The megatransect takes form [March 2023]
Perhaps one of the most impressive research tools developed during the PilotMAB project is what we call the 'megatransect'. It is a transect that crosses through 80 km of primary and secondary rain forest, enabling researchers to understand and describe the biodiversity and processes hidden deep within the jungle.
Currently we have opened a length of 39 km. Along the transect and with the aid of a GPS, plots of 0.5ha are demarcated by wooden poles. GPS coordinates for plots and camp sites are available upon request. The megatransect invites cross-disciplinary research on multiple levels: researchers are diligently working on detailed botanical inventories and vegetation maps, with studies on carbon dynamics, zoological and geological surveys already in the pipeline.
This snapshot of the Congo Basin Forest will provide a unique insight in one of the world's most important ecosystems. The megatransect supports ongoing research and monitoring efforts of the PilotMAB project in the Yangambi Landscape, paving the way towards more sustainable conservation in partnership with local populations who survive and thrive by grace of the forest's bounty.
Key characteristics of the transect footprint include: Plot width: 20 m (10 m on each side of the transect); Plot length: 250 m; Plot area: 0,5 ha; Total number of plots along the transect: 316 (250 m x 316 = 79 000 m).
The megatransect has the support of the DRC Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development (MEDD). A general recommendation to anyone interested in conducting fieldwork in Yangambi would be to be well informed of the local administrative context before entering the field, and to respect the usual procedures. More information is available upon request.
More information can be found here
