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Empty forests, empty stomachs? Bushmeat and livelihoods in the Congo and Amazon Basins

Bibliographic Data

ID23364417
AuthorsRobert Nasi (0000-0001-9739-3135, CGIAR), Andrew Taber (CGIAR), N Van Vliet (0000-0002-2741-2801, University of Copenhagen)
Year2011
Volume13
Issue3
Pages355-368
Publication date2011-09-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueThe International Forestry Review (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1465-5489 • E-ISSN: 2053-7778
PublisherCommonwealth Forestry Association (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1505/146554811798293872
OpenAlexW2135735879
LanguageEN
Citations received81
References cited14

Protein from forest wildlife is crucial to rural food security and livelihoods across the tropics. The harvest of animals such as tapir, duikers, deer, pigs, peccaries, primates and larger rodents, birds and reptiles provides benefits to local people worth millions of US$ annually and represents around 6 million tonnes of animals extracted yearly. Vulnerability to hunting varies, with some species sustaining populations in heavily hunted secondary habitats, while others require intact forests with minimal harvesting to maintain healthy populations. Some species or groups have been characterized as ecosystem engineers and ecological keystone species. They affect plant distribution and structure ecosystems, through seed dispersal and predation, grazing, browsing, rooting and other mechanisms. Global attention has been drawn to their loss through debates regarding bushmeat, the "empty forest" syndrome and their ecological importance. However, information on the harvest remains fragmentary, along with understanding of ecological, socioeconomic and cultural dimensions. Here we assess the consequences, both for ecosystems and local livelihoods, of the loss of these species in the Amazon and Congo basins.

Agriculture · Agroforestry · Amazon basin · Amazon rainforest · Archaeology · Biology · Bushmeat · Environmental protection · Fishery · Geography · Livelihood · Wildlife · Agricultural Innovations and Practices · Agriculture and Rural Development Research · Ecology · Environmental Science · Forestry · Livestock and Poultry Management

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Unique citing works81
Citations per year6,75
Citation span2014 - 2026 (13)
Citation velocitycurrent
Highly citedNo
Citation typesNeutral: 58
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