Relationship between Urban Floristic Diversity and Ecosystem Services in the Moukonzi-Ngouaka Neighbourhood in Brazzaville, Congo

Abstract

The relationship between ecosystem services and urban phytodiversity is being studied in the Moukonzi-Ngouaka district of Brazzaville. Urban forestry, a source of well-being for the inhabitants, is associated with socio-cultural foundations. The surveys concern flora, ethnobotany, socio-economics and personal interviews. The 60.30% naturalized flora is heterogeneous and closely correlated with traditional knowledge. The Guineo-Congolese endemic element groups are 39.27% of the taxa, of which 3.27% are native to Brazzaville. Ethnobotany recognizes 48.36% ornamental taxa; 28.36% food taxa; and 35.27% medicinal taxa. Some multiple-use plants are involved in more than one field. The supply service, a food and phytotherapeutic source, provides the vegetative and generative organs. Of the 52.31% of recognized taxa, 33.45% essentially provide leaves and 18.50% fruits. The main obsession of plant introduction being 1) food and phytotherapeutic, and 2) aesthetic, obscures other ecosystem services such as fuelwood and income, provided by NTFPs, pillars of poverty alleviation.