Woody plants structure and composition in Burkina Faso Sahel: Case study in Kékénéné village

Abstract

Understanding woody vegetation composition and structure is important for leading management decisions in the Sahelian vulnerable zones. The objective of the study was to better knowledge woody vegetation structure and richness in natural vegetation and cropland. The study area is Kékénéné village located in Soum province, surroundings Djibo in northern Burkina Faso. In total 54 sample plots were surveyed by means of a botanical inventory of woody vegetation species. All trees ≥ 10 cm dbh were measured. The vegetation structure pattern analyzed were diameter at breast height (dbh), basal area, relative dominance, and relative density, Importance Value Index (IVI) and Family Importance Value (FIV). In total 658 trees recorded was belonging to 21 species, 9 families in natural vegetation and 11 species, 5 families in cropland. Tree density was 15.7 stems/ha and 3.7/ha respectively in natural vegetation and cropland. Tree basal area was 0.54 m² ha-1 for cropland and 0.35 m² ha-1 in natural vegetation with a mean dbh of 3.5 cm for the two occupation types. The most importance family according to FIV was Balanitaceae in cropland and Combretaceae in natural vegetation. The Sorensen' similarity coefficient of family in the two landscapes is lowest than 0.5 which means that the similarities in species family are low between the two occupation types. In natural vegetation, Anogeisus leiocarpus and Balanites aegyptiaca were the most important species in relation to IVI, while in cropland Balanites aegyptiaca, Acacia senegal and Acacia seyal were the most important species. Results reveal an abundance of Balanites aegyptiaca in both cropland and natural vegetation in the study site. Given its high socioeconomic value in this region, this tree deserves to be more valued in a perspective of management and sustainable use in Kékénéné village.