited industrialization due to machinery and technique demands, and enhancing substrate efficiency through supplementation and composting. Temperature and humidity are key factors for successful cultivation, with a temperature range of 20 °C–35 °C considered optimal. Despite the abundance of information regarding mushroom cultivation in tropical Africa, further progress is required to enhance mushroom production techniques.

Aquatic food production holds great promise as a viable solution to tackle the pressing issue of meeting the protein requirements of the African populace. It plays a crucial role in food security and economic growth, especially in tropical Africa. With a fast-expanding population, there is a growing need for aquatic food sources to provide inexpensive protein and essential nutrients. Despite Africa's vast aquatic food source supplies and the importance of aquatic food in healthy and sustainable diets, several challenges hinder its full exploitation in the tropical African environment. This study, therefore, aims to assess the existing state of aquatic food resources in Africa, examine the nutritional advantages associated with these foods, and identify the problems that hinder their maximal utilization. The findings highlight the differences in aquatic protein consumption across various countries, emphasizing the importance of considering local factors when formulating nutritional interventions and policies. The comparison between the supply of protein from aquatic sources and land animals across African nations revealed a consistent trend of lower availability of aquatic protein. Africa, in particular, had relatively lower per capita consumption values of animal protein. The continent's average quantity of land animal food significantly surpassed the average aquatic food supply. This suggests a predominant reliance on land animal sources in African countries to meet dietary protein needs. This finding holds significant importance for policymakers, nutritionists, and stakeholders, highlighting the need for targeted strategies to improve protein accessibility in African countries. Moreover, it calls for attention to address any existing imbalances between the utilization of land and aquatic protein sources in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aberrant Oncoba ngounyensis from Gabon, originally described in Lindackeria (then Flacourtiaceae, nowadays Achariaceae), but excluded from that genus by Sleumer, is closer investigated to see whether it belongs in Camptostylus as suggested by that author or in any other genus of the Lindackerieae. It is concluded that this species belongs to neither Lindackeria nor Camptostylus. Within the Lindackerieae, Oncoba ngounyensis occupies a morphologically isolated position which is taxonomically best expressed by placing it in a new genus of its own, we name Salpingifera. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Triaspis hypericoides currently comprises three accepted subspecies endemic to woodland savannas of southern continental Africa. After an unusual population belonging to this complex was collected in southwestern Angola, we re‐evaluated the classification of this group. This study was based on the analysis of type specimens, protologues, field photographs and herbarium sheets of all subspecies within T. hypericoides. We reinstate T. canescens, T. hypericoides and T. nelsonii based on differences in leaf, flower and fruit traits. Additionally, the Angolan population is proposed here as a new species of Triapis endemic to the dry miombo woodlands of Bicuar National Park, Huíla Province, southwestern Angola. Triaspis bicuarensis sp. nov. is easily distinguished from T. nelsonii by its alternate (versus opposite) leaves, ovate to widely ovate (versus widely ovate to very widely ovate) leaf laminas, rounded (versus sagittate) leaf base, flat (versus undulate) margins, sparsely white‐tomentose (versus glabrous to glabrescent) abaxial leaf surface, petiole 4–8 mm long (versus 2–3 mm long), compound inflorescences in thyrses (versus corymbs) and bracteoles inserted below apex of peduncles (versus in the middle of peduncles). An identification key to all species belonging to this species complex is presented alongside a complete morphological description for the new species, photographic plates and comments on the distribution, ecology, palynology and taxonomy. These results underline the need for continued revisions of the taxonomy of the neglected African genera of Malpighiaceae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Afrotropical grasshopper genus Pteropera Karsch, 1891, is reviewed. Some species present in Cameroon are described, Pteropera augustini Donskoff, 1981, is recorded for the first time in the country, and three new species are described from Cameroon, Pteropera kennei Yetchom & Husemann, sp. nov., Pteropera matzkei Yetchom & Husemann, sp. nov. and Pteropera missoupi Yetchom & Husemann, sp. nov., increasing the number of Pteropera species in Cameroon from eight to 12, and overall to 30 species in Central Africa. An updated key of Pteropera is provided. Photographs with data on the distributions of all known species are given. In addition, a phylogenetic tree was constructed using maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference on the basis of a concatenated dataset of COI, 16S, and 12S markers of available Cameroonian species. The maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference analyses of the concatenated datasets resulted in a well-resolved phylogeny of the group and species of Pteropera were recovered as monophyletic, largely with high support. In all cases, the discrimination of all studied species based on barcode information was congruent with the species limits determined by traditional taxonomy. Our findings show the potential of integrative taxonomy to resolve the relationships among grasshoppers below the family level. Further analyses, including more comprehensive taxon sampling and additional nuclear markers, are needed, and the occurrence of several taxa still needs to be confirmed in African rainforests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new species Guntheria chawiensissp. n. was described from an alcohol-fixed specimen of shrew originating from Kenya and deposited in the collection of Musée royal de l'Afrique centrale (Tervuren, Belgium). This species represents the first record of the genus Guntheria Womersley, 1939, which occurs almost exclusively in Australia and New Guinea, on the African continent. Other African species previously associated with the genus name Guntheria are reviewed, namely, Guntherana hexasternalaea Vercammen-Grandjean, 1960 and Euschoengastia laurenti Jadin and Vercammen-Grandjean, 1954. The former species was placed in a monotypic genus Hexasternalaea Vercammen-Grandjean, 1960, stat. n. and the latter species was recognized as a member of previously monotypic genus Makwacarus Stekolnikov, 2018. Thus, two new combinations were established – Hexasternalaea hexasternalaeacomb. n. and Makwacarus laurenticomb. n. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article analyzes how contemporary queer African writing participates in decoloniality by queering (hetero)normative knowledge systems for social and epistemic transformation. In my reading of Akwaeke Emezi’s The Death of Vivek Oji (2020), I argue that Trans/Queer African literature participates in a very important epistemic project of counterfactualism by offering alternatives to perceived and systemically imposed African gender and sexual realities. The novel achieves this by deconstructing the hetero-naturalization of temporality to locate queer time and queer space within indigenous African modes of worldmaking. In their rendition of the Igbo myth of the Ogbanje spirit children in narrating the transgender life of their protagonist, Emezi not only ascertains the indigeneity of queerness to Africa, but goes further to demonstrate how some tropical epistemologies are already queer in their non-binary imagination of life and death, human and spirit, gender and sexuality. By representing otherworldliness and possibilities of being ‘out of order’—beyond the heteronormative framing of identity, space, and time—the novel debunks the pervasive notion of African queerness as recolonization and ascertains the flexibility of tropical knowledges against perceptions of their rigidity.

Background: Children are susceptible to various types of infections and diseases because of their low and weakened immune system. In various communities throughout the world, medicinal plants have historically been used to treat and manage paediatric diseases and ailments. Aim: The current study was aimed at identifying and analysing medicinal plants used traditionally to treat and manage paediatric diseases in Zimbabwe. Setting: This review provides an overview of medicinal plants used to manage paediatric ailments in Zimbabwe. Method: Ethnobotanical information on medicinal plants used to treat and manage paediatric diseases in Zimbabwe was obtained using online databases such as Scopus, JSTOR, PubMed, Google Scholar and Science Direct. Results: A total of 178 taxa belonging to 64 families have been documented as traditional medicines for paediatric diseases and ailments in Zimbabwe. Cryptolepis oblongifolia, Asparagus spp., Dichrostachys cinerea, Fadogia ancylantha, Inula glomerata, Lannea edulis and Strychnos spinosa are the most popular medicinal plants with four to five use reports each. Medicinal plants are used to treat and manage 41 childhood medical conditions in Zimbabwe. Conclusion: Baseline data provided in this study can be used for future ethnopharmacological research focusing on chemical, pharmacological and toxicological evaluations of the documented species. Contribution: This study contributes to the existing literature about medicinal plants used to treat and manage paediatric diseases, and such data can be used to develop new health-promoting products for children and also pharmaceutical products that can be used to reduce child or infant mortality rate.

Aquatic food production holds great promise as a viable solution to tackle the pressing issue of meeting the protein requirements of the African populace. It plays a crucial role in food security and economic growth, especially in tropical Africa. With a fast-expanding population, there is a growing need for aquatic food sources to provide inexpensive protein and essential nutrients. Despite Africa’s vast aquatic food source supplies and the importance of aquatic food in healthy and sustainable diets, several challenges hinder its full exploitation in the tropical African environment. This study, therefore, aims to assess the existing state of aquatic food resources in Africa, examine the nutritional advantages associated with these foods, and identify the problems that hinder their maximal utilization. The findings highlight the differences in aquatic protein consumption across various countries, emphasizing the importance of considering local factors when formulating nutritional interventions and policies. The comparison between the supply of protein from aquatic sources and land animals across African nations revealed a consistent trend of lower availability of aquatic protein. Africa, in particular, had relatively lower per capita consumption values of animal protein. The continent’s average quantity of land animal food significantly surpassed the average aquatic food supply. This suggests a predominant reliance on land animal sources in African countries to meet dietary protein needs. This finding holds significant importance for policymakers, nutritionists, and stakeholders, highlighting the need for targeted strategies to improve protein accessibility in African countries. Moreover, it calls for attention to address any existing imbalances between the utilization of land and aquatic protein sources in the region.

MIS 3 environmental conditions in Africa north of the Equator and the Arabian Peninsula have long been controversial due to data scarcity and methodological caveats. In this paper we compare 245 continental hydrological records and 11 long and continuous continental and marine cores with results from the IPSL general circulation model to discuss hydrological changes between 59 and 29 ka in North Tropical Africa, North (Mediterranean) Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. Despite a generally glacial context, wet conditions widely expanded giving place to numerous lakes, rivers and wetlands. The major result of our study is to show that humid conditions appeared much earlier and were more prevalent in the Arabian Peninsula than in Africa, due to the conjunction of monsoon rains in summer and Mediterranean rains in winter. The mechanisms driving MIS 3 humidity in our study area involve global cooling factors such as greenhouse concentrations and ice volume, which have impacted available moisture, orbital forcing, which impacts monsoon circulation and amplitude and sensitivity to the state of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC).

Terrestrial‐marine dust fluxes, pedogenic carbonate δ13C values, and various paleovegetation proxies suggest that Africa experienced gradual cooling and drying across the Pliocene‐Pleistocene (Plio‐Pleistocene) boundary (2.58 million years ago [Ma]). However, the timing, magnitude, resolution, and relative influences of orbitally‐driven changes in high latitude glaciations and low latitude insolation differ by region and proxy. To disentangle these forcings and investigate equatorial eastern African climate across the Plio‐Pleistocene boundary, we generated a high‐resolution (∼3,000‐year) data set of compound‐specific n‐alkane leaf wax δ2H values—a robust proxy for atmospheric circulation and precipitation amount—from the HSPDP‐BTB13‐1A core, which spans a ∼3.3–2.6 Ma sequence in the Baringo‐Tugen Hills‐Barsemoi Basin of central Kenya. In combination with the physical sedimentology, our data indicate that precipitation varied strongly with orbital obliquity, not precession, during the late Pliocene, perhaps imparted by variations in the cross‐equatorial insolation gradient. We also observe a marked shift toward wetter conditions beginning ∼3 Ma that corresponds with global cooling, drying in western Australia, and a steepening of the west‐east zonal Indian Ocean (IO) sea surface temperature (SST) gradient. We propose that northward migration of the Subtropical Front reduced Agulhas current leakage, warming the western IO and causing changes in the IO zonal SST gradient at 3 Ma, a process that has been observed in the latest Pleistocene‐Holocene but not over longer timescales. Thus, the late Cenozoic moisture history of eastern Africa is driven by a complex mixture of low‐latitude insolation, the IO SST gradient, and teleconnections to distal high‐latitude cooling. Key Points: We present new high resolution (3,000‐year) leaf wax δ2H data from central Kenya spanning 3.3–2.6 million years before present (Ma)Pronounced 41,000‐year variability throughout is potentially attributable to the cross‐equatorial insolation gradientLong‐term (>200,000‐year) variability in eastern African hydroclimate tracks the zonal Indian Ocean surface temperature gradient [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Slow-moving landslides exhibit persistent but non-uniform motion at low rates which makes them exceptional natural laboratories to study the mechanisms that control the dynamics of unstable hillslopes. Here we leverage 4.5+ years of satellite-based radar and optical remote sensing data to quantify the kinematics of a slow-moving landslide in the tropical rural environment of the Kivu Rift, with unprecedented high spatial and temporal resolution. We measure landslide motion using sub-pixel image correlation methods and invert these data into dense time series that capture weekly to multi-year changes in landslide kinematics. We cross-validate and compare our satellite-based results with very-high-resolution Unoccupied Aircraft System topographic datasets, and explore how rainfall, simulated pore-water pressure, and nearby earthquakes control the overall landslide behaviour. The landslide exhibited seasonal and multi-year velocity variations that varied across the landslide kinematic units. While rainfall-induced changes in pore-water pressure exerts a primary control on the landslide motion, these alone cannot explain the observed variability in landslide behaviour. We suggest instead that the observed landslide kinematics result from internal landslide dynamics, such as extension, compression, material redistribution, and interactions within and between kinematic units. Our study provides, a rare, detailed overview of the deformation pattern of a landslide located in a tropical environment. In addition, our work highlights the viability of sub-pixel image correlation with long time series of radar-amplitude data to quantify surface deformation in tropical environments where optical data is limited by persistent cloud cover and emphasize the importance of exploiting synergies between multiple types of data to capture the complex kinematic pattern of landslides.

Mosquitoes are carriers of diseases like malaria, dengue fever, chikungunya, zika fever, and lymphatic filariasis, which can be deadly in Tropical Africa and certain subtropical regions. The World Health Organization recognizes mosquito bites as the primary cause of over a million deaths annually due to malaria. It is crucial to reduce or eliminate the mosquito population in Africa if possible. Presently, malaria vector control methods mainly involve using insecticide-treated bed nets, long-lasting insecticidal nets, or indoor residual spraying. However, many existing mosquitos control products have not proven to be effective in eradicating mosquitoes in these regions. In this study, a solar-powered mosquito killer with voice activation was developed using an Arduino board, an ultrasonic sensor, an electric fence driver, a direct current (DC) fan, and UV lights. The Ultraviolet (UV) lights are visible to some insects and enhance the trapping effect by combining heat and carbon dioxide. The device has voice activation to minimize human contact. It is an improvement over previous methods that utilized voiceactivated equipment without harmful elements or irritating insecticides. The device mimics a mosquito's sensory receptors to attract and ultimately eliminate them. The equipment includes a 5V DC fan operating at 1800-3700 rev/min, a mist humidifier emitting mist at regular intervals (operating frequency of 0.8MHz - 1.75MHz), an electric fence producing over 1000 volts to render mosquitoes lifeless upon contact, and a voice module for device control. The device is powered by an external outlet power cord supplying 5-12 volts to activate the micro-controller. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim. To study the dependence of office and ambulatory blood pressure (BP) level in students with their ethnicity.Material and methods. A total of 110 students were examined as follows: 35 from Russia, 34 from Tropical Africa and 41 from India. Lifestyle was studied using a standardized questionnaire. All students underwent measurement of office blood pressure and 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) using the BPLabH system (Russia).Results. Students from Russia were more likely to lead a sedentary lifestyle than from Africa (p=0,001) or India (p=0,027). Students from Tropical Africa added salt to food more often than Indians (p=0,03). Office blood pressure measured in the first half of the day was within the normal range for all subjects and did not differ between different ethnic groups. According to ABPM, there were no intergroup differences in systolic blood pressure during the daytime and 24 hours. Diastolic blood pressure of Africans during the daytime (p=0,029) and 24 hours (p=0,002) was higher than in Russians. Nighttime systolic and diastolic blood pressure of African students was significantly higher than in Russian (p=0,006 and p

Simple Summary: Organisms that are similar in size, morphological characteristics, and adaptations, including vertebrates, often coexist by partitioning the available resources (food, space, and time). So, studies of the dynamics of these cases of coexistence are scientifically interesting. Here, we study a coexistence case between two species of freshwater turtles inhabiting the forest waterbodies of West Africa, focusing on the dietary habits of the two species. We found that both turtle species are omnivorous generalists, eating both vegetal and animal matter abundantly. However, there were clear interspecific differences, with the larger of the two species (P. cupulatta) eating more vertebrates (mainly fish but occasionally other vertebrates), whereas P. castaneus consumed more invertebrates. We also showed that interspecific competition for food does not occur between these two species; instead, previous studies demonstrated that a clear partitioning of the habitat niche occurs. Organisms that are similar in size, morphological characteristics, and adaptations, including vertebrates, often coexist by partitioning the available resources (food, space, and time). So, studies of the dynamics of these cases of coexistence are scientifically interesting. Here, we study a coexistence case of two species of freshwater turtles inhabiting the forest waterbodies of West Africa, focusing on the dietary habits of the two species. We found that both turtle species are omnivorous generalists, eating both vegetal and animal matter abundantly. However, there were clear interspecific differences, with the larger of the two species (P. cupulatta) eating more vertebrates (mainly fish but occasionally other vertebrates), whereas P. castaneus consumed more invertebrates. These patterns appeared consistently within the species and across sites, highlighting that the same patterns were likely in other conspecific populations from the Upper Guinean forest streams (Côte d'Ivoire and Liberia). Our study also showed that interspecific competition for food does not occur between these two species; instead, previous studies uncovered that a clear partitioning of the habitat niche occurs. We conclude that the food resource is likely unlimited in the study areas, as it is not the case in more arid environments (since food shortages may occur during the dry season). We anticipate that, within the Pelomedusidae communities throughout Africa, intense competition for food probably occurs in the Sahel and Sudanian vegetation zones, particularly during the dry months, but is unlikely within the Guinea and wet savannah region and even less likely in the Guineo-Congolian rainforest region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wood-inhabiting fungi (WIF), such as polypores, are extremely species-rich and play vital roles in the functioning of forest ecosystems as decomposers. Despite the importance of polypores, our knowledge of the diversity and distribution of these fungi is still poor in general and especially for West Africa. To advance our knowledge we here summarise results from field collections between 2017 and 2021 and present (i) a taxonomic overview, (ii) phylogenetic placements and (iii) an illustrated catalogue of wood-inhabiting polypore fungi with colour pictures. During the field sampling campaigns, we collected 647 specimens. Based on morphological characteristics and molecular barcode data, 76 polypore species belonging to six orders, 15 families and 39 genera were identified. Of the 76 species, 30 are new to the West Africa, 69 new to Benin, and two new combinations Fuscoporia beninensis and Megasporia minuta are proposed. With this summary, we provide new data for further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microcoelia and the monospecific Taeniorrhiza and Chauliodon are notable among Afrotropical angraecoid orchids for being leafless. However, the affinity among these genera was not addressed in previous molecular phylogenetic studies, thus precluding the understanding of how many times has leaflessness evolved in angraecoids. The discovery of an additional species ascribable to Taeniorrhiza in Gabon, and a revision of all material referrable to this genus in herbarium collections, created the possibility to investigate the phylogenetic position of Taeniorrhiza relative to Microcoelia and Chauliodon. Based on phylogenetic inference using ITS‐1 and two plastid regions (matK/trnK, trnL‐trnF), and including 20 of the 34 species of Microcoelia recognised prior to our study, we here demonstrate that Taeniorrhiza and Chauliodon are deeply imbedded in Microcoelia, and are thus treated here as synonyms of the last. Accordingly, we describe the novelty from Gabon as a new species of Microcoelia: Microcoelia nguemae sp. nov. The new species is illustrated with colour photographs, and also with line drawings. Its preliminarily IUCN conservation status is provided. The novelty is notable for the dorsiventrally asymmetric distribution of pneumathodes along its roots and for bearing the longest lip spur in this Afro‐Malagasy epiphytic genus. The new phylogenetic framework suggests a single origin of leaflessness in Afrotropical angrecoids and reveals the informative value of the rostellum to reconstruct relationships within Microcoelia. This serves as the basis of a newly proposed sectional treatment for Microcoelia, recognising 37 species, one new section, a new status for the defunct genus Encheiridion and the redefinition of Microcoelia sect. Microcoelia and sect. Brachyglossa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biodiversity inventories are essential for the management and monitoring of ecosystems, especially in protected tropical areas. In the Afrotropical region, biodiversity conservation initiatives are primarily focused on charismatic vertebrates, while invertebrates such as millipedes, which are largely endemic, have received little attention. To partly fill the gaps of knowledge relating to millipedes, this study was conducted in the Douala-Edéa National Park, one of the most important protected areas in Cameroon. A year-long field survey was conducted using the classical active search method in quadrats. Overall, 36 millipede species belonging to 22 genera and nine families were identified from 799 individuals that were collected. The Chelodesmidae was the richest family (8 species), followed by the Oxydesmidae and the Spirostreptidae (6 species each). The most species-rich habitat was primary forest with 24 species, while the lowest species richness was observed in an agroforest (4 species). Moreover, the highest millipede abundance was observed in open meadows (41.80 % of the total abundance), compared to the agroforest (2.75 % of the total abundance). The primary forest was the most diverse habitat (H’ = 2.86; E = 0.73) compared to the other habitat types. Kartinikus colonus (Spirostreptidae) was widely distributed as it was found in all habitat types, whereas approximately half of the total species recorded (17 species) showed restricted distributions as they were confined to a single habitat. The non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) analysis revealed that millipede communities in secondary forest, primary forest, mangrove, and agroforest ecosystems were similar and distinct from those in open meadows. Despite the high richness and abundance of millipede species in the Douala-Edéa National Park, anthropogenic activities such as agricultural practices and felling were identified as the main threats to this fauna. Thus, it is crucial to implement conservation initiatives to protect millipede species in this protected area.

Environmental degradation, climate crises, and ecological catastrophes effect the countries of the tropics distinctly from those of the Global North, reflecting the ramifications of colonial capitalist epistemes and practices that sanction extraction, commodification, and control of tropical lands and peoples. Imbolo Mbue’s How Beautiful We Were (2021), set in the fictional African village of Kosawa, bears witness to the history and presence of ecological disaster in the African tropics through issues related to extractivism, environmental injustices, and structural racism that are ongoing under the mask of capitalist progress and development. Mbue, a Cameroonian-American novelist, recounts Kosawa’s decades-long struggle against the American oil company Pexton. This article focuses on the critical aspect that Mbue’s discourse reveals—that there is a need to map environmental injustices with other forms of structural injustices and the prevalence of neocolonialism and its manifestations through racial, economic, and epistemic practices. The article further explicates how the ordinary people of Kosawa become subjected to “slow violence” and “testimonial injustice” and foregrounds the necessity of “epistemic disobedience” demonstrated in the novel through the madman’s intervention and Thula’s sustained resistance to the exploitative agendas.

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Previous human cases or epidemics have suggested that Monkeypox virus (MPXV) can be transmitted through contact with animals of African rainforests. Although MPXV has been identified in many mammal species, most are likely secondary hosts, and the reservoir host has yet to be discovered. In this study, we provide the full list of African mammal genera (and species) in which MPXV was previously detected, and predict the geographic distributions of all species of these genera based on museum specimens and an ecological niche modelling (ENM) method. Then, we reconstruct the ecological niche of MPXV using georeferenced data on animal MPXV sequences and human index cases, and conduct overlap analyses with the ecological niches inferred for 99 mammal species, in order to identify the most probable animal reservoir. Our results show that the MPXV niche covers three African rainforests: the Congo Basin, and Upper and Lower Guinean forests. The four mammal species showing the best niche overlap with MPXV are all arboreal rodents, including three squirrels: Funisciurus anerythrus, Funisciurus pyrropus, Heliosciurus rufobrachium, and Graphiurus lorraineus. We conclude that the most probable MPXV reservoir is F. anerythrus based on two niche overlap metrics, the areas of higher probabilities of occurrence, and available data on MPXV detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surface solar irradiance (SSI) is influenced by important factors such as total cloud cover and aerosols. However, the influence of vegetation-runoff coupled system on SSI has not been investigated yet. The present study aims to study this issue in tropical Africa within the framework of the regional climate model (RegCM4) using two runoff schemes: (TOPMODEL; TOP and Variable Infiltration Capacity; VIC). For the vegetation-runoff systems to be coupled, the Carbon-Nitrogen (CN) module was enabled. The two simulations were designated as: CN-TOP and CN-VIC. Furthermore, the RegCM4 was downscaled by NCEP/NCAR2 reanalysis for a duration of 13 years and evaluated with respect to a reliable reanalysis product. The results showed that the CN-VIC outperforms the CN-TOP in all seasons particularly during the summer season. For instance, the CN-VIC underestimates the SSI over the Northern Savannah region by 15 W m−2; while the CN-TOP underestimates the SSI by 30–50 W·m−2. Over different sub-regions, the CN-VIC performs better than the CN-TOP over Northern Savanna during the summer season and over the Congo basin during the winter season. Moreover, the four parameters of the VIC surface dataset need to be recalibrated with respect in-situ observation of tropical Africa, and additional sensitivity experiments are needed to ensure a better performance of the CN-VIC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Convection‐permitting (CP) models have provided a step change in the ability to forecast impactful convective storms, which pose risks such as flash flooding and lightning. Despite CP models being routinely run over tropical Africa, they typically lack data assimilation and are initialised directly from a global analysis. The CP model therefore takes time to generate convective structures and consequently precipitation, rendering the early part of the forecast unusable. A 'warm‐starting' method developed within the Met Office Unified Model is tested over a large tropical Africa domain, leading to substantial improvements in rainfall predictions during both the spin‐up period but also later in the forecast. The spin‐up period is found to vary considerably, both geographically and with model initialisation time, due to the differing states of the atmosphere through the day. We quantify this impact through a spin‐up diagnostic, which shows that over central Africa the spin‐up period can be as large as 24 hr. In these regions, the warm starting substantially reduces spin‐up time. Additionally, the large tropical Africa domain allows us to examine the impact of the prevailing meteorology on both the spin‐up period and the warm‐start method. We find large‐scale positive vorticity filaments over West Africa, likely tied to African Easterly Waves, increase rainfall rates across all models. The substantial reduction in the spin‐up of rainfall and increased skill at longer lead times in the warm‐start demonstrate the importance of representing convective features in the analysis for a CP model. This is especially important in large tropical domains where the initial conditions are likely to have a lasting impact on the forecast. Improvements in model performance across the forecast will enhance the ability of forecasters to provide advice on high‐impact weather events, supporting increased resilience against weather extremes in Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Angola is a tropical country with many biogeographical units and, therefore, has a high floristic diversity. Although an increasing number of floristic studies has been carried out in Angola in recent years, the country is still considered to be underinvestigated as many species being collected were previously unknown there. Several scientific groups working in different parts of Angola contributed to this paper their data from biodiversity assessments. With this we can add 67 species newly recorded for Angola, including two new generic records and five alien species, to the almost 7,300 vascular plant taxa known so far for Angola. Most of the new records for Angola are also present in different neighbouring countries, but they are little known, and their IUCN threat status has not been assessed yet. However, ongoing fieldwork and exploration are needed to complete the floristic knowledge of the understudied country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new species of the genus Phaeophilacris Walk., belonging to the tribe Phalangopsini, as well as a new subtribe, genus, and species of the tribe Paragryllini, are described from tropical Africa: Phaeophilacris (Araneacrisnom. n.) multasp. n.; Ph. (Paeophilacris) rarasp. n.; Paragryllodina subtrib. n.; Ugandacla sylvestrisgen. et sp. n. A few changes are introduced into the key to the genera and subgenera of Phaeophilacridina. Some other African representatives of Phalangopsinae are also briefly discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Comparative phylogeographic studies on rainforest species that are widespread in Central Africa often reveal genetic discontinuities within and between biogeographic regions, indicating (historical) barriers to gene flow, possibly due to repeated and/or long-lasting population fragmentation during glacial periods according to the forest refuge hypothesis. The impact of forest fragmentation seems to be modulated by the ecological amplitude and dispersal capacities of each species, resulting in different demographic histories. Moreover, while multiple studies investigated the western part of Central Africa (Lower Guinea), few have sufficiently sampled the heart of the Congo Basin (Congolia). In this study, we look for genetic discontinuities between populations of the widespread tropical tree Scorodophloeus zenkeri Harms (Fabaceae, Detarioideae) in Central Africa. Additionally, we characterize genetic diversity, selfing rate and fine-scale spatial genetic structure within populations to estimate the gene dispersal capacity of the species. Results Clear intraspecific genetic discontinuities occur throughout the species’ distribution range, with two genetic clusters in Congolia and four in Lower Guinea, and highest differentiation occurring between these bioregions. Genetic diversity is higher in Lower Guinea than Congolia. A spatial genetic structure characteristic of isolation by distance occurs within the genetic clusters. This allowed us to estimate gene dispersal distances (σg) for this outcrossing species with ballistic seed dispersal, which range between 100 and 250 m in areas where S. zenkeri occurs in high densities, and are in the low range of σg values compared to other tropical trees. Gene dispersal distances are larger in low density populations, probably due to extensive pollen dispersal capacity. Conclusions Fragmentation of S. zenkeri populations seems to have occurred not only in Lower Guinea but also in the Congo Basin, though not necessarily according to previously postulated forest refuge areas. The lower genetic diversity in Congolia compared to Lower Guinea parallels the known gradient of species diversity, possibly reflecting a stronger impact of past climate changes on the forest cover in Congolia. Despite its bisexual flowers, S. zenkeri appears to be mostly outcrossing. The limited dispersal observed in this species implies that genetic discontinuities resulting from past forest fragmentation can persist for a long time before being erased by gene flow.

Climatic niche evolution during the diversification of tropical plants has received little attention in Africa. To address this, we characterised the climatic niche of >4000 tropical African woody species, distinguishing two broad bioclimatic groups (forest vs. savanna) and six subgroups. We quantified niche conservatism versus lability at the genus level and for higher clades, using a molecular phylogeny of >800 genera. Although niche stasis at speciation is prevalent, numerous clades individually cover vast climatic spaces suggesting a general ease in transcending ecological limits, especially across bioclimatic subgroups. The forest biome was the main source of diversity, providing many lineages to savanna, but reverse shifts also occurred. We identified clades that diversified in savanna after shifts from forest. The forest‐savanna transition was not consistently associated with a growth form change, though we found evolutionarily labile clades whose presence in forest or savanna is associated respectively with climbing or shrubby species diversification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The members of Amanita sect. Phalloideae (Fr.) Quél. are responsible for many fatalities worldwide. However, some species in this section have previously been reported as non-lethal and lacking deadly toxins. Sequences of five genes (ITS, nrLSU, RPB2, TEF1-α, TUB2) of species belonging to the section from tropical Africa, America, Asia, Australia, and Europe were included in this study to elucidate the phylogenetic relationships among the species. The results indicated that the lethal species are in one clade (subclade I) while the non-lethal species are divided into two clades (subclades II and III) within the section. Moreover, two non-lethal species from tropical Africa, namely A. ballerinoides and A. bulbulosa are newly described based on both morphology and molecular approaches. Phylogenetically, they cluster in the same subclade III with other known non-lethal amanitas, including A. ballerina, A. chuformis, A. franzii, A. levistriata, and A. pseudogemmata. Neither amatoxins nor phallotoxins were detected in A. ballerinoides and A. bulbulosa by LC-HRMS, which agrees with their placement in the non-lethal subclade III within A. sect. Phalloideae. Finally, a key to the West African species of Amanita sect. Phalloideae is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims – The botanical exploration of Liberia, notably by C.C.H. Jongkind, has yielded several new species. One of his recent collections proved to contain a new species of Antidesma.Methods – Normal practices of herbarium taxonomy were applied to study the relevant herbarium material available at BR, K, and WAG. The relevant collecting data are stored at the Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, Section Botany. Map Maker was used to produce the distribution map.Key results – Antidesma jongkindii Breteler is described as a new species and illustrated. Its distinction from the other three species present in Liberia is presented in a key. The species is proposed to be listed as Critically Endangered [CR B2ab (ii)] following IUCN criteria.

Description of the subject. Edible mushrooms are highly valuable non-wood forest products exploited for food and trade by local populations in the miombo area. Fungal diversity and natural production of edible mushrooms in African miombo woodlands are assessed and quantified for the first time. Objectives. The study aims to characterize the mycodiversity and compare the natural production in different miombo types to help manage this vulnerable ecosystem service. Method. A standardized data collection method was used in three study sites with different miombo types of Burundi and DR Congo. Sixty field surveys were conducted weekly in 22 permanent plots during fruiting periods. Results. The study revealed a high variation in mycodiversity according to the miombo type. Based on fresh biomass production and compared to saprotrophic taxa, it is shown that ectomycorrhizal fungi represent the most productive edible fungal component in African miombo woodlands. Conclusions. Since ectomycorrhizal host trees are systematically felled for fuelwood and charcoal production, their obligate symbiotic fungal partners are particularly vulnerable. It is suggested that for sustaining ecosystem services delivered by wild edible ectomycorrhizal fungi, forests dominated by host trees from the genera Julbernardia, Brachystegia, Isoberlinia, Uapaca and Marquesia, should be separed from clear-felling or frequent and excessive coppicing.

Our knowledge of the diversity of African freshwater red algae is rather limited. Only a few reports exist. During our field work in the last five years we frequently encountered freshwater red algae in streams in Rwanda and Madagascar. Here we describe four new species and one new genus of freshwater red algae from the Batrachospermales , based on morphological and molecular evidence: Kumanoa comperei from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda is related to K. montagnei and K. nodiflora ; Kumanoa rwandensis from Rwanda is related to K. ambigua and K. gudjewga ; Sirodotia masoalensis is related to S. huillensis and S. delicatula ; and the new genus and species Ahidranoa madagascariensis from Madagascar is sister to Sirodotia , Lemanea , Batrachospermum s.str. and Tuomeya . There is also evidence for the presence of Sheathia , which was recorded as yet-unidentifiable Chantransia stages. These are among the first new descriptions since 1899 from the African continent and since 1964 from Madagascar. A short history of the exploration of freshwater red algae from Africa and Madagascar is provided. All new taxa are accompanied by illustrations and observations on their ecology.

Perceptions of the various cultural landscapes of tropical Africa continue to be overdetermined by western philosophies. This is, of course, a legacy of colonialism and the neo-colonial global politics that dictate types of knowledge, and direct flows of knowledge. Knowledges of the communities of former colonised countries are seen as ancillary at best, and at worst, irrational. However, such ‘indigenous knowledge’ systems contain information that could transform how we think about cultural landscapes, cultural heritage, and the conception of 'intangible heritage’. In many non-western societies, the landscape shapes culture; rather than human culture shaping the landscape – which is the notion which continues to inform heritage. Such a human-centric experience of landscape and heritage displaces the ability to experience the sensorial landscape. This paper outlines how landscapes are perceived in tropical Africa, with an example from Zimbabwe, and how this perception can be used to enrich mainstream archaeology, anthropology, and cultural heritage studies. Landscapes have a memory of their own, which plays a part in creating the ‘ruins’ we research or visit. Such landscape memory determines the preservation of heritage as well as human memory. The paper thus advocates for the inclusion of ‘indigenous knowledge’ systems in the widening of the theoretical base of archaeology, anthropology, and heritage studies.

In this study, three sixteen-year simulations were conducted to examine the influence of a new leaf area index (LAI) formula (derived from a modified version of the BIOME-BGC model) on the surface energy balance and surface climate of Tropical Africa using the Regional Climate Model version 4 (RegCM4) coupled with the Community Land Model version 4.5 (CLM45) including a module of carbon–nitrogen cycling (CN) (hereafter RegCM4-CLM45-CN). The first simulation considers the Satellite Phenology (SP) mode, the second one uses the old LAI formula and the third one uses the new LAI formula. The three simulations were designated as CLM45-SP, CLM45-CNold, and CLM45-CNnew respectively. The results showed that the simulated surface energy balance and surface climate are substantially affected by the new LAI formula. The CLM45-CNnew succeeds in reducing the high positive difference of LAI with respect to the CLM45-SP relative to the CLM45-CNold in some regions, although in other regions new differences appear. Also, the CLM45-CNnew is able to simulate the total evapotranspiration better than the CLM45-CNold in comparison with the reanalysis product and it shows a similar response relative to the CLM45-SP. Moreover, the CLM45-CNnew succeeds in reducing the cold bias relative to the CLM45-SP and CLM45-CNold against the observational dataset. For the total surface precipitation, the CLM45-CNnew shows a similar response to the CLM45-SP relative to the CLM45-CNold in comparison with the observational dataset. Overall, this study provides useful insights related to the advantage of the regional coupled RegCM4-CLM45-CNnew model and recommends its utilization for future studies on the potential roles/impacts of biosphere–atmosphere in modulating the climate of Tropical Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The circumscription of species and subsequent classification into genera were reassessed for Ophiobotrys, Osmelia, and Pseudosmelia, three closely related genera of Old World Samydaceae (Salicaceae sensu lato). Phylogenetic analyses of plastid DNA data were performed and affirm the placement of these genera in Samydaceae, and a phylogenetic analysis of morphological data indicates that Pseudosmelia is nested within Osmelia. Pseudosmelia is also very similar vegetatively to one species of Osmelia and differs significantly only in the size and shape of fruit and the number of seeds per fruit. Thus, the one species of Pseudosmelia is transferred to Osmelia as O. moluccana. Ophiobotrys and Osmelia are maintained as separate genera, as there are several qualitative and quantitative differences in reproductive characters, and they occur on different continents. The number of species of Osmelia sensu stricto and their general circumscriptions concur with the assessment of Sleumer in Flora Malesiana. Keys to the genera and species are presented, as well as distributional data and lectotypifications for 13 names. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surface solar irradiance (SSI) is influenced by important factors such as total cloud cover and aerosols. However, the influence of vegetation-runoff coupled system on SSI has not been investigated yet. The present study aims to study this issue in tropical Africa within the framework of the regional climate model (RegCM4) using two runoff schemes: (TOPMODEL; TOP and Variable Infiltration Capacity; VIC). For the vegetation-runoff systems to be coupled, the Carbon-Nitrogen (CN) module was enabled. The two simulations were designated as: CN-TOP and CN-VIC. Furthermore, the RegCM4 was downscaled by NCEP/NCAR2 reanalysis for a duration of 13 years and evaluated with respect to a reliable reanalysis product. The results showed that the CN-VIC outperforms the CN-TOP in all seasons particularly during the summer season. For instance, the CN-VIC underestimates the SSI over the Northern Savannah region by 15 W m−2; while the CN-TOP underestimates the SSI by 30–50 W·m−2. Over different sub-regions, the CN-VIC performs better than the CN-TOP over Northern Savanna during the summer season and over the Congo basin during the winter season. Moreover, the four parameters of the VIC surface dataset need to be recalibrated with respect in-situ observation of tropical Africa, and additional sensitivity experiments are needed to ensure a better performance of the CN-VIC.

During recent investigations of the groundwater fauna of Cameroon, specimens of a new species of the stygobitic genus Metastenasellus, M. boutini sp. nov. were collected in wells of the city of Douala. The new species can be easily distinguished from the other species of the genus by its relatively large size (up to 11 mm), pleonite 1 and 2 half the length of pereonite 7, the shape of pleopod 2 in males (presence of an external lobe on the protopodite, distal part of the spermatic duct slightly protruding out of the second article, lack of a distal seta on the exopodite), and uropod half the length of the pleotelson. Ecological data and a key to Metastenasellus species are provided. We also performed an exhaustive analysis of the literature on Stenasellidae in Africa to study the geographical distribution of the family in this continent and discuss some hypotheses about the origin of African species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The afroalpine sky‐islands present one of the most interesting models to study discrete biogeographic patterns in a terrestrial island system. Here, we performed range‐wide sampling of the afroalpine clade of fine‐leaved Festuca grasses and address a set of hypotheses on its origin and dispersal. We focus on the widespread species F. abyssinica and explore the role of the eastern and western African sky‐islands. Location: Tropical Africa. Taxon: Afroalpine Festuca. Methods: We combine data from field surveys, phylogeography, coalescence‐based dispersal modelling, and environmental niche and dispersal costs analyses to infer patterns of genetic diversity, genealogical relationships, colonization routes and range shifts under two Quaternary climates (current – to represent warm periods; and Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) – to represent cold periods). Results: The westernmost populations in East Africa show higher genetic diversity and higher similarities with the West African populations and the Ethiopian Simen Mountains than with the more closely situated East African populations. Dispersal models and ecological niche predictions of F. abyssinica supported multiple long‐distance dispersals (LDD) among the eastern African sky‐islands, and at least two dispersal events between the two sides of Africa (0.86 Ma and 0.52 Ma), probably facilitated by bridging suitable habitats during the coldest periods of the Pleistocene. Main conclusions: We reconstruct an afroalpine mountain‐hopping dispersal model, with migrations occurring between adjacent sky‐islands in eastern Africa, and through a Central Africa–Sudan pathway connecting afroalpine patches on the two sides of the continent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]