Ecological characteristics of the woody stand of Sclerocarya birrea (A. Rich) in the North of Ferlo, Senegal
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.59463/vv9gvt42Abstract
The Ferlo, a semi-arid Sahelian region of Senegal, experiences intense heat for five months (February to June), with temperatures exceeding 45°C, and a milder climate for seven months (July to January) thanks to rainfall. This area is being heavily impacted by climate change. Low rainfall, combined with human activities, is affecting the development of plant cover, particularly woody species, which are essential to the local population as a source of food for livestock during the dry season.
The main objective of this study is to provide information on the dendrometric characteristics of a Sclerocarya birrea woody stand, in order to better conserve biodiversity and ecosystem services in the Ferlo (Amaly, Widou Thiengoly, Tessékéré and Labgar). We counted 31 species in 23 genera and 15 families, with the Fabaceae (25.81%), Combretaceae (19.35%), Apocynaceae (12.90%) and Malvaceae (6.45%) being the most represented. The genus Acacia is the most common. Almost all the species observed are Phanerophytes and around 68% of the species recorded are African.
The study shows that the shrub stratum dominates the environment, while the woody stratum is gradually evolving, with a strong presence of young individuals and good regeneration. However, the population of S. birrea is following an opposite dynamic, with mainly large-circumference individuals, indicating an ageing and vulnerable population. The analysis reveals instability in the S. birrea population and almost no regeneration. It is therefore essential to develop regeneration, reforestation and monitoring strategies to improve the conservation of biodiversity and ecosystem services.
References
Abdourhamane, H., Morou, B., Rabiou, H., & Amhamane A. (2013), Caractéristiques floristiques, diversité et structure de la végétation ligneuse dans le Centre-Sud du Niger: cas du complexe des forêts classées de Dan kada Dodo-Dan Gado. International Journal of Biological and Chemical Sciences, 7, 1048.
Akpo, L.E., & Grouzis, M. (1996), Influence of cover on the regeneration of some Sahalian woody species (North Senegal, West Africa). Webbia, 50, 2, pp. 247 - 263.
Arbonnier, M. (2009), Trees, shrubs and lianas in dry areas of West Africa (3rd edition). Montpellier, France, Cirad, MHNM. pp.573.
Ba, T. (2017). Dynamique spatio-temporelle des écosystèmes dans le bassin versant du Ferlo. Thèse de doctorat unique en écologie, agroforesterie, ED SEV/ UCAD, pp. 113.
Bakhoum, A. (2013), Dynamics of forage resources: indicator of resilience of community rangelands from Téssékéré to Ferlo (Northern Senegal). Unique doctoral thesis in Biology, Production and Animal Pathologies.
Bassène, C. (2014), Weed flora in corn crops (Zea mays L.) in the south of the Peanut Basin: structure, harmfulness and development of a weeding route. Single doctoral thesis, Faculty of Science and Technology, Cheikh Anta Diop University, pp 164.
Berhaut, J. (1967), Flora of Senegal. Edition Clair Afrique Dakar, Senegal, 2nd edition, pp. 485.
Berhaut J. (1979), Illustrated flora of Senegal. Flight. 6. Dakar: Government of Senegal. Ministry of Rural Development and Hydraulics, Department of Water and Forests; Clairafrique Edition, pp. 636.
Bille, J-C. & Poupon, H. (1972), Ecological research on a Sahelian savannah of northern Ferlo, Senegal. Plant biomass and net primary production. Earth and Life, 26: pp. 366-382.
Boudet, G. (1984), Manual on tropical pastures and forage crops. 4th ed. Paris, Ministry of Cooperation, Livestock Manuals and Precis 4, pp. 1-254.
Camara, A.A. (2000), Etude de l’état de la flore, de la structure de la végétation et de la régénération des peuplements ligneux des chantiers de production de bois de chauffe et charbon de bois au Sénégal oriental. Mémoire de DEA, Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, Université Cheikh Anta Diop, pp. 61.
Cretat, F.V. (2008), Mécanismes de régénération des espèces végétales dans les prairies subalpines sur un gradient d’extensification des pratiques agricoles. Université Montpellier II Sciences et Techniques du Languedoc, pp.228.
Curtis, J.T. & MacIntosh, G. (1950), Plant ecology book burgers. Pub. Co. Minnesota, pp. 99.
Diop, R.D., Mbaye, M.S., Bassene, C., Diop, I., Sarr, O., Camara, A.A., Sy, M.T.A., & Noba, K. (2019), Woody vegetation at the Michel Adanson botanical conservatory in Mbour (Senegal). International Journal of Biological and Chemical Sciences, 13, 1064.
Diouf, J., Mbaye, M.S., Camara, A.A., Dieng, B., Diouf, N., Sarr, M., & Noba K. (2019), Structure and dynamics of the flora and vegetation of the Noflaye special botanical reserve (Senegal). International Journal of Biological and Chemical Sciences, 13(3), pp. 1458-1472.
Diouf, M., Akpo, L. E., Rocheteau, A., Do F., Goudiaby, V., & Diagne A.L. (2002), Dynamics of the woody population of Sahelian vegetation in North Senegal (West Africa). J.Sc. Flight. 2 No. 1.
Douma, S. (2009), Ecology of four woody species in the Tamou Total Wildlife Reserve: indicators of sustainable forest resource management, Diploma of Advanced Studies thesis, Abdou Moumouni University Sciences, Department of Biology, Garba Mounkaïla Laboratory, pp. 72.
Faye, A. (2019), Temporal dynamics of flora and woody vegetation in the sandy zone of the northern FERLO (Senegal) Master's thesis in Taxonomy, Biodiversity, Ethnobotany and Conservation of Natural Resources (TABEC-RN) Faculty of Science and Technology, Cheikh Anta Diop University, Dakar, Senegal. pp. 51.
Fofana, M.S. (2015), The Bingerville Botanical Garden: floristic diversity and some ethnobotanical notes. pp. 223.
Fournier, C. (1995), Water functioning of six woody species coexisting in a Sahelian savannah (Ferlo region, Northern Senegal). CT, ORSTOM Ed., pp. 166.
Grall, J., & Coïc, N. (2006), Synthèse des méthodes d’évaluation de la qualité du benthos en milieu côtier. Institut Universitaire européen de la Mer. Université de Bretagne Occidentale Laboratoire des sciences de l’Environnement Marin, pp. 7–86.
Glele Kakaï, R., Bonou, W., & Pelz, D. (2010), Modeling and interpretation of structures in diameter and height of forest stands. pp. 15.
Gounot, M. (1969), Methods for the quantitative study of vegetation. Masson et Cie, Edition, Paris. pp. 314.
Gouwakinnou, G.N., Lykke, A.M., Assogbadjo, A.E., & Sinsin, B. (2011), Local knowledge, pattern and diversity of use of Sclerocarya birrea. Journal of ethnobiology and ethnomedicine, 8. 7.
Labat, J.N. (1995), Vegetation of northwest Michoacan Mexico. Institute of Ecology A. C., pp. 401.
Lebrun, J-P., & Stork, A.L. (2015), Enumeration of Flowering Plants in Tropical Africa and Tropical African Flowering Plants: Ecology and Distribution. The Conservatory and Botanical http://www.villege.ch/musinfo/bd/cjb/africa/recherche.php.
Mahamane, A. (2005), Floristic, phytosociological and phytogeographic studies of the vegetation of the W Regional Park of Niger. Doctoral thesis in taxonomy, Laboratory of Systematic Botany and Phytosociology, Free University of Brussels, Belgium, pp. 484.
Ndiaye, M., et al. (2010), Caractéristiques des ligneux dans les terroirs pastoraux de Ranérou. Journal des Sciences. 10 (3), pp. 12 – 27.
Ndiaye, O., Diallo, A., Sagna, M.B., & Guissé, A. (2013), Floristic diversity of woody populations in Ferlo. VertigO. the electronic journal in environmental sciences, Senegal, 13. 3.
Ndiaye, O., Diallo, A., Wood, S.A., & Guisse, A. (2014), Structural diversity of woody species in the Senegalese semi-arid zone-Ferlo. American Journal of Plant Sciences, 5, pp. 416 -426.
Ndiaye, O., Diop, A.T., Diène, M., & Akpo, L.E. (2015), Étude comparée de la végétation de 1964 et 2011 en milieu pâturé: Cas du CRZ de Dahra. Journal of Applied Biosciences, 88, pp. 8235–8248.
Niang, K. (2009), L‟arbre dans les parcours communautaires du Ferlo-Nord (Sénégal). Mémoire de DEA FST/UCAD, pp. 67.
Niang, K., Sagna, MB., Ndiaye, O., Thiaw, A., Diallo, A., Akpo, LE., Mahamat-Saleh, M., Diome, N., Diatta, S., Faye, M.N., Gueye, M., Guissé, A., & Goffner, D. (2014), Revisiting tree species availability and usage in the Ferlo region of Senegal: a rationale for indigenous tree planting strategies in the context of the great green wall for the Sahara and the Sahel initiative. Journal of Experimental Biology and Agricultural Sciences, pp. 2320 – 8694.
Ndong, A.T., Ndiaye, O., Sagna, M.B., Diallo, A., Galop, D., & Guisse, A. (2015), Characterization of the Sahelian woody vegetation of Senegal: case of Ferlo. International Journal of Biological and Chemical Sciences, 9, pp. 2582–2594.
Ngom, D., Fall, T., Sarr, O., Diatta, S., & Akpo, L.E. (2013), Caractéristiques écologiques du peuplement ligneux de la réserve de biosphère du Ferlo (Nord Sénégal). Journal of Applied Biosciences, 65.
Noba, K., Ba, A.T., Causanel, J.P., Mbaye, M.S., & Barralis, G. (2004), Weed flora of food crops in the south of the peanut basin (Senegal). Webbia 59 (2), pp. 293-308.
Ouédraogo, J.S., & Alexandre, D.Y. (1994), Distribution des principales espèces agroforestières à Watinoma, terroir du plateau central Burkinabè, une résultante de Contraintes écologiques etanthropiques, nouvelle série. Journ. Agric.Trad. et de Bota.Appl, 36(1), pp. 101 - 111.
Poupon, H., & Bill, J. (1974), Ecological research on a Sahelian savanna of the northern Ferlo, Senegal. Influence of the 1972-1973 drought on the woody stratum. Vol. 49-75. Louga.
Poupon, H. (1980), Structure and dynamics of the woody stratum of a Sahelian steppe in northern Senegal. Paris: Orstom.
Rondeux, J. (1993), The measurement of trees and forest stands. The agronomic presses of Gembloux, Gembloux. Pp. 16 - 59.
Sagna, M.B., Diallo, A., Sarr, P.S., Ndiaye, O., Goffner, D., & Guisse, A. (2014), Biochemical composition and nutritional value of Balanites aegyptiaca (L.) Del fruit pulps from Northern Ferlo in Senegal. African Journal of Biotechnology, 13 (2), pp. 336 - 342.
Sagna, M.B. (2015), Ethnobotany, ecological, phenological monitoring and physicochemical and nutritional characteristics of the desert date palm (Balanites aegyptiaca (L.) Del.) in Ferlo in northern Senegal. Unique thesis in biodiversity and environment specializing in knowledge, conservation and management of biodiversity. Senegal pp. 113.
Sarr, M.A. (2008), Rainfall variability in West Africa: dynamics of plant areas from satellite images. Example of the Ferlo watershed (Senegal). Climatology Days – Nantes - Climate and society: Climate and vegetation, pp. 57.
Sharman, M. (1987), Woody vegetation. The global environment monitoring system UNEP/FAO, ser,GEMS, 7, pp. 87.
Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity. (2014), Plant conservation report 2014: a review of progress towards the Global strategy for plant conservation 2011-2020. Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Sylla, D., Ba, T., & Guisse A. (2019), Mapping changes in plant cover in the protected areas of Ferlo (Northern Senegal): case of the biosphere reserve. Physio-Geo. Physical geography and environment, 13, pp.115-132.
Talla, R., Sagna, M.B., Diallo, M.D., Diallo, A., Faye, N., Sarr, O., & Guisse A. (2020), Population Structure and Toposequence Distribution of Boscia senegalensis (Pers.) Lam. ex Poir and Sclerocarya birrea (A. Rich) Hoscht in the Ferlo (Senegal). Journal of Plant Sciences, 8(5), pp. 167-176.
Touré, A. (2009), Dynamics of infestation of the Sanaimbo classified forest in the sub-prefecture of Tiémélékro (Ivory Coast) by weeds from the surrounding agroecosystems and their uses by local populations (Doctoral dissertation, Doctoral thesis of the University of Cocody, pp. 205.
Toutain. B., Bortoli. L., Dulieu. D., Forgiarin. G., Mènaut. J., & Piot. J. (1983), Woody and herbaceous species in the grazed Sahelian ecosystems of Upper Volta, ACC GRIZACCGRIZA (LAT), GERDAT. pp. 124.
