Advancing River Health Assessments in the Tropical African Region Through Integrating Community Participation, Restoration Strategies, and River Order Sampling – A Review
Abstract
Despite the numerous studies and conservation efforts that have been put into the tropical African rivers, their environmental degradation and loss of the associated biodiversity remain at risk. This is attributable to factors, among the major ones being a lack of a holistic and inclusive approach to this challenge by researchers. This review examines key gaps in current research on stream ecosystem health and land use interactions in the tropical African regions, focusing on the lack of community involvement, inadequate restoration practices, and limited consideration of river orders in sampling efforts. The review analysed 34 publications, including 26 Journal articles, 5 technical reports, and 3 theses, published between 2005 and 2025. The findings reveal that only 20.6% of the reviewed studies answered all three gaps: community involvement, restoration practices, and consideration of river orders in sampling efforts. In contrast, 11.8% incorporated at least one component, 20.6% answered two aspects, and 47.0% did not embrace any of the three components in their study. The review highlights the importance of integrating these elements to enhance the relevance and impact of research, better inform policymakers, and contribute to the long-term preservation of river ecosystems in the region. By adopting a more holistic and inclusive approach, researchers can address the complex challenges facing tropical African rivers and foster sustainable management of these vital ecosystems. Future researchers should prioritise community engagement in river health assessments, incorporate restoration planning and implementation into study designs, and adopt sampling strategies that account for various river orders
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Copyright (c) 2025 Emma Wamono, Remigio Turyahabwe, PhD, Hannington Ochieng, PhD, Edward Andama, PhD
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