Database Report

Forest Database of Central Congo Basin -- Old-growth and secondary tropical forests

Kim Jacobsen, Elizabeth Kearsley, Hans Verbeeck, Thales de Haulleville, Koen Hufkens, Janvier Lisingo, Wannes Hubau, Prosper Sabongo, Claire Delvaux, John Tshibamba, Bart Würsten, Marijn Bauters, Hans Beeckman & Pascal Boeckx

GIVD Database ID: AF-CD-001	Last update: 2020-10-29
Forest Database of Central Congo Basin	Web address: http://www.congobiodiv.org/nl/content/cobimfo; http://www.africamuseum.be/research/biology/wood/projects/prj_detail?prjid=596; http://www.africamuseum.be/research/biology/wood/projects/prj_detail?prjid=595
Database manager(s): Kim Jacobsen (Kim.Jacobsen@ugent.be); Elizabeth Kearsley (Elizabeth.Kearsley@UGent.be)
Owner: Hans Beeckman, Pascal Boeckx, Hans Verbeeck
Scope: This database was collected with the aim to get baseline reference data on carbon storage, both above and below ground, and biodiversity in pristine and intervened dense tropical forests of the Congo Basin.
Abstract: This database covers a forest inventory network focused on tropical forest sites in the area of Kisangani, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Currently, two forest sites are available, namely at the Yangambi (N00°48'; E24°29') and Yoko (N00°17'; E25°18') forest reserves. In Yangambi, 13 1-ha plots, divided into 625 m2 subplots, are established in intact old-growth forest including two forest types namely, mixed semideciduous (n=8) and riparian mono-dominant evergreen Gilbertiodendron dewevrei (n=5) forests. In addition, 6 plots of 1 ha are established in previously deforested areas of mixed semideciduous forests, with varying regrowth ages after slash-and-burn agriculture, namely fallow (n=3) and young regrowth forest (n=3). In Yoko, 7 0.25 hectare plots, divided into 625 m2 subplots, are inventoried again in mixed (n=4) and mono-dominant (n=3) forests. All trees with a DBH larger then or equal to 10 cm have been measured and identified to species level, and tree heights are measured on a subset of trees in Yangambi and all trees in Yoko. Characterization of soil attributes has been done in a subset of these plots. Ongoing research is focused on follow-up and recensus of these sites, and the inclusion of new forest inventory sites, specifically at Djolu.
Availability: according to a specific agreement	Online upload: no	Online search: no
Database format(s): Excel	Export format(s): Excel, CSV file
Plot type(s): normal plots	Plot-size range (m²): 625 to 10000
Non-overlapping plots: 272	Estimate of existing plots: 355	Completeness: 77%	Status: ongoing capture
Total no. of plot observations: 272	Number of sources (biblioreferences, data collectors): 0	Valid taxa: 271
Countries (%): CD: 100
Formations: Forest: 88% = Terrestrial: 88% // Non Forest: 12% = Terrestrial: 12% (Non arctic-alpin: 12% [Anthropogenic: 12%])
Guilds: only trees and shrubs: 100%
Plot size categories (%): 100-1000 m2: 98%; 1000-10000 m2: 2%;
Environmental data (%): altitude: 93; other soil attributes: 29; soil pH: 29; land use categories: 100; other attributes: bulk density, SOC, %N, %C
Performance measure(s): number of individuals: 100%; measurements like diameter or height of trees: 100%
Geographic localisation: GPS coordinates (precision 25 m or less): 100%
Sampling periods: 2010-2019: 100%
Information as of 2026-06-14; further details and future updates available from http://www.givd.info/ID/AF-CD-001

Kim Jacobsen* (Kim.Jacobsen@ugent.be)
Department of Environment, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Gent, BELGIUM
Elizabeth Kearsley (Elizabeth.Kearsley@UGent.be)
Department of Applied Ecology and Environmental Biology, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Gent, BELGIUM
Hans Verbeeck (hans.verbeeck@ugent.be )
Department of Applied Ecology and Environmental Biology, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Gent, BELGIUM
Thales de Haulleville (tdehaulleville@doct.ulg.ac.be)
Biodiversity and Landscape Unit, Université de Liège, 2 Passage des Déportés, 5030 Gembloux, BELGIUM
Koen Hufkens (koen.hufkens@gmail.com)
Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, 22 Divinity Avenue, 02138 Cambridge, UNITED STATES
Janvier Lisingo (lisingo2005@yahoo.fr)
Université de Kisangani, CONGO (KINSHASA)
Wannes Hubau (wannes.hubau@africamuseum.be)
Laboratory for Wood Biology and Xylarium, Royal Museum for Central Africa, Leuvensesteenweg 13, 3080 Tervuren, BELGIUM
Prosper Sabongo (sabongo_prosper@yahoo.fr)
Université de Kisangani, CONGO (KINSHASA)
Claire Delvaux (claire.delvaux@africamuseum.be)
Laboratory for Wood Biology and Xylarium, Royal Museum for Central Africa, Leuvensesteenweg 13, 3080 Tervuren, BELGIUM
John Tshibamba (Tshibambaj@yahoo.fr )
Laboratory for Wood Biology and Xylarium, Royal Museum for Central Africa, Leuvensesteenweg 13, 3080 Tervuren, BELGIUM
Bart Würsten (bart.wurtsen@br.fgov.be)
National Botanic Garden of Belgium, Nieuwelaan 38, 1860 Meise, BELGIUM
Marijn Bauters (marijn.bauters@ugent.be)
Department of Applied Analytical and Physical Chemistry, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Gent, BELGIUM
Hans Beeckman (hans.beeckman@africamuseum.be)
Laboratory for Wood Biology and Xylarium, Royal Museum for Central Africa, Leuvensesteenweg 13, 3080 Tervuren, BELGIUM
Pascal Boeckx (pascal.boeckx@ugent.be)
Department of Applied Analytical and Physical Chemistry, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Gent, BELGIUM
* corresponding author