CHAPTER 3 . STATUS, TRENDS AND FUTURE DYNAMICS OF BIODIVERSITY AND ECOSYSTEMS UNDERPINNING NATURE’S CONTRIBUTIONS TO PEOPLE 1 CHAPTER 2 CHAPTER 3 STATUS, TRENDS AND CHAPTER FUTURE DYNAMICS OF BIODIVERSITY AND 3 ECOSYSTEMS UNDERPINNING NATURE’S CONTRIBUTIONS CHAPTER TO PEOPLE 4 Coordinating Lead Authors Review Editors: Marie-Christine Cormier-Salem (France), Jonas Ngouhouo-Poufoun (Cameroon) Amy E. Dunham (United States of America), Christopher Gordon (Ghana) This chapter should be cited as: CHAPTER Cormier-Salem, M-C., Dunham, A. E., Lead Authors Gordon, C., Belhabib, D., Bennas, N., Dyhia Belhabib (Canada), Nard Bennas Duminil, J., Egoh, B. N., Mohamed- (Morocco), Jérôme Duminil (France), Elahamer, A. E., Moise, B. F. E., Gillson, L., 5 Benis N. Egoh (Cameroon), Aisha Elfaki Haddane, B., Mensah, A., Mourad, A., Mohamed Elahamer (Sudan), Bakwo Fils Randrianasolo, H., Razafindratsima, O. H., 3Eric Moise (Cameroon), Lindsey Gillson Taleb, M. S., Shemdoe, R., Dowo, G., (United Kingdom), Brahim Haddane Amekugbe, M., Burgess, N., Foden, W., (Morocco), Adelina Mensah (Ghana), Ahmim Niskanen, L., Mentzel, C., Njabo, K. Y., CHAPTER Mourad (Algeria), Harison Randrianasolo Maoela, M. A., Marchant, R., Walters, M., (Madagascar), Onja H. Razafindratsima and Yao, A. C. Chapter 3: Status, trends (Madagascar), Mohammed Sghir Taleb and future dynamics of biodiversity (Morocco), Riziki Shemdoe (Tanzania) and ecosystems underpinning nature’s 6 contributions to people. In IPBES (2018): Fellow: The IPBES regional assessment report on biodiversity and ecosystem services for Gregory Dowo (Zimbabwe) Africa. Archer, E., Dziba, L., Mulongoy, K. J., Maoela, M. A., and Walters, M. (eds.). CHAPTER Contributing Authors: Secretariat of the Intergovernmental Millicent Amekugbe (Ghana), Neil Burgess Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity (United Kingdom), Wendy Foden (South and Ecosystem Services, Bonn, Germany, Africa), Leo Niskanen (Finland), Christine pp. 131–206. Mentzel (South Africa), Kevin Y Njabo (Cameroon), Anicia Malebajoa Maoela (Lesotho), Robert Marchant (United Kingdom), Michele Walters (South Africa), Adou Constant Yao (Cote-d’Ivoire) 131 THE REGIONAL ASSESSMENT REPORT ON BIODIVERSITY AND ECOSYSTEM SERVICES FOR AFRICA TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY . 134 3 .1 INTRODUCTION . .135 3 .2 METHODS AND INFORMATION SOURCES . 136 3 .3 OVERVIEW OF STATUS AND TRENDS OF BIODIVERSITY IN THE AFRICAN REGION . 137 3 .3 .1 Status of species diversity ..........................................137 3 .3 .1 .1 Threat status ..............................................139 3 .3 .2 Status of ecosystem components ....................................141 3 .3 .2 .1 Protected area status .......................................142 3 .3 .3 Broad temporal trends in biodiversity and ecosystem components. .143 3 .3 .3 .1 Protected area trends .......................................144 3 .3 .3 .2 Environmental health trends ..................................144 3 .3 .3 .3 Urbanisation, agriculture and biodiversity in Africa ..................145 3 .4 SUBREGIONAL ANALYSIS . 146 3 .4 .1 North Africa .....................................................146 3 .4 .1 .1 Terrestrial .................................................146 3.4.1.1.1 Mediterranean Forest ................................146 3.4.1.1.2 High mountain habitats ...............................148 3.4.1.1.3 Savannah and grassland .............................149 3.4.1.1.4 Dryland and desert ..................................150 3.4.1.1.5 Cultivated lands ....................................152 3 .4 .1 .2 Aquatic (Freshwater, Marine and Coastal) ........................152 3.4.1.2.1 Wetlands .........................................152 3.4.1.2.2 Inland surface waters and water bodies/freshwater .........153 3.4.1.2.3 Shelf ecosystem ....................................153 3.4.1.2.4 Open Ocean .......................................154 3.4.1.2.5 Deep sea .........................................154 3 .4 .2 Central Africa ....................................................155 3 .4 .2 .1 Terrestrial .................................................155 3.4.2.1.1 Tropical and subtropical dry and humid forest ..............155 3.4.2.1.2 High mountain habitats ...............................155 3.4.2.1.3 Savannah and grassland .............................157 3.4.2.1.4 Dryland and desert ..................................157 3.4.2.1.5 Urban/Semi-urban ..................................157 3.4.2.1.6 Cultivated lands ....................................157 3 .4 .2 .2 Aquatic (Freshwater, Marine and Coastal) ........................158 3.4.2.2.1 Wetlands .........................................158 3.4.2.2.2 Inland surface waters and water bodies/freshwater .........158 3.4.2.2.3 Shelf ecosystem ....................................159 3.4.2.2.4 Open Ocean .......................................159 3.4.2.2.5 Deep-sea .........................................160 3 .4 .3 East Africa and adjacent islands ......................................160 3 .4 .3 .1 Terrestrial .................................................160 3.4.3.1.1 Tropical and subtropical dry and humid forest ..............160 3.4.3.1.2 High mountain habitats ...............................161 3.4.3.1.3 Tropical and subtropical savannah and grasslands ..........163 3.4.3.1.4 Dryland and desert ..................................164 3.4.3.1.5 Cultivated lands ....................................164 132 3 .4 .3 .2 Aquatic (Freshwater, Marine and Coastal) ........................166 3.4.3.2.1 Wetlands and mangroves .............................166 3.4.3.2.2 Inland surface waters and water bodies/freshwater .........166 3.4.3.2.3 Shelf ecosystem ....................................167 3.4.3.2.4 Open Ocean .......................................167 3.4.3.2.5 Deep sea .........................................167 3 .4 .4 West Africa ......................................................168 3 .4 .4 .1 Terrestrial .................................................168 3.4.4.1.1 Tropical and subtropical dry and humid forest ..............168 3.4.4.1.2 High mountain habitats ...............................169 3.4.4.1.3 Savannah and grassland .............................171 3.4.4.1.4 Dryland and desert .................................171 3.4.4.1.5 Cultivated lands ....................................171 3 .4 .4 .2 Aquatic (Freshwater, Marine and Coastal) ........................174 3.4.4.2.1 Wetlands .........................................174 3.4.4.2.2 Inland surface waters and water bodies/freshwater .........174 3.4.4.2.3 Shelf-ecosystem ....................................174 3.4.4.2.4 Open Ocean .......................................175 3.4.4.2.5 Deep sea .........................................176 3 .4 .5 Southern Africa ..................................................176 3 .4 .5 .1 Terrestrial .................................................176 3.4.5.1.1 Tropical and subtropical dry and humid forest ..............176 3.4.5.1.2 High mountain habitats and Grassland ...................178 3.4.5.1.3 Savannah and grassland .............................179 3.4.5.1.4 Dryland and desert ..................................179 3.4.5.1.5 Urban/Semi-urban ..................................180 3.4.5.1.6 Cultivated lands ....................................180 3 .4 .5 .2 Aquatic (Freshwater, Coastal and Marine) ........................180 3.4.5.2.1 Freshwater ........................................180 3.4.5.2.2 Shelf-ecosystem ....................................182 3.4.5.2.3 Open Ocean .......................................183 3.4.5.2.4 Deep sea .........................................183 3 .5 IMPACT OF BIODIVERSITY CHANGES ON NATURE’S CONTRIBUTION TO PEOPLE . .184 3 .6 DATA GAPS . .185 3 .7 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS . 186 REFERENCES ...........................................................187 THE REGIONAL ASSESSMENT REPORT ON BIODIVERSITY AND ECOSYSTEM SERVICES FOR AFRICA CHAPTER 3 STATUS, TRENDS AND FUTURE DYNAMICS OF BIODIVERSITY AND ECOSYSTEMS UNDERPINNING NATURE’S CONTRIBUTIONS TO PEOPLE access to forest products such as medicinal plants and wild EXECUTIVE SUMMARY fruits {3.4.1.1, 3.4.2.1, 3.4.3.1, 3.4.4.1, 3.4.5.1}. Africa has rich and varied biological resources Freshwater biodiversity in Africa is currently under forming the continent’s natural wealth on which severe threat with an estimated 10% decline expected its social and economic systems are based (well by 2050 (established but incomplete). The inland waters established). Africa is home to almost one-quarter of the of Africa support a high diversity of aquatic life. Highest world’s mammal species with their 1,160 species, including levels of biodiversity are found in the Rift Valley Great 194 species of primate and 91 species of antelope. It also Lakes (Lake Malawi, Lake Tanganyika, and Lake Victoria) has more than 2,500 species of birds–one-fourth of the and in the rivers of the Congo. Among 4,989 freshwater world’s total–and at least 5,445 species of fish, as well species assessed (fish, crabs, mollusc, dragonflies, as 2,121 reptile species. The African mainland harbours aquatic plants), 21% are threatened within Africa and 91% between 52,000 and 73,000 plant species and about endemic. The majority of threatened species are found 150,000 known species of insects are known for sub- in areas with high levels of development and demand on Saharan Africa. Nine of the world’s 35 biodiversity hotspots water resources, mainly along the Mediterranean and are in Africa {3.3.1, 3.4.1, 3.4.2, 3.4.3,