Overview of Biodiversity in Ghana: Fuana

This is an audio recording of a lecture by Dr. Ofori Danson of the University of Ghana. Dr. Danson covers the biodiversity of Ghana, focusing on endemic species and species of concern. It is approximately an hour long.


Download here:
http://www.archive.org/download/OverviewOfBiodiversityInGhanaFuana/Overview-Biodiversity-lecture-Part-1-Ofori-Danson-080104-000.mp2

Professor P.K. Ofori-Danson is a professor of the Dept. of Oceanography and Fisheries at the University of Ghana; part of UNDP-FAO Fisheries; current advisor to the Bui Power Authority (A Hydroelectric Dam project); U.N. University network on water and health; National Biodiversity Committee

Dr. Ofori-Danson began his lecture by defining biodiversity; the U.N. Council on Biodiversity defines biodiversity as the “library of life” and that the knowledge contained within this operating library is essential for our survival since ultimately we depend on the functions and relations of the species in our ecosystems, not the factory that fries our potato chips. Biodiversity is the insurance policy we have for food, for medicine, for the ecological benefits such as pest control, and of course the aesthetic and cultural benefits are often an overlooked as a necessity, but although Dr. Ofori-Danson did not mention this, I feel it needs to be reminded that the latter should not be reserved as a luxury for rich ecotourists.

Biodiversity has three levels: the genetic level, the species level, and the diversity at the ecological level. The well known phenomenon of genetic drift falls into the genetic level; genetic drift can cause an entire species of to change so quickly over a few generations that the new population can become completely unfit to survive, this occurs within species that have been depleted to a very small population.

The state of biodiversity in Ghana is far more rich in Marine Fauna than Terrestrial Fauna, but nevertheless Ghana is very abundant in endemic species for a little nation the size of Oregon. There are 221 endemic species of amphibians in Ghana versus 12,000 globally; mammals 225 versus 4,200 globally; birds 728 in Ghana and 176 of those are seasonal migrators. To find more information about recorded endemic species in Ghana check out the work of Ntiamoa-Baidu.

The lecture is approximately half an hour long.