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51-636: The Dahomey Gap , a region of savanna and dry forest in Togo and Benin , divides the Lower Guinean forests from the Upper Guinean forests to the west, which extend along the western coast of the Gulf of Guinea from Togo to Liberia and north to Guinea . To the north and northeast, the Lower Guinean forests transition to the drier inland Guinean forest–savanna mosaic and Northern Congolian forest–savanna mosaic and to

102-539: A desert climate often face physical water scarcity. Central Asia , West Asia , and North Africa are examples of arid areas. Economic water scarcity results from a lack of investment in infrastructure or technology to draw water from rivers, aquifers , or other water sources. It also results from weak human capacity to meet water demand. Many people in Sub-Saharan Africa are living with economic water scarcity. An important concern for hydrological ecosystems

153-526: A collection of 17 interlinked global goals designed to be a "blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all". Targets on fresh water conservation are included in SDG 6 (Clean water and sanitation) and SDG 15 (Life on land). For example, Target 6.4 is formulated as "By 2030, substantially increase water-use efficiency across all sectors and ensure sustainable withdrawals and supply of freshwater to address water scarcity and substantially reduce

204-432: A critical role in sequestering carbon dioxide , helping to mitigate climate change . Their extensive vegetation stores significant amounts of carbon. One of the most pressing global environmental concerns is climate change, primarily driven by the accumulation of greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide, in the atmosphere. The Lower Guinean Forests emerged as a key player in mitigating this phenomenon. These forests boast

255-402: A drinking water supply it remains vital to protect due to its ability to carry contaminants and pollutants from the land into lakes and rivers, which constitute a significant percentage of other people's freshwater supply. It is almost ubiquitous underground, residing in the spaces between particles of rock and soil or within crevices and cracks in rock, typically within 100 m (330 ft) of

306-428: A larger salt content. Freshwater habitats can be classified by different factors, including temperature, light penetration, nutrients, and vegetation. There are three basic types of freshwater ecosystems: Lentic (slow moving water, including pools , ponds , and lakes ), lotic (faster moving water, for example streams and rivers ) and wetlands (areas where the soil is saturated or inundated for at least part of

357-515: A remarkable capacity for carbon storage. The extensive and diverse vegetation that thrives within this biome serves as a substantial carbon sink, effectively sequestering carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. In fact, numerous studies and scientific reports have emphasized the importance of these forests in the fight against climate change. Research findings underscore that the Lower Guinean Forests store significant amounts of carbon, serving as

408-519: A single factor. Groundwater showed greater resilience to climate change than expected, and areas with an increasing threshold between 0.34 and 0.39 aridity index exhibited significant sensitivity to climate change. Land-use could affect infiltration and runoff processes. The years of most recharge coincided with the most precipitation anomalies, such as during El Niño and La Niña events. Three precipitation-recharge sensitivities were distinguished: in super arid areas with more than 0.67 aridity index, there

459-466: A vast array of plant and animal species, many of which are endemic . Lower Guinean forests are known for their rich botanical diversity, including numerous tree species, epiphytes , orchids , and medicinal plants . The forests support diverse wildlife, including various primates (such as chimpanzees and gorillas ), big cats (like leopards and forest elephants ), numerous bird species, reptiles , amphibians , and insects . These forests play

510-523: A very wet monsoon belt on all sides, without mountains to block moisture. Yet, Accra, which is in the heart of the Gap, receives only 720 mm (28 in) of rainfall per year — less than half the amount needed to sustain tropical rainforest (which would be expected at a latitude of 6° N ). The cause of the dryness of the Dahomey Gap can simply be explained thus: Evidence from biogeography suggests that

561-423: A vital buffer against the rising levels of atmospheric CO2. This sequestration function underscores the invaluable role played by these forests in supporting global efforts to reduce the impacts of climate change. The forests regulate water flow, helping to prevent flooding during heavy rains and ensuring a steady supply of freshwater to rivers and streams. The water regulation function of the Lower Guinean Forests

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612-474: Is another crucial aspect of their ecological significance. These forests act as natural sponges, absorbing and releasing water in a manner that benefits both the environment and human communities. During periods of heavy rainfall, they play a critical role in preventing flooding by absorbing excess water and regulating its flow. This not only safeguards the ecosystems within the forests but also safeguards human settlements downstream from potential deluges. However,

663-449: Is consumed through human activities than is naturally restored, this may result in reduced fresh water availability (or water scarcity ) from surface and underground sources and can cause serious damage to surrounding and associated environments. Water pollution also reduces the availability of fresh water. Where available water resources are scarce, humans have developed technologies like desalination and wastewater recycling to stretch

714-416: Is critical to the survival of all living organisms . Many organisms can thrive on salt water, but the great majority of vascular plants and most insects , amphibians , reptiles , mammals and birds need fresh water to survive. Fresh water is the water resource that is of the most and immediate use to humans. Fresh water is not always potable water , that is, water safe to drink by humans . Much of

765-452: Is extracted for human consumption. Agriculture uses roughly two thirds of all fresh water extracted from the environment. Fresh water is a renewable and variable, but finite natural resource . Fresh water is replenished through the process of the natural water cycle , in which water from seas, lakes, forests, land, rivers and reservoirs evaporates, forms clouds , and returns inland as precipitation. Locally, however, if more fresh water

816-479: Is particularly crucial in Africa, where water resources are often scarce and climate change poses significant challenges. Saline water in oceans , seas and saline groundwater make up about 97% of all the water on Earth . Only 2.5–2.75% is fresh water, including 1.75–2% frozen in glaciers , ice and snow, 0.5–0.75% as fresh groundwater. The water table is the level below which all spaces are filled with water, while

867-826: Is securing minimum streamflow , especially preserving and restoring instream water allocations . Fresh water is an important natural resource necessary for the survival of all ecosystems . Water pollution (or aquatic pollution) is the contamination of water bodies , with a negative impact on their uses. It is usually a result of human activities. Water bodies include lakes , rivers , oceans , aquifers , reservoirs and groundwater . Water pollution results when contaminants mix with these water bodies. Contaminants can come from one of four main sources. These are sewage discharges, industrial activities, agricultural activities, and urban runoff including stormwater . Water pollution may affect either surface water or groundwater . This form of pollution can lead to many problems. One

918-420: Is the degradation of aquatic ecosystems . Another is spreading water-borne diseases when people use polluted water for drinking or irrigation . Water pollution also reduces the ecosystem services such as drinking water provided by the water resource . Uses of water include agricultural , industrial , household , recreational and environmental activities. The Sustainable Development Goals are

969-531: The Amazon River . The atmosphere contains 0.04% water. In areas with no fresh water on the ground surface, fresh water derived from precipitation may, because of its lower density, overlie saline ground water in lenses or layers. Most of the world's fresh water is frozen in ice sheets . Many areas have very little fresh water, such as deserts . Water is a critical issue for the survival of all living organisms. Some can use salt water but many organisms including

1020-657: The Green Sahara periods) and are not appreciably replenished under current climatic conditions - at least compared to drawdown, these aquifers form essentially non-renewable resources comparable to peat or lignite, which are also continuously formed in the current era but orders of magnitude slower than they are mined. Fresh water can be defined as water with less than 500 parts per million (ppm) of dissolved salts . Other sources give higher upper salinity limits for fresh water, e.g. 1,000 ppm or 3,000 ppm. Fresh water habitats are classified as either lentic systems , which are

1071-545: The Gulf of Guinea coastline, these forests encompass parts of Nigeria , Cameroon , Equatorial Guinea , Gabon , Congo , the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and smaller portions of neighboring countries. The Lower Guinean forests are globally recognized as a biodiversity hotspot , characterized by their exceptional ecological significance and remarkable species diversity . The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) divides

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1122-556: The Quaternary , dry conditions due to a much colder Atlantic Ocean (aided by extensive cold currents from ice sheets in Europe and North America ) have meant that the present-day forest zone has supported very little or no rainforest. In interglacial periods, however, rainfall throughout West Africa has often been so heavy that the Gap has become wet enough to support rainforest , thus eliminating

1173-508: The earth 's fresh water (on the surface and groundwater) is to a substantial degree unsuitable for human consumption without treatment . Fresh water can easily become polluted by human activities or due to naturally occurring processes, such as erosion. Fresh water makes up less than 3% of the world's water resources, and just 1% of that is readily available. About 70% of the world's freshwater reserves are frozen in Antarctica . Just 3% of it

1224-544: The Cameroonian Highlands forests and the Mount Cameroon and Bioko montane forests ecoregions. These forests primarily consist of tropical rainforests , characterized by high rainfall, lush vegetation, and a wide variety of plant life . The region's rainfall is relatively evenly distributed throughout the year. The Lower Guinean forests are recognized as one of the world's biodiversity hotspots . They are home to

1275-629: The Dahomey Gap has had significance for up to 90 million years. Murphy and Collier, in their analysis of two aplocheiloid fish genera, show a split in the African species which they attribute to the presence of an epicontinental sea between the late Cenomanian and early Eocene . This discontinuity had earlier been noted in plant species by White and is supported by an analysis of the Coffea clade by Maurin et al. The Dahomey Gap has existed in its present form for only about four thousand years. For most of

1326-494: The Lower Guinean forests into a number of distinct ecoregions : The WWF has designated two regions of the Lower Guinean forests as Global 200 priority regions for conservation. The WWF's "Coastal Congolian forests" region includes the Cross-Sanaga Bioko coastal forests, São Tomé and Príncipe moist lowland forests, and Atlantic Equatorial coastal forests ecoregions. The "Cameroon Highlands forests" Global 200 region includes

1377-467: The Lower Guinean forests, threatening the integrity of this vital ecosystem. The expansion of human activities, including infrastructure development and agricultural expansion, has led to the fragmentation of forest habitats , making it increasingly challenging for wildlife to thrive, disperse, and maintain genetic diversity . This phenomenon is especially relevant to the Lower Guinean forests and has far-reaching ecological consequences which include limiting

1428-511: The Lower Guinean forests. The Lower Guinean Forests serve as a refuge for a diverse range of wildlife. Among the most emblematic inhabitants of these forests is also the Cross River gorilla, an elusive and highly endangered primate species. These forests are also home to a plethora of other species, including various monkeys, birds, and numerous plants with unique ecological significance. The preservation of these forests is, therefore, paramount for

1479-454: The ability of wildlife to access necessary resources, find suitable mates, and maintain genetic diversity. Smaller, isolated populations of species face an increased risk of inbreeding and reduced adaptive capacity. Additionally, fragmented habitats are more vulnerable to edge effects , which can include increased predation , invasive species , and altered microclimates. These consequences of habitat fragmentation pose significant challenges to

1530-494: The area above this level, where spaces in the rock and soil contain both air and water, is known as the unsaturated zone. The water in this unsaturated zone is referred to as soil moisture. Below the water table, the entire region is known as the saturated zone, and the water in this zone is called groundwater. Groundwater plays a crucial role as the primary source of water for various purposes including drinking, washing, farming, and manufacturing, and even when not directly used as

1581-421: The available supply further. However, given the high cost (both capital and running costs) and - especially for desalination - energy requirements, those remain mostly niche applications. A non-sustainable alternative is using so-called " fossil water " from underground aquifers . As some of those aquifers formed hundreds of thousands or even millions of years ago when local climates were wetter (e.g. from one of

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1632-461: The conservation and long-term sustainability of the Lower Guinean forests. With the pervasive and destructive issue of Poaching and illegal wildlife trade, the Lower Guinean forests faces illicit activities that poses a substantial threat to the region's unique and diverse flora and fauna, including many endangered species. The trade encompasses the illegal capture, sale, and transportation of wildlife, and it primarily targets species for bushmeat and

1683-406: The continued survival of these vulnerable species. Conservation efforts in the Lower Guinean Forests are crucial to maintaining the biodiversity of the region and ensuring the protection of these species. These forests are often home to indigenous communities with rich cultural traditions. The forests provide resources and are central to the way of life of many local people. These forests have been

1734-418: The cradle of diverse cultural traditions, lifestyles, and worldviews that have thrived for generations. The Cultural and Indigenous Importance of the Lower Guinean Forests therefore extends beyond their ecological significance, reflecting a profound connection between the region's indigenous communities and the forest environment. Understanding and acknowledging this cultural dimension is integral to appreciating

1785-462: The exotic pet trade. The Lower Guinean forests, like many other critical ecosystems around the world, are increasingly susceptible to the effects of climate change . These forests, known for their high levels of biodiversity and carbon storage, face a range of climate-related challenges that can disrupt their ecological balance and alter their vital functions. Changing rainfall patterns and temperature variations associated with climate change can impact

1836-508: The forests ensure a consistent supply of freshwater to the numerous rivers and streams that originate within or flow through their territory. This consistent water supply is vital for sustaining the aquatic life and vegetation that depend on these water bodies, ultimately contributing to the well-being of the entire region. Several critically endangered species, including the Cross River gorilla and various species of monkeys and birds, inhabit

1887-527: The freshwater flow to be measurably contaminated both by insoluble solids but also by the soluble components of those soils. Significant quantities of iron may be transported in this way including the well-documented transfer of iron-rich rainfall falling in Brazil derived from sand-storms in the Sahara in north Africa . In Africa, it was revealed that groundwater controls are complex and do not correspond directly to

1938-483: The gap is called the Upper Guinean forests or Guinean forest zone, and the portion east of the gap is called the Lower Guinean forests , Lower Guinean-Congolian forests, or Congolian Forest Zone. The major cities in the Gap are Accra , Lomé , Cotonou and Porto-Novo . Several other cities, such as Kumasi , exist on the fringe of the Gap. The dryness of the Dahomey Gap is unusual, given that it lies surrounded by

1989-547: The great majority of higher plants and most mammals must have access to fresh water to live. Some terrestrial mammals, especially desert rodents , appear to survive without drinking, but they do generate water through the metabolism of cereal seeds, and they also have mechanisms to conserve water to the maximum degree. Freshwater ecosystems are a subset of Earth's aquatic ecosystems . They include lakes , ponds , rivers , streams , springs , bogs , and wetlands . They can be contrasted with marine ecosystems , which have

2040-417: The health and distribution of forest ecosystems . Efforts are being made by conservation organizations, governments, and local communities to protect and conserve the Lower Guinean forests. Strategies include creating protected areas , promoting sustainable forestry practices, and raising awareness about the ecological and cultural value of these unique forests. Conservation initiatives aim to balance

2091-415: The holistic significance of these forests. The Lower Guinean forests are under threat from deforestation due to logging , agriculture , mining , and infrastructure development. This threatens both biodiversity and carbon storage. While these causes may not be limited to this region, each contributes to the ongoing degradation of this vital ecosystem. Habitat fragmentation is a pressing concern in

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2142-565: The need for economic development with the imperative to preserve this vital ecological region. Dahomey Gap In West Africa , the Dahomey Gap refers to the portion of the Guinean forest-savanna mosaic that extends all the way to the coast in Benin , Togo , and Ghana , thus separating the forest zone that covers much of the south of the region into two separate parts. The forest region west of

2193-413: The others as well. Water scarcity (closely related to water stress or water crisis) is the lack of fresh water resources to meet the standard water demand. There are two types of water scarcity. One is physical. The other is economic water scarcity . Physical water scarcity is where there is not enough water to meet all demands. This includes water needed for ecosystems to function. Regions with

2244-764: The savanna. Fresh water Fresh water or freshwater is any naturally occurring liquid or frozen water containing low concentrations of dissolved salts and other total dissolved solids . The term excludes seawater and brackish water , but it does include non-salty mineral-rich waters , such as chalybeate springs. Fresh water may encompass frozen and meltwater in ice sheets , ice caps , glaciers , snowfields and icebergs , natural precipitations such as rainfall , snowfall , hail / sleet and graupel , and surface runoffs that form inland bodies of water such as wetlands , ponds , lakes , rivers , streams , as well as groundwater contained in aquifers , subterranean rivers and lakes . Water

2295-421: The sea if windy conditions have lifted drops of seawater into the rain-bearing clouds. This can give rise to elevated concentrations of sodium , chloride , magnesium and sulfate as well as many other compounds in smaller concentrations. In desert areas, or areas with impoverished or dusty soils, rain-bearing winds can pick up sand and dust and this can be deposited elsewhere in precipitation and causing

2346-731: The southeast are bounded by the Congolian Coastal forests , whose boundary is the Sanaga River in Cameroon. The Lower Guinean forests share many biotic affinities with the Upper Guinean forests. They are collectively known as the Guinean Forests of West Africa , location is Sierra Leone . The Lower Guinean forests, represent a vital ecological region in West and Central Africa . Stretching along

2397-420: The stillwaters including ponds , lakes, swamps and mires ; lotic which are running-water systems; or groundwaters which flow in rocks and aquifers . There is, in addition, a zone which bridges between groundwater and lotic systems, which is the hyporheic zone , which underlies many larger rivers and can contain substantially more water than is seen in the open channel. It may also be in direct contact with

2448-636: The surface, and soil moisture, and less than 0.01% of it as surface water in lakes , swamps and rivers . Freshwater lakes contain about 87% of this fresh surface water, including 29% in the African Great Lakes , 22% in Lake Baikal in Russia, 21% in the North American Great Lakes , and 14% in other lakes. Swamps have most of the balance with only a small amount in rivers, most notably

2499-469: The time). Freshwater ecosystems contain 41% of the world's known fish species. The increase in the world population and the increase in per capita water use puts increasing strains on the finite resources availability of clean fresh water. The response by freshwater ecosystems to a changing climate can be described in terms of three interrelated components: water quality, water quantity or volume, and water timing. A change in one often leads to shifts in

2550-657: The underlying underground water. The original source of almost all fresh water is precipitation from the atmosphere , in the form of mist , rain and snow . Fresh water falling as mist, rain or snow contains materials dissolved from the atmosphere and material from the sea and land over which the rain bearing clouds have traveled. The precipitation leads eventually to the formation of water bodies that humans can use as sources of freshwater: ponds , lakes , rainfall , rivers , streams , and groundwater contained in underground aquifers . In coastal areas fresh water may contain significant concentrations of salts derived from

2601-461: Was constant recharge with little variation with precipitation; in most sites (arid, semi-arid, humid), annual recharge increased as annual precipitation remained above a certain threshold; and in complex areas down to 0.1 aridity index (focused recharge), there was very inconsistent recharge (low precipitation but high recharge). Understanding these relationships can lead to the development of sustainable strategies for water collection. This understanding

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