# Socio‐Ecological Significance and Anthropogenic Threats to Berlinia (Sol. ex Hook.f., 1849) and Isoberlinia (Stapf, 1911) Species in Côte d’Ivoire

## TL;DR

This study examines the ecological and human factors affecting the survival of Berlinia and Isoberlinia tree species in Côte d'Ivoire, highlighting the need for community-based conservation.

## Contribution

The study integrates ecological and ethnobotanical data to reveal the socio-ecological significance and threats to Berlinia and Isoberlinia species in Côte d'Ivoire.

## Key findings

- Unprotected areas show significant declines in tree density, diameter, and basal area compared to protected areas.
- Both Berlinia grandiflora and Isoberlinia doka exhibit poor regeneration and population regression due to human pressures.
- Ethnobotanical surveys identified 23 medicinal, seven handicraft, and other uses of the species, alongside eight main drivers of decline.

## Abstract

Berlinia and Isoberlinia species are ecologically and socio‐economically important in the Sudanian and Zambezian landscapes of West Africa but are increasingly threatened by overexploitation, habitat loss, and climate stress. In Côte d'Ivoire's Guineo‐Sudanian zone, they provide timber, fuelwood, food, medicinal products, and cultural services. This study asks: How do ecological conditions and human pressures, alongside local ethnoecological knowledge, influence the status, use, and conservation of Berlinia and Isoberlinia species? This study examined the ethnoecological importance, diversity, spatial distribution, and stand structure of Berlinia and Isoberlinia species to inform conservation strategies integrating Indigenous knowledge. We surveyed 72 plots (900 m2) in protected (Comoé National Park) and unprotected areas, focusing on Berlinia grandiflora and Isoberlinia doka forest stands, and collected ethnobotanical data from 514 households and 28 key informants across 18 villages. Three species were recorded (Berlinia grandiflora, Isoberlinia doka, Isoberlinia tomentosa). Stands in unprotected areas showed significant declines in density, stem diameter, and basal area, while protected areas remained comparatively intact. The demographic structure of the stands indicates that I. doka is characterised by a low proportion of large individuals, resulting from selective illegal overexploitation of the species. In contrast,
B. grandiflora
exhibits a regressive population dynamic, with ageing stands and relatively low levels of regeneration. Ethnobotanical surveys revealed diverse uses (23 medicinal, seven handicraft, two fuelwood, one food) and identified eight main drivers of decline, including deforestation, agriculture, unsustainable logging, bushfires, cashew cultivation, and drought. The results highlight the interplay between ecological status and socio‐economic pressures, emphasising the need for community‐based conservation strategies informed by local knowledge to ensure the long‐term sustainability of these key forest species.

Species of the genera Isoberlinia and Berlinia are threatened with extinction due to the abusive exploitation of their distribution area including various forms of use. However, their availability and socio‐cultural importance are little known and/or neglected. This socio‐ecological assessment of Berlinia and Isoberlinia species in Côte d'Ivoire reveals a dynamic interplay between ecological processes and human activities. The data suggest that both
B. grandiflora
and I. doka exhibit signs of population regression, evidenced by poor regeneration and their stand structures.