Vulnerability of Host Tree Species with Edible Caterpillars in the Yangambi Biosphere Reserve (Tshopo Province, DRC)

Dan KAPOLI OMBA; Hilaire USSENI NASIBU; Augustin YAKAYENGO TOKO; Pierre YUMA MADJALIWA; Leon IYONGO WAYA MONGO; January LISINGO WA LISINGO; Prosper SABONGO; Freddy Robert OKANGOLA EKILI; Hyppolite NSHIMBA SEYA WA MALALE

Dan KAPOLI OMBA University of Kindu, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Department of Renewable Natural Resources Management, BP 122, Kindu, DRC; University of Kisangani, Faculty of Renewable Natural Resources Management, BP 2012, Kisangani, DRC
Hilaire USSENI NASIBU University of Kindu, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Department of Renewable Natural Resources Management, BP 122, Kindu, DRC; University of Kisangani, Faculty of Renewable Natural Resources Management, BP 2012, Kisangani, DRC
Augustin YAKAYENGO TOKO University of Kindu, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Department of Renewable Natural Resources Management, BP 122, Kindu, DRC; University of Kisangani, Faculty of Renewable Natural Resources Management, BP 2012, Kisangani, DRC
Pierre YUMA MADJALIWA University of Kindu, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Department of Renewable Natural Resources Management, BP 122, Kindu, DRC
Leon IYONGO WAYA MONGO University of Kisangani, Faculty of Renewable Natural Resources Management, BP 2012, Kisangani, DRC
January LISINGO WA LISINGO University of Kisangani, Faculty of Sciences, Department of Ecology and Plant Resources Management, BP 2012, Kisangani, DRC
Prosper SABONGO University of Kisangani, Faculty of Sciences, Department of Ecology and Plant Resources Management, BP 2012, Kisangani, DRC
Freddy Robert OKANGOLA EKILI University of Kisangani, Faculty of Renewable Natural Resources Management, BP 2012, Kisangani, DRC
Hyppolite NSHIMBA SEYA WA MALALE University of Kisangani, Faculty of Sciences, Department of Ecology and Plant Resources Management, BP 2012, Kisangani, DRC

Keywords: specie, host tree, edible caterpillar, vulnerability, Yangambi

Abstract

The study on the vulnerability of edible caterpillar host tree species in the Yangambi Biosphere Reserve (Tshopo Province, DRC), led to the identification of 35 edible caterpillar host tree species, belonging to 17 families, mainly dominated by Fabaceae. These tree species were generally used as medicinal plants and timber trees (71,4% each); the most used organ was wood (85,7%); the analyses showed that there is a moderately positive correlation between the number of uses and the number of organs used of the caterpillar host tree species ( : 0.61, p-value: 0,000); to collect the organs of the edible caterpillar host tree species, the population resorted more to felling (85,7%); all edible caterpillar host tree species were used at the adult stage. The floristic analysis of bioecological characteristics revealed that 62,9% of edible caterpillar host tree species had secondary forests as habitat, 61,1% were mesophanerophytes, 65,7% were sarcochores, 57,1% were Omniguineo-Congolese, 51,4% were evergreen and 74,3% were heliophiles. The vulnerability analysis revealed that 88,57% of edible caterpillar host tree species are moderately vulnerable to the high demand of the population for ecosystem goods and services.

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