A checklist of vascular plants of the W National Park in Burkina Faso, including the adjacent hunting zones of Tapoa-Djerma and Kondio

Abstract

<jats:p>The W National Park and its two hunting zones represent a unique ecosystem in Burkina Faso for biodiversity conservation. This study aims at providing a detailed view of the current state of the floristic diversity as a baseline for future projects aiming at protecting and managing its resources. We combined intensive inventories and distribution records from vegetation plots, photo records and herbarium collections.</jats:p> <jats:p>This is the first comprehensive checklist of vascular plants of the Burkina Faso part of the transborder W National Park. With 721 documented species including 19 species new to Burkina Faso, the Burkina Faso part of the W National Park is, so far, the nature reserve with most plant species in Burkina Faso. To a large extent, this may be assigned to its high habitat diversity and moderate degree of disturbance, but also to a relatively large area within an even larger complex of neighbouring protected areas, as well as comprehensive spatial, ecological and seasonal sampling efforts. However, as a World Heritage Site and regarding the current general context of insecurity, the W National Park and the entire WAP Complex require more international attention in order to ensure its conservation.</jats:p>

Local perceptions of anthropogenic and climate factors affecting the use and the conservation of Detarium microcarpum and Detarium senegalense in Burkina Faso (West Africa)

“…The Sudanian zone receives an annual rainfall of 900–1200 mm over a longer rainy season lasting 5–6 months, with a cooler average annual temperature of 26°C. The vegetation in the four PAs is characterised by various vegetation types, including shrub savannas, tree savannas, woodlands, dry forests and gallery forests (Nacoulma et al, 2018).…”

Diversity, abundance, and conservation status of woody species in a West African dry forest

“…African dry forest species richness and abundances remain less known and poorly documented (Dexter et al, 2018; Pennington et al, 2018). Most extensive surveys in West Africa have been in the W‐Arly‐Pendjari dry forest‐savanna complex and neighboring forest reserves (Assédé et al, 2012; Ganamé et al, 2020; Gnoumou et al, 2015; Mahamane, 2006; Mbayngone et al, 2008; Nacoulma et al, 2018; Ouédraogo et al, 2011). Surveys of plant databases and extrapolation made from distribution of selected taxa are used to forecast and revise the patterns of plant species endemism and conservation status (Linder, 2001; Linder et al, 2005; Marshall et al, 2021; Stévart et al, 2019), which are useful for generalizations, but detailed study of species richness, abundances and local use and assessments of woody plants in dry forests are required for conservation strategies to be rooted in local and national governances.…”