THE PREPUBLIC OF GUINEA-BISSAU THE STATE'S GENERAL OFFICE OF THE ENVIRONMENT Strategy and National Action Plan for the Biodiversity 2015 - 2020 July 2015 Estratégia e Plano Nacional da Diversidade Biologica 1 Table of Contents 1. Value of biodiversity and services of the ecosystems in Guinea-Bissau and their contribution for the human well-being ............................................................... 13 1.1. State and tendencies for the main ecosystems of the country ............................ 13 1.1.1. Main Ecosystems and Habitats ..................................................................... 14 1.1.1.1. Gallery forests and palm trees .......................................................................................................... 14 1.1.1.2. Sub-wet Forests ....................................................................................................................................... 14 1.1.1.3. Dry and semidry forests ....................................................................................................................... 15 1.1.1.4. Degraded and/or secondary forests .............................................................................................. 15 1.1.1.5. Shrubby coastal savannas .................................................................................................................. 15 1.1.1.6. Aquatic and hygrophilous vegetation ........................................................................................... 16 1.1.1.7. Halophytic coastal vegetation .......................................................................................................... 16 1.1.2. Floral Biodiversity ........................................................................................ 17 1.1.2.1. Vascular Flora .......................................................................................................................................... 18 1.1.2.2. Species of the endemic flora .............................................................................................................. 19 1.1.2.3. Rare species and with threatened status ..................................................................................... 19 1.1.2.4. Introduced plants and their origins ............................................................................................... 20 1.1.2.5. Species and cultivated varieties ....................................................................................................... 20 1.1.2.6. Non-vascular flora ................................................................................................................................. 21 1.1.3. Faunistic Biodiversity ................................................................................... 21 1.1.3.1. Terrestrial and marine mammals................................................................................................... 22 1.1.3.2. Amphibians (Batrachia) and Reptiles ........................................................................................... 26 1.1.3.3. Avifauna ...................................................................................................................................................... 28 1.1.3.4. Insects .......................................................................................................................................................... 30 1.1.3.5. Fish and shellfish ..................................................................................................................................... 30 1.1.4. Agropastoral Biodiversity ............................................................................. 33 1.1.4.1. Main vegetable species introduced in Guinea-Bissau ............................................................ 33 1.1.4.2. Main species and animal race of the agrocattle-raising sector ........................................ 33 1.2. Importance of the ecosystems for the well-being of the local populations ... 35 1.2.1. Contribution of different ecosystems in the local rice production .................. 35 1.2.2. Supply of the domestic energy: firewood and coal ........................................ 37 1.2.3. Non-woody forest products .......................................................................... 38 1.2.3.1. Non-woody forest products and the food security .................................................................. 38 1.2.3.2. Use of different species of palm trees ............................................................................................ 39 Estratégia e Plano Nacional da Diversidade Biologica 2 1.2.3.3. Etno-cultural and magic usefulness ............................................................................................... 41 1.2.3.4. Traditional pharmacopoeia .............................................................................................................. 42 1.2.3.5. Workmanship and ornamentation ................................................................................................. 43 1.2.4. The marine and coastal resources and the communities' well-being.............. 44 1.2.4.1. Shellfish: important source of animal protein .......................................................................... 45 1.2.4.2. Traditional fishing of subsistence and small scale production ......................................... 45 1.2.4.3. Specific use of the wet zones .............................................................................................................. 46 1.3. Biodiversity and ecosystems and the key sectors of production and of development of the country ............................................................................................................ 47 1.3.1. Agrarian sector ............................................................................................ 47 1.3.1.1. Subsector of revenue cultures ........................................................................................................... 47 1.3.1.2. Subsector of the Cattle raising ......................................................................................................... 48 1.3.1.3. Forest Subsector ...................................................................................................................................... 49 1.3.2. Fishing Sector ............................................................................................... 50 1.3.2.1. Commercial handmade fishing ........................................................................................................ 51 1.3.2.2. Industrial fishing ..................................................................................................................................... 51 1.3.2.3. Entertaining fishing .............................................................................................................................. 52 1.3.3. Protected Areas and the development of the (Eco) Tourism .......................... 52 1.4. Main ecosystems ecological services in Guinea-Bissau .......................................... 54 2. Causes and consequences of the biological diversity depletion ..................... 57 2.1. Direct causes of the biodiversity and the ecosystems services degradation 57 2.1.1. Widespread causes ...................................................................................... 58 2.1.1.1. Climate changes ...................................................................................................................................... 58 2.1.1.2. Pollution ...................................................................................................................................................... 59 2.1.1.3. Exotic and invading species ............................................................................................................... 61 2.1.2. Sectorial causes ........................................................................................... 62 2.1.2.1. Pressures and threats of the agrarian sector ............................................................................ 62 2.1.2.2. Pressures and threats of the forest sub-sector and hunting ............................................... 64 2.1.2.3. Fishing sector ........................................................................................................................................... 67 2.1.2.4. Touristic sector ........................................................................................................................................ 68 2.2. Underlying causes (indirect) of the biodiversity degradation ............................ 69 2.2.1. Causes related to the sociocultural environment........................................... 69 2.2.2. Weakness of the policies and judicial actions ................................................ 71 2.2.3. Weaknesses of the administrative and institutional responses ...................... 72 Estratégia e Plano Nacional da Diversidade Biologica 3 2.3. Consequences of the biodiversity degradation .......................................................... 73 2.3.1. Impact on the ecological environment .......................................................... 73 2.3.1.1. Increase of savannas surface (savannization) .......................................................................... 74 2.3.1.2. Substitution of mangroves surface for tanes “tannification” ............................................. 75 2.3.2. Impacts