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BIOTA West Atlas
Introduction to the Atlas:
For nearly 8 years over 150 researchers and field assistants have collected data in West Africa within the BIOTA West Project. The field data of plants, ants and termites, fish, amphibians, and bats, and the socioeconomic valuation of these organisms were processed and analyzed, also applying modern spatial modelling techniques. The overall goal was to better understand the conservation statute, distribution or way of life of the different organism groups in order to sustain the manifold species richness still found or to restore already degraded eco-systems. In some studies recommendations for sustainable use of selected organisms were proposed.
Why an Atlas? Who is it for?
This Atlas is a way to preserve this comprehensive data and all research results and to make this information accessible out side of the research community. It is a unique collection of regional information on biodiversity of West Africa. Data collected within the BIOTA West project will be accompanied by contributions from further national experts to cover the topic of biodiversity in West Africa comprehensively. The Atlas is aimed at a broad audience. Therefore the reader will not encounter scientific research reports but rather readily comprehensible texts and maps designed for an interested educated reader who does not necessarily have a prior in depth knowledge of biodiversity issues. It will be made available to ministries, Focal Point of CBD, managers of National Parks and other Protected Areas, secondary teachers, students, and the interested public in general.
Structure of the Atlas
Each of the three involved countries - Benin, Burkina Faso and Côte d’Ivoire – is facing different problems regarding sustainable biodiversity. The Atlas will therefore be organized in three national volumes. Each volume will have a section dealing with basic data affecting biodiversity at the West African level and research results covering all three countries (Chapter 1: Biodiversity: economic and ecologic setting; Chapter 6: Perspectives of biodiversity conservation in West Africa). Secondly there will be section dedicated in detail to the focus country (Chapter 2: Major environmental factors; Chapter 3: Current state of biodiversity; Chapter 4: Areas of special importance for biodiversity conservation; Chapter 5: Strategies for biodiversity conservation). The structure and the contents of the Atlas were developed in close collaboration of the Atlas team in Frankfurt/Main and the African national project leaders. The Atlas presented here is a first draft version displaying only a few selected topics giving a preview on the Atlas project. The complete Atlas is scheduled to be printed and distributed in the spring of 2010.