Prospects on Biodiversity along the Standard-gauge Railway from Dar es Salaam to Makutupora, Singida, Tanzania

Abstract

The construction of the standard-gauge railway (SGR) from Dar es Salaam to Makutupora, Singida, represents one of major infrastructural advancements with significant economic potentials for Tanzania. The infrastructure traverses the Pugu-Kazimzumbwi Nature Forest Reserve, Pugu Hills Forest Reserve and Ruvu South Forest Reserve that already are experiencing adverse effects on their biodiversity following unchecked human activities in this Anthropocene era. Developmental activities, on the other hand, pose similar problems for the biodiversity, with some species on the verge of extinction. The standard-gauge railway construction is one of the developmental activities in Tanzania that has contributed to the clearance of the forests. Studies conducted on land-use and land-cover changes and various taxa (flora and fauna), including threatened, rare, and bio-indicator species, have expressed conservation concerns. Amongst important conservation concerns that already have impact on the biodiversity include habitat fragmentation and/or loss, edge effects, direct wildlife displacement and mortality, and alterations of ecosystems. Habitat fragmentation threatens species survival by isolating populations and reducing genetic diversity. Understanding these impacts, well planned mitigation measures must be considered to safeguard the biodiversity including establishing proper land-use management plans, forest restoration, control of invasive species, habitat conservation, and continuous monitoring of the biodiversity, for a successful outcome to be realized.