@article{fdi:010095354,
  title = {{H}uman and environmental factors shape tree species assemblages in {W}est {A}frican tropical forests},
  author = {{A}suk, {S}. {A}. and {W}ayman, {J}. {P}. and {S}adler, {J}. {P}. and {P}ugh, {T}. {A}. {M}. and {M}atthews, {T}. {J}. and {E}bu, {V}. {T}. and {P}hillips, {O}. {L}. and {L}ewis, {S}. and {S}onk{\'e}, {B}. and {T}albot, {J}. and {C}omiskey, {J}. and {Z}emagho, {L}. and {O}jo, {L}. and {B}egne, {S}. and {T}aedoumg, {H}. and {S}underland, {T}. and {H}ubau, {W}. and {D}roissart, {V}incent and {Q}ie, {L}. and {G}ilpin, {M}. and {S}imo-{D}roissart, {M}. and {F}eldpausch, {T}. and {P}eh, {K}. {S}. {H}. and {B}anin, {L}. {F}. and {K}amdem, {M}. {N}. {D}. and {K}ettridge, {N}.},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{A}im: {T}his study investigated how human activities and local environmental variables shape tree assemblages (species composition in a defined location), comparing their effects on edible and inedible tree species. {T}hree hypotheses were tested: (1) {E}nvironmental filtering impacts spatial beta-diversity more than dispersal limitation; (2) human activities significantly influence regional tree beta-diversity; and (3) predictors of beta-diversity differ between edible and inedible species. {L}ocation: {T}ropical forest in {N}igeria and {C}ameroon in {W}est and {C}entral {A}frica. {M}ethods: {T}ree data were collected between 2002 and 2019 from 66 forest plots. {S}pecies were categorised as edible and inedible by humans using interviews and online databases. {P}airwise beta-diversity (partitioned into total beta-diversity and turnover) between plots was analysed using {G}eneralised {D}issimilarity {M}odels ({GDM}s) with geographical distance, plot-specific variables (forest composition, climate, elevation, stem density, human influence indicators), and human influence indicators (distance to closest human presence [{DCHP}], and nearest anthropogenic edges [{DNAE}]) as predictors. {R}esults: {T}he dataset included 236 edible species (11,097 stems) and 472 inedible species (17,202 stems), with high species turnover (> 90%) dominating beta-diversity patterns. {D}ue to local plot-level factors, environmental filtering (deviance explained for all species: 37.4%, edible: 18.9% and inedible: 31.4%) exerted greater influence on species assemblages than geographical distance alone. {B}eta-diversity drivers differed between edible and inedible species: elevation strongly influenced turnover in inedible species, whereas forest composition significantly shaped the assemblage of edible species, reflecting patterns of human-mediated species selection and species dominance. {H}uman presence impacted the overall beta-diversity of inedible species but only influenced the turnover component of edible species. {M}ain {C}onclusions: {T}ree assemblages in the {N}igeria-{C}ameroon forest region were primarily structured by local environmental conditions and human activities rather than by dispersal limitation. {E}ffective conservation should incorporate sustainable human activities and traditional ecological knowledge, with further research needed to explore the long-term anthropogenic impacts on these forests.},
  keywords = {beta-diversity ; elevational variability ; environmental gradients ; forest ; composition ; generalised dissimilarity models ({GDM}s) ; human presence ; species turnover ; tree species assemblages ; tropical forest ; {W}est {A}frica ; {NIGERIA} ; {CAMEROUN} ; {AFRIQUE} {DE} {L}'{OUEST}},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{D}iversity and {D}istributions},
  volume = {31},
  numero = {8},
  pages = {e70075 [17 ]},
  ISSN = {1366-9516},
  year = {2025},
  DOI = {10.1111/ddi.70075},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010095354},
}