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Structural and ecological characteristics of the phytocenoses of private teak plantations in the Department of Atlantique (Southern Bénin, West Africa)

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Abstract

Structural and ecological characteristics of private Teak plantations in the Atlantic Department, South Benin, were studied according to the synusial approach of phytosociology in order to contribute to the sustainable management of the plantations. The study of dendrometric characteristics of Teak plantations was done by establishing two temporal plots, each of 1 are. In each plot, the stem girth of the trees and the total height of three mean trees were measured. A total of 99 vegetal synusias has been described, then combined into 18 phytocoenoses. Ecological characteristics are also studied.

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... According to FAO (2020), the forests of Benin cover an area of 3,135,000 ha. Those skinny forest resources are in the grip of alarming degradation (Awokou et al., 2009;Hounkpèvi et al., 2011;Yêvidé et al., 2011;Mama et al., 2014) and subject to strong anthropogenic pressures, then disappearing at the rate of 50,000 ha/an (FAO, 2020). The Southern Benin, characterized by a subequatorial climate regime, was quite conducive to the extension of dense semi-deciduous forests (Akoègninou et al., 2006) which have however suffered from severe degradation, leaving only vegetation consisting of fields and thickets in which the original massifs are reduced to fragments of forest (Hounkpèvi et al., 2011). ...
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In Benin, forest resources are limited and are in the grip of alarming degradation. In southern Benin, the Niaouli forests (6°40' to 6°45' North Lat. and 2°05' to 2°10' East Long.) require special attention given their state of degradation leading to loss of biodiversity. In order to contribute to the sustainable management of the forests, our investigations focused on the characterization of the structure, floristic diversity, and forms of use of the valuable species. The data was collected by systematic sampling with rectangular meshes of 100 m × 200 m in square plots of one (01) ha each. In total, seven (07) plots were installed for the determination of dendrometric and biodiversity parameters. The regeneration of the species was counted in quadrats of 100 m² installed on a diagonal of each plot. Ethnobotanical surveys were carried out within local populations, on a sample of 188 people made of heads of peasant households or their representatives, carpenters, traditional healers, and loggers in order to identify valuable species and appraise their ethnobotanical importance. Four valuable species were identified. They were Albizia zygia , Antiaris toxicaria , Ceiba pentandra , and Newbouldia laevis . The diversity parameters showed that the forests of Niaouli are characterized by a low floristic diversity in comparison with the forest ecosystems of southern Benin. The main valuable species of the Niaouli forests were experiencing a regeneration problem likely to hinder their sustainability and sustainable use. Albizia zygia , Antiaris toxicaria , and Ceiba pentandra are used more in the form of wood respectively by 85 %, 50 %, and 75 % of respondents. Newbouldia laevis is used more in the form of an infusion by 33 %, fodder by 21 %, and wood by 21 % of respondents. Respondents cited 58 diseases treated with species from the Niaouli forests. Considering the results obtained, regular reforestation and the introduction of new adapted species must be carried out to increase the biodiversity and ecosystem services of the forests.
... According to FAO (2020), the forests of Benin cover an area of 3,135,000 ha. Those skinny forest resources are in the grip of alarming degradation (Awokou et al., 2009;Hounkpèvi et al., 2011;Yêvidé et al., 2011;Mama et al., 2014) and subject to strong anthropogenic pressures, then disappearing at the rate of 50,000 ha/an (FAO, 2020). The Southern Benin, characterized by a subequatorial climate regime, was quite conducive to the extension of dense semi-deciduous forests (Akoègninou et al., 2006) which have however suffered from severe degradation, leaving only vegetation consisting of fields and thickets in which the original massifs are reduced to fragments of forest (Hounkpèvi et al., 2011). ...
Preprint
Full-text available
In Benin, forest resources are limited and are in the grip of alarming degradation. In southern Benin, the Niaouli forests (6°40' to 6°45' North Lat. and 2°05' to 2°10' East Long.) require special attention given their state of degradation leading to loss of biodiversity. In order to contribute to the sustainable management of the forests, our investigations focused on the characterization of the structure, floristic diversity, and forms of use of the valuable species. The data was collected by systematic sampling with rectangular meshes of 100 m × 200 m in square plots of one (01) ha each. In total, seven (07) plots were installed for the determination of dendrometric and biodiversity parameters. The regeneration of the species was counted in quadrats of 100 m² installed on a diagonal of each plot. Ethnobotanical surveys were carried out within local populations, on a sample of 188 people made of heads of peasant households or their representatives, carpenters, traditional healers, and loggers in order to identify valuable species and appraise their ethnobotanical importance. Four valuable species were identified. They were Albizia zygia , Antiaris toxicaria , Ceiba pentandra , and Newbouldia laevis . The diversity parameters showed that the forests of Niaouli are characterized by a low floristic diversity in comparison with the forest ecosystems of southern Benin. The main valuable species of the Niaouli forests were experiencing a regeneration problem likely to hinder their sustainability and sustainable use. Albizia zygia , Antiaris toxicaria , and Ceiba pentandra are used more in the form of wood respectively by 85 %, 50 %, and 75 % of respondents. Newbouldia laevis is used more in the form of an infusion by 33 %, fodder by 21 %, and wood by 21 % of respondents. Respondents cited 58 diseases treated with species from the Niaouli forests. Considering the results obtained, regular reforestation and the introduction of new adapted species must be carried out to increase the biodiversity and ecosystem services of the forests.
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Phytosociological, ecological and dendrometric surveys have been done in the forest plantations of Djigbé and Lama in south-Benin. The factorial analysis of correspondence helps to identify two Chromolaena odorata communities: one on the "terre de barre" (ferralitic soil) and the other on the black cotton soils. At 5% of probability level, there is no significant difference between the specific diversity of the two Chromolaena odorata communities: the mean value of the species richness is 33 per relevé on the "terre de barre" against 31 on the black cotton soils; the Shannon index value is 1.6 on the "terre de barre" against 2.2 on the black cotton soils; the evenness coefficient of Pielou is respectively 0.48 and 0.44 on "terre de barre" and the black cotton soils. From the specific combination of the Chromolaena odorata communities within the study area, we deduce that these communities can be used to identify general soil-types. However, due to the important variability of plantation productivity within these communities, they can not reliably be used to identify forest sites. /// Les plantations forestières à Chromolaena odorata dans les secteurs de Djigbé et de la Lama au sud-Bénin ont fait l'objet d'investigations phytosociologique, écologique et dendrométrique. L'analyse factorielle des correspondances sur un ensemble de 19 relevés a permis d'objectiver l'identification de deux groupements végétaux à Chromolaena odorata qui caractérisent respectivement la terre de barre et les vertisols. Au seuil de probabilité de 5%, il n'existe pas de différence significative entre la diversité spécifique de ces deux groupements. En effet, sur la terre de barre, le groupement végétal à Chromolaena odorata possède en moyenne 33 espèces par relevé contre 31 espèces pour celui de la Lama; l'indice de Shannon a pour valeur 1,6 sur la terre de barre contre 2,2 sur les vertisols; le coefficient d'équitabilité de Pielou vaut 0,48 sur la terre de barre contre 0,44 sur les vertisols. A partir de la combinaison spécifique des communautés végétales à Chromolaena odorata, nous déduisons que ces communautés peuvent servir à identifier les types généraux de sols. Cependant, en raison d'importantes variations des niveaux de productivité des plantations au sein de ces communautés, celles-ci n'ont pas de valeur indicatrice fiable vis-à-vis des stations forestières.
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Phytosociological, ecological and dendrometric surveys have been done in the forest plantations of Djigbé and Lama in south-Benin. The factorial analysis of correspondence helps to identify two Chromolaena odorata communities: one on the "terre de barre" (ferralitic soil) and the other on the black cotton soils. At 5% of probability level, there is no significant difference between the specific diversity of the two Chromolaena odorata communities: the mean value of the species richness is 33 per relevé on the "terre de barre" against 31 on the black cotton soils; the Shannon index value is 1.6 on the "terre de barre" against 2.2 on the black cotton soils; the evenness coefficient of Pielou is respectively 0.48 and 0.44 on "terre de barre" and the black cotton soils. From the specific combination of the Chromolaena odorata communities within the study area, we deduce that these communities can be used to identify general soil-types. However, due to the important variability of plantation productivity within these communities, they can not reliably be used to identify forest sites. All rights reserved.
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A finite mixture model is used to describe the diameter distributions of mixed-species forest stands. A three-parameter Weibull function is assumed as the component probability density function in the finite mixture model. Four example plots, each with two species, are selected to demonstrate model fitting and comparison. It appears that the finite mixture model is flexible enough to fit irregular, multimodal, or highly skewed diameter distributions. Compared with traditional methods in which a single Weibull function is fit to either the whole plot or each species component separately, the finite mixture model produces much smaller root mean square error and bias, and fits the entire distribution of the plots with extreme peaks, bimodality, or heavy-tails well. In some cases, a single Weibull function fitted to individual species separately may produce more accurate estimations for the component distributions of the two species than the finite mixture model. The summation of the two independent species results, however, may not produce a better prediction for the entire plot. This study shows that the finite mixture model is a promising alternative method for modeling the diameter distribution of multispecies mixed forest stands. For. Sci. 48(4):653–661.
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