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Long-term spatio-temporal changes in a West African bushmeat trade system
J McNamara1,2, J M Kusimi2, J M Rowcliffe3
1Imperial College London, Division of Biology, Silwood Park Campus, Manor House, Buckhurst Road, Ascot, Berks, SL5 7PY, United Kingdom.
Summary
Landscape configuration influences bushmeat trade in Ghana. Intermediate disturbance areas supply more bushmeat, while heavy hunting depletes wildlife, impacting conservation and ecosystem services.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Conservation Biology
- Agricultural Science
Background:
- Mixed agriculture and forest landscapes are common in developing countries, supporting generalist species traded as bushmeat.
- The spatial configuration of these landscapes and its impact on the urban bushmeat trade remains underquantified.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the role of landscape characteristics (habitat disturbance, hunting pressure, protection, market distance) in the spatio-temporal dynamics of the commercial bushmeat trade.
- To understand the relationship between trade volume and landscape characteristics over 27 years in Kumasi, Ghana.
Main Methods:
- Utilized geographic information system (GIS) methods to map landscape spatial characteristics.
- Combined GIS data with spatially explicit market data from Kumasi's main fresh bushmeat market.
- Analyzed trade volume (number of carcasses) against landscape variables from 1978 to 2004.
Main Results:
- Rodents, particularly cane rats (Thryonomys swinderianus), increased in trade volume relative to ungulates over time.
- Areas with intermediate habitat disturbance supplied more bushmeat; protected areas showed no significant effect.
- Heavily hunted areas exhibited significant declines in bushmeat supply over the study period.
Conclusions:
- Heterogeneous agricultural landscapes provide crucial ecosystem services like bushmeat, necessitating their inclusion in ecosystem service mapping.
- Current bushmeat harvest levels may lead to wildlife depletion, even in areas with high production potential.
- Understanding landscape dynamics is vital for effective conservation and management strategies in West African anthropogenic landscapes.
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