Quantification of Ecosystem Services Provided by <i>Pterocarpus lucens</i> Lepr. Ex Guill. and Perrott.: Forage Production, Timber and Carbon Sequestration in the Biosphere Reserve of Ferlo (Northern Senegal)

Abstract

This study aims at quantifying the most important ecosystem services: forage production, timber production and carbon sequestration provided by Pterocarpus lucens to local communities of Ferlo Biosphere Reserve. The results suggested that the ecological structure of Pterocarpus lucens revealed a bell-shaped form with left dissymmetric distribution indicating a predominance of individuals with small circumference and height. A regression using the software Minitab 16, with circumference and the height as explanatory variables, has allowed a development of predictive models for the estimation of the produced forage and the quantification of the timber supplied by one of the most used plant species in Sahelian pastures. Forage production of Pterocarpus lucens was estimated at 178 kg DM/ha. This large value of forage showed the predominance of this species in animal feed in the Sahel. The quantity of wood produced was 545 kg DM/ha while the quantity of above ground sequestered carbon was 325.35 kg of C/ha. Those estimations are interesting in the implementation context of the Ferlo Biosphere Reserve which aims at matching the productive capacity of ecosystems with the needs of local communities.* Corresponding author. D. Ngom et al.767

Population Structure in Natural Stands, Seed Germination and Seedling Growth of Sterculia setigera under Nursery Conditions in Burkina Faso (West Africa)

“…According to Traoré et al [4] the species population showed a J-shaped population structure in both protected and unprotected forests in the North Sudanian sector and this is a typical trend for a declining species with aging populations as evidenced by the lack of individuals in the small diameter classes. The few young individuals indicates a weak regeneration potential [21] of the species. This is an evidence that the species is under threat as reported in several geographical locations of its distribution range.…”

Floristic structure and diversity of agro-sylvopastoral systems of Batha in Chad

“…In each square, an exhaustive inventory of trees and shrubs was carried out, including the sub-Saharan domain, the wooded steppe, the Sahelian domain, home gardens, busfarms and orchards. In each ecosystem, all woody individuals were measured using the well-known method [28]. Georeferential data for each site were determined using a global positioning system (GPS).…”