Papers by Michael Ansong, PhD
Human-mediated dispersal of the seeds of australian weeds
Victorian naturalist, 2020
PLOS ONE
In the search for alternatives to wood fuel, to meet the bio-energy requirement of an ever-increa... more In the search for alternatives to wood fuel, to meet the bio-energy requirement of an ever-increasing global population, the International Network for Bamboo and Rattan has supported farmers in many tropical countries to establish plantations of Beema bamboo (a tissue-cultured clone from Bambusa vulgaris) and Oxytenanthera abyssinica for bio-energy production. The quality of these species as solid biofuels is unknown due to the absence of data on their physico-thermal and emission characteristics. Using the American Standard for Testing and Materials and other internationally accepted standards, their ultimate and proximate analysis, and physico-thermal and emission properties were evaluated. Beema bamboo and O. abyssinica have high Hydrogen, organic and fixed Carbon contents and low quantities of ash, moisture content, volatile matter, Oxygen, Nitrogen and Sulphur. This will contribute to their heating values and low oxide emissions. Based on their High Heating Values (Beema bamboo...
International Journal of Forestry Research, May 18, 2022
Recent estimates indicate that over 291 million hectares of the Earth's land area are occupied by... more Recent estimates indicate that over 291 million hectares of the Earth's land area are occupied by forest plantations, representing 7% of the world's forest area and 2% of the world's land area. In Ghana, a substantial amount of degraded land found in hilly areas has been used to establish teak plantations for commercial wood and carbon bene ts. Information on the potential in uence of topography and soil properties on tree growth and carbon stocks in these plantations is however limited. e study was carried out to assess the in uence of elevation on tree growth parameters and carbon stocks in a 7-year-old teak stand and also determined the di erences in soil properties along the elevation gradient and its in uence on biomass and carbon stocks. Although stand density was statistically similar for the three elevations, tree, diameter, and basal area signi cantly di ered among the three elevations. ey were higher at the valley than the mid-slope and the summit. e aboveground biomass and belowground biomass were also signi cantly higher at the valley compared to the mid-slope and summit. Measured SOC and CEC values between the three elevations showed no signi cant di erence while a positive signi cant correlation between soil depth and biomass along the altitudinal gradient was observed. Overall, the mean percentage of nitrogen in the soil, pH, potassium, sodium levels, hydrogen, and aluminum varied signi cantly among the three elevations. Our study suggests that in mountainous areas teak stands in valleys are likely to produce higher biomass and carbon stocks than those in higher elevations; therefore, for better accuracy in biomass and carbon stocks estimations, site elevation should be taken into consideration during carbon stock assessments.
IPBES IAS assessment, database for Chapter 4. Impact Evidence Database
This is a database described in the data management report for chapter 4 of IPBES thematic assess... more This is a database described in the data management report for chapter 4 of IPBES thematic assessment on invasive alien species and their control. <strong>Provisionary Embargo:</strong> The data management report is under restricted access and embargoed until IPBES 10. Additionally, this associated database is private and is embargoed until one year after IPBES 10, but this date is subject to change. For any inquiry, please contact the technical support unit for the assessment of invasive alien species and their control ([email protected]). Data were gathered on direct observations of impacts from published literature, including grey literature, in order to form a database on the evidence to which invasive alien species impact, negatively and positively, nature, nature's contributions to people and good quality of life for Chapter 4 of IPBES thematic assessment of invasive alien species and their control. The criteria for inclusion were a published direct evid...
IPBES IAS assessment, data management report for Chapter 4. Impact Evidence Database
This is a data management report for chapter 4 of IPBES thematic assessment on invasive alien spe... more This is a data management report for chapter 4 of IPBES thematic assessment on invasive alien species and their control. <strong>Provisionary Embargo:</strong> This data management report is under restricted access and embargoed until IPBES 10. Additionally, the associated database is private and is embargoed until one year after IPBES 10, but this date is subject to change. For any inquiry, please contact the technical support unit for the assessment ([email protected]). Data were gathered on direct observations of impacts from published literature, including grey literature, in order to form a database on the evidence to which invasive alien species impact, negatively and positively, nature, nature's contributions to people and good quality of life for Chapter 4 of IPBES thematic assessment of invasive alien species and their control. The criteria for inclusion were a published direct evidence of an impact on native species, a change in ecosystem properties,...
Assessment of the contribution of non timber forest products to sustainable rural livelyhoods in Nigeria
Journal of Agriculture, Forestry and the Social Sciences, 2011
Non timber forest products (NTFPs) are all those products of biological origin got from forests o... more Non timber forest products (NTFPs) are all those products of biological origin got from forests or associated ecosystems which contribute significantly to human wellbeing. NTFPs contribute enormously to household food security and income generation in Nigeria. Therefore, they play a prominent role in rural poverty reduction. This paper examines the important roles played by NTFPs in rural livelihood sustenance in Nigeria with specific focus on their contributions to rural livelihoods with respect to food security, poverty reduction as well as income and employment creation. Keywords: Sustainable rural livelihood, household, non-timber forest products, poverty reduction
Nature-based Tourists as Seed Dispersal Vectors
CABI eBooks, Dec 14, 2022
Mining methods exert differential effects on species recruitment at artisanal small-scale mining sites in Ghana
Heliyon
Supplementary material 2 from: Kenis M, Agboyi LK, Adu-Acheampong R, Ansong M, Arthur S, Attipoe PT, Baba A-SM, Beseh P, Clottey VA, Combey R, Dzomeku I, Eddy-Doh MA, Fening KO, Frimpong-Anin K, Hevi W, Lekete-Lawson E, Nboyine JA, Ohene-Mensah G, Oppong-Mensah B, Nuamah HSA, van der Puije G, Mul...
New policies and interventions for forest management are important because preferences of stakeho... more New policies and interventions for forest management are important because preferences of stakeholders and the state of forests continually change. To achieve sustainable forest management there is the need for information and guidelines that help decision-makers understand the economic value of the forests to local communities as these values influence how they respond and support policies and interventions. Willingness to pay (WTP) is a measure of preference that provide information to guide policy development. This study, using the contingent valuation method, estimated the willingness to pay of 300 respondents from 10 communities around Subri Forest Reserve in the Western Region of Ghana. The results show that residents of local communities around the Reserve are willing to pay for forest interventions that ensure sustainable management. The mean monthly WTP per respondent was estimated to be between GHc 2.22 and 2.26 (1.59 – 1.61 US$, 2009 rate). Older and higher income earning...
Experimental assessment of weed seed attaching to a mountain bike and horse under dry conditions
Journal of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism, 2016
Abstract Mountain biking is popular in many natural areas, but remains controversial, at least in... more Abstract Mountain biking is popular in many natural areas, but remains controversial, at least in part, due to divergent views about its environmental impacts. In contrast to research assessing the risk of activities such as horse riding and hiking spreading weed seed, similar data for mountain bikes does not appear to be available in the academic literature. To start to address this gap, we present the results of a preliminary experiment comparing seed attachment to a horse and a mountain bike in dry conditions along 20 1 m by 50 m transects through areas where weeds are seeding. In total, seed from more than 12 species were found on the horse and more than 10 species on the bike. Per transect, a greater diversity of seed attached to the horse (6 vs 4 morphtaxa) than the bike, but they had similar numbers of seed (Average=22). When seed composition per transect was compared using ordinations, there were clear differences with more seed from non-native grasses such as Chloris virgate and Chloris gayana, the native grass Dicantheum scericeum , and the non-native herb Vicia sativa on the bike, while on the horse there tended to be more seed from the grass Poa queenslandica (native) and the Axonopus fissifolius (non-native). This pilot study demonstrates how mountain bikes can carry seed from a diversity of weeds in Australia. More extensive testing will better quantify the types and amount of seed that could be dispersed, as well as test the effect of factors such as weather conditions, timing and location of rides on seed dispersal by bikes. In the interim, recommendations for bikes to be regularly cleaned, including between rides in areas of high conservation value are likely to help reduce the risk of mountain biking spreading weed seed. Management implications ● Mountain bikes, like horses, cars and clothing, can collect weed seed, but the number and type of seed differ. ● Implementing cleaning protocols for mountain bikes (e.g., wash down/brush down prior to use and after use) will help reduce the risk of weed dispersal. ● This preliminary study emphasizes the importance of research assessing different recreational activities as weed seed vectors.
Watch out for free riders: unintentional weed seed dispersal
Basic and Applied Ecology, 2016
People can intentionally or unintentionally transport seed of a diversity of species over long di... more People can intentionally or unintentionally transport seed of a diversity of species over long distances, facilitating plant invasions. To better understand factors affecting unintentional human-mediated seed dispersal, we quantified the effects of seed traits and fabric type on the retention potential of weed seed on clothing. First, we compared seed retention among 33 species of weeds that differ in seed morphology using three fabrics. We then compared seed retention for 10 different fabrics using seed from five species of weeds. Retention potential, calculated as the percentage seed retained on fabric after shaking for fixed periods of time, was compared using Linear Mixed Models. Across the 33 species, seed of most species fell off fabric soon after shaking commenced: 17 species had low retention potentials (<20% of the seed remain attached after 5 min of shaking), 10 species had moderate seed retention (20-50% seed retained), and only five species had high retention potentials (>50% seed retained). Retention potentials varied among fabrics, with seed more tightly attaching to fabrics with "woolly" or "fleecy" characteristics such as fleece, knitted wool, double weave wool nylon blend (hiking socks) and ribbed cotton/nylon (sports socks), than to smoother fabrics such as canvas, fine nylon weave, denim and drill cotton. The weight, length and presence of attachment structures affected how long seed remain attached. The effect of these traits varied among fabrics. Seed with structures such as hairs, awns and pappus remained attached for longer on fabrics like fleece and wool, but not on smoother fabrics. These results support the observation that people wearing clothing made of different fabrics are likely to disperse different combinations of weed seed, depending, at least in part, on seed traits. Unintentional human mediated seed dispersal via clothing is therefore a very selective example of epizoochory favouring some weeds more than others.
Flow chart using the PRISMA statement for the systematic review
<p>Flow chart using the PRISMA statement for the systematic review.</p
A global review of weeds that can germinate from horse dung
Ecological Management & Restoration, 2013
ABSTRACT To assess the diversity of weed seeds dispersed via horse dung, we reviewed 15 studies o... more ABSTRACT To assess the diversity of weed seeds dispersed via horse dung, we reviewed 15 studies on seed germination from horse dung – six from Europe, four from North America, three from Australia and one study each from Africa and Central America. Seed from 249 species from 43 families have been identified germinating from horse dung. Almost two-thirds of the species were forbs and 33% graminoids, with over half being perennials and 32% annuals. Nearly every species (totalling 99% of those reviewed) is considered a weed somewhere, with 47% recorded as invasive and 19% international environmental weeds. Of the 2739 non-native plants that are naturalized in Australia, 156 have been shown to germinate from horse dung. This includes 16 of the 429 listed noxious weeds in Australia and two weeds of national significance. Seed from 105 of the 1596 invasive/noxious plant species in North America have also been identified germinating from horse dung. Seed traits including seed size, length, width and mass affect dispersal via horse dung. Habitat disturbance from trampling facilitates germination of seedlings from dung in both natural and experimental studies. Some studies found that plants germinating from dung reach maturity and flower, while others found plants did not survive due to unfavourable growing conditions in the field. The diversity of species with seed that can germinate from horse dung highlights the potential of horses to disperse a range of seed over long distances. Whether such dispersal is beneficial or harmful depends on the plant and the context in which it germinates. To maintain the conservation value of protected areas, it is important to understand and manage the different potential weed dispersal vectors, including horses
PLOS ONE, 2015
Weeds are a major threat to biodiversity globally degrading natural areas of high conservation va... more Weeds are a major threat to biodiversity globally degrading natural areas of high conservation value. But what are our attitudes about weeds and their management including weeds in national parks? Do we know what a weed is? Do we consider weeds a problem? Do we support their management? Are we unintentionally spreading weeds in parks? To answer these questions, we surveyed visitors entering a large popular national park near the city of Brisbane, Australia. Park visitors were knowledgeable about weeds; with >75% correctly defining weeds as 'plants that grow where they are not wanted'. About 10% of the visitors, however, provided their own sophisticated definitions. This capacity to define weeds did not vary with people's age, sex or level of education. We constructed a scale measuring visitors' overall concern about weeds in parks using the responses to ten Likert scale statements. Over 85% of visitors were concerned about weeds with older visitors, hikers, and those who could correctly define weeds more concerned than their counterparts. The majority think visitors unintentionally introduce seeds into parks, with many (63%) having found seeds on their own clothing. However, over a third disposed of these seeds in ways that could facilitate weed spread. Therefore, although most visitors were knowledgeable and concerned about weeds, and support their control, there is a clear need for more effective communication regarding the risk of visitors unintentionally dispersing weed seeds in parks.
Journal of Environmental Management, 2014
Weeds are a major threat to biodiversity including in areas of high conservation value. Unfortuna... more Weeds are a major threat to biodiversity including in areas of high conservation value. Unfortunately, people may be unintentionally introducing and dispersing weed seeds on their clothing when they visit these areas. To inform the management of these areas, we conducted a systematic quantitative literature review to determine the diversity and characteristics of species with seeds that can attach and be dispersed from clothing. Across 21 studies identified from systematic literature searches on this topic, seeds from 449 species have been recorded on clothing, more than double the diversity found in a previous review. Nearly all of them (391 species) are listed weeds in one or more countries, with 58 classified as internationally-recognised environmental weeds. When our database was compared with weed lists from different countries and continents we found that clothing can carry the seeds of important regional weeds. A total of 287 of the species are listed as aliens in one or more countries in Europe, 156 are invasive species/noxious weeds in North America, 211 are naturalized alien plants in Australia, 97 are alien species in India, 33 are invasive species in China and 5 are declared weeds/invaders in South Africa. Seeds on the clothing of hikers can be carried to an average distance of 13 km, and where people travel in cars, trains, planes and boats, the seeds on their clothing can be carried much further. Factors that affect this type of seed dispersal include the type of clothing, the type of material the clothing is made from, the number and location of the seeds on plants, and seed traits such as adhesive and attachment structures. With increasing use of protected areas by tourists, including in remote regions, popular protected areas may be at great risk of biological invasions by weeds with seeds carried on clothing.
PLoS ONE, 2013
When traveling in cars, we can unintentionally carry and disperse weed seed; but which species, a... more When traveling in cars, we can unintentionally carry and disperse weed seed; but which species, and where are they a problem? To answer these questions, we systematically searched the scientific literature to identify all original research studies that assess seed transported by cars and listed the species with seed on/in cars. From the 13 studies that fit these criteria, we found 626 species from 75 families that have seed that can be dispersed by cars. Of these, 599 are listed as weeds in some part of the world, with 439 listed as invasive or naturalized alien species in one or more European countries, 248 are invasive/noxious weeds in North America, 370 are naturalized alien species in Australia, 167 are alien species in India, 77 are invasive species in China and 23 are declared weeds/ invaders in South Africa. One hundred and one are classified as internationally important environmental weeds. Although most (487) were only recorded once, some species such as Chenopodium album, Poa pratensis and Trifolium repens were common among studies. Perennial graminoids seem to be favoured over annual graminoids while annual forbs are favoured over perennial forbs. Species characteristics including seed size and morphology and where the plants grew affected the probability that their seed was transported by cars. Seeds can be found in many different places on cars including under the chassis, front and rear bumpers, wheel wells and rims, front and back mudguards, wheel arches, tyres and on interior floor mats. With increasing numbers of cars and expanding road networks in many regions, these results highlight the importance of cars as a dispersal mechanism, and how it may favour invasions by some species over others. Strategies to reduce the risk of seed dispersal by cars include reducing seed on cars by mowing road verges and cleaning cars.
Determinants of attitudes of primary stakeholders towards forest conservation management: a case study of Subri Forest Reserve, Ghana
International Journal of Biodiversity Science, Ecosystem Services & Management, 2011
... View all references; Kotey et al. 199816. Kotey, ENA, Francois, J, Owusu, JGK, Yeboah, R, Ama... more ... View all references; Kotey et al. 199816. Kotey, ENA, Francois, J, Owusu, JGK, Yeboah, R, Amanor, KS and Antwi, L. 1998. ... 2000. Factors influencing forest values and attitudes of two stakeholder groups: the case of the Foothills Model Forest, Alberta, Canada. Soc Nat Resour. ...
Ecological Management & Restoration, 2012
Humans can contribute to the long-distance dispersal of many plants, including weeds. We assessed... more Humans can contribute to the long-distance dispersal of many plants, including weeds. We assessed the distance for which seed remained attached to the socks and trouser legs of walkers. The experiment in Kakadu National Park, Australia used seed of the Australian native Black Spear Grass (Heteropogon contortus) as a surrogate for the potential dispersal of weed seed. Two models were fitted to the data, with a double exponential model fitting the data slightly better than a power exponential model. Although 19% of seed were dispersed within the first 5 m of walking, most (55%) seed remained attached to socks and trousers at 5 km. Humans may, therefore, unintentionally carry and eventually disperse this grass and other invasive grasses with similar long awns and pointed seeds over long distances. Implementing strategies to reduce the potential for seed to attach to walkers (gaiters) and reduce potential dispersal (removal and careful disposal of seed) would reduce the risks posed by this type of human-mediated seed dispersal.
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Papers by Michael Ansong, PhD