Browsing by Author "Munishi, Pantaleo K.T."

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Getting ready for REDD+ in Tanzania: a case study of progress and challenges
(Fauna & Flora International, 2010) Dalsgaard, SØren; Funder, Mikkel; Hagelberg, Niklas; Harrison, Paul; Haule, Christognus; Kabalimu, Kekilia; Kilahama, Felician; Kilawe, Edward; Lewis, Simon L.; Lovett, Jon C.; Lyatuu, Gertrude; Marshall, Andrew R.; Meshack, Charles; Miles, Lera; Milledge, Simon A.H.; Munishi, Pantaleo K.T.; Nashanda, Evarist; Shirima, Deo; Swetnam, Ruth D.; Willcock, Simon; Williams, Andrew; Zahabu, Eliakim; Burgess, Neil D.; Bahane, Bruno; Clairs, Tim; Danielsen, Finn
The proposed mechanism for Reducing Emis- sions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD+) offers significant potential for conserving forests to reduce negative impacts of climate change. Tanzania is one of nine pilot countries for the United Nations REDD Pro- gramme, receives significant funding from the Norwegian, Finnish and German governments and is a participant in the World Bank’s Forest Carbon Partnership Facility. In combination, these interventions aim to mitigate green-house gas emissions, provide an income to rural commu- nities and conserve biodiversity. The establishment of the UN-REDD Programme in Tanzania illustrates real-world challenges in a developing country. These include currently inadequate baseline forestry data sets (needed to calculate reference emission levels), inadequate government capacity and insufficient experience of implementing REDD+-type measures at operational levels. Additionally, for REDD+ to succeed, current users of forest resources must adopt new practices, including the equitable sharing of benefits that accrue from REDD+ implementation. These challenges are being addressed by combined donor support to im- plement a national forest inventory, remote sensing of forest cover, enhanced capacity for measuring, reporting and verification, and pilot projects to test REDD+ imple- mentation linked to the existing Participatory Forest Man- agement Programme. Our conclusion is that even in a country with considerable donor support, progressive forest policies, laws and regulations, an extensive network of managed forests and increasingly developed locally-based forest management approaches, implementing REDD+ pre- sents many challenges. These are being met by coordinated, genuine partnerships between government, non-government and community-based agencies.
Plant communities and tree species associations in a Miombo ecosystem in the Lake Rukwa basin, Southern Tanzania: implications for conservation
(Academic Journals, 2011-02) Munishi, Pantaleo K.T.; Temu, Ruwa-Aichi P. C.; Soka, G.
This study assessed the plant communities and species associations in the eastern Miombo woodlands eco-region of the Lake Rukwa basin southern Tanzania. Information was collected from 288 temporary sample plots in 32 sampling sites established randomly in the area and covering as much variation in the landscape as possible. Detailed analysis of the vegetation identified six tree communities of conservation importance, which included Brachystegia boehmii-Pericopsis angolensis woodland, Julbernardia globiflora woodland, Combretum molle-Sclerocarya birrea-Combretum zeyherii-Acacia seyal var fistula woodland, Bridelia cathartica-Diospyros mespiliformis woodland, Brachystegia bussei- Pterocarpus tinctorius woodland and Brachystegia microphylla-Isoberlinia tomentosa-Hymenocardia acida- Syzygium owariense woodland. Majority of the described plant communities are typical of Miombo ecosystems dominated by trees belonging mainly to the genera Brachystegia and Julbernardia. A mixture of non-legume species but typical of the Miombo ecosystem, however, dominates two out of six described plant communities. Apparently, there is high variability of plant communities in the Miombo ecosystem of southern Tanzania, an indication of the diverse nature of the Miombo ecosystem, also, an implication of high species diversity. This documentation on the patterns of species assemblages is the beginning of unveiling the diversity of assemblage of species in dry forest ecosystems which occupy a wide area in the region. These associations are important targets for conservation and monitoring vegetation changes in this ecosystem.
Relationships between tree species richness, evenness and aboveground carbon storage in montane forests and miombo woodlands of Tanzania
(Elsevier, 2014-12-05) Shirima, Deo D.; Totland, Ørjan; Munishi, Pantaleo K.T.; Moe, Stein R.
Understanding how carbon storage and tree diversity are related in forests and woodlands is crucial for a sustainable flow of ecosystem goods and services. The goal of this study was to determine how tree species richness, evenness and environmental factors influence aboveground live tree carbon stocks (AGC) in two tropical vegetation types in Tanzania. We surveyed trees and sampled soil from 222 vegetation plots (20 m × 40 m) in montane forests (n = 60) and miombo woodlands (n = 162). We used a multimodel inference approach to determine how AGC related to tree species richness, evenness and environmental factors, and linear mixed effect models to test the role of tree sizes on the AGC-richness and evenness associations. AGC were related unimodally to tree species richness and evenness in the montane forest. Likewise, AGC in the miombo woodlands was positively related to tree species richness. AGC from small trees were related unimodally to tree species richness in both vegetation types. Apparently the AGC had both monotonically increasing and decreasing associations with all abiotic environmental factors in both vegetation types. We emphasize that both tree size, number of multi-stemed trees and environmental factors have an important role in determining how AGC are related to richness and evenness. Finally, management of montane forests and miombo woodlands of Tanzania to enhance ecosystem benefit, such as AGC, will require strategies that consider tree sizes, tree species richness, evenness and underlying environmental and disturbance factors.