Woody species of the Miombo woodlands and geoxylic grasslands of the Cusseque area, south-central Angola

The species composition of the vegetation in most regions of Angola has been poorly studied and most studies date back to the pre-independence era. In this study, we provide a detailed account of the woody flora of the Miombo woodlands and geoxylic grasslands of the Cusseque study site of “The Future Okavango” (TFO) project, situated on the Angolan Central Plateau. The checklist is based on a vegetation survey using vegetation plots of 1,000 m² and also includes records from botanical collections made elsewhere at the study site. In total, we documented 154 woody species belonging to 99 genera of 37 plant families in 100 km². The study represents the first comprehensive account of the woody vegetation of the area including all habitats and growth forms.

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First vegetation-plot database of woody species from Huíla province, SW Angola

Vegetation Classification and Survey ◽

10.3897/vcs/2021/68916 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 2 ◽

pp. 109-116

Author(s):

Francisco M.P. Gonçalves ◽

António V. Chisingui ◽

José C. Luís ◽

Marina F.F. Rafael ◽

José J. Tchamba ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Vegetation Change ◽

Central Africa ◽

Woody Species ◽

Vegetation Survey ◽

Size Classes ◽

South Central ◽

Key Species ◽

Plant Families ◽

Abundance And Diversity ◽

Almost All

Angola is a country in south-central Africa, particularly rich in biodiversity. Despite the efforts recently made to document its biodiversity, there is a need for standardized sampling methods to document and compare the variety of ecosystems and plants occurring in the country. With this database report we aim to document the abundance and diversity of woody species in the woodlands of Huíla province. The database hosts the results of a standardised plot-based vegetation survey, consisting of 448 vegetation plots distributed throughout the 14 municipalities and Bicuar National Park. In total, 40,009 individuals belonging to 44 plant families were recorded and measured, belonging to 193 woody species. Species richness per municipality ranged from 32 to 126. The mean stem diameter (DBH) was 10.9 cm ± 7.5 cm. Small-size classes are increasingly dominated by few species, while the largest trees come from a wider range of species; miombo key-species dominated almost all size classes. Our study represents the first plot-based vegetation survey of any Angolan province and constitutes a useful source of information for conservation and management. Additionally, may constitute a powerful dataset to support future studies on biodiversity patterns and vegetation change over time and facilitate the elaboration of vegetation maps. Taxonomic reference: Checklist of Angolan Plants (Figueiredo and Smith 2008), The African Plant Database (version 3.4.0) and A new classification of Leguminosae (LPWG 2017). Abbreviations: DBH = Diameter at Breast Height; GIVD = Global Index of Vegetation-Plot Databases; LUBA = Acronym of the Herbarium of Lubango

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Tree Species Diversity and Composition of Miombo Woodlands in South-Central Angola: A Chronosequence of Forest Recovery after Shifting Cultivation

International Journal of Forestry Research ◽

10.1155/2017/6202093 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 2017 ◽

pp. 1-13 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

Francisco M. P. Gonçalves ◽

Rasmus Revermann ◽

Amândio L. Gomes ◽

Marcos P. M. Aidar ◽

Manfred Finckh ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Shifting Cultivation ◽

Stand Structure ◽

Woody Species ◽

Distinct Group ◽

Forest Recovery ◽

Miombo Woodlands ◽

Principal Coordinates Analysis ◽

South Central ◽

Principal Coordinates ◽

Management Plans

The study was carried out in the Cusseque area of the Municipality of Chitembo in south-central Angola. Our objectives were to assess the floristic diversity, the species composition, and stand structure of Miombo woodlands during regeneration after shifting cultivation. A total of 40 plots of 1000 m2were surveyed and analyzed, corresponding to mature forests/woodlands and three fallow types of different age. The analyses were based on plot inventories of all trees with DBH ≥ 5 cm. A total of 51 woody species, 38 genera, and 19 families were recorded. The dominant family was Fabaceae, with subfamily Caesalpinioideae being very abundant. Shannon Diversity and Evenness were highest in mature forests and young fallows, while the mature forest stands showed the highest species richness. A Principal Coordinates Analysis (PCoA) showed many species shared between the intermediate fallow types, but only few species were shared with young fallows. Mature forests formed a clearly distinct group. This study shows potential pathways of forest recovery in terms of faster regeneration after agricultural abandonment and, thus, the results presented here can be used in future conservation and management plans in order to reduce the pressure on mature forests.

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A preliminary report on the dynamics of the vegetation of the Kalahari Gemsbok National Park

Koedoe ◽

10.4102/koedoe.v27i2.570 ◽

1984 ◽

Vol 27 (2) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

N Van Rooyen ◽

D. J Van Rensburg ◽

G. K Theron ◽

J Du P Bothma

Keyword(s):

Species Composition ◽

Significant Influence ◽

Preliminary Report ◽

National Park ◽

Floristic Composition ◽

Woody Species ◽

Woody Vegetation ◽

Herbaceous Species ◽

Short Term ◽

Basal Cover

Different methods were used intermittently to monitor the changes in the floristic composition, basal cover and density of the herbaceous and woody vegetation over a seven year period in the Kalahari Gemsbok National Park. Periods of drought and the variability of rainfall appear to have a significant influence in the short term on herbaceous species, while there was not much variation in the woody species composition or density.

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Suffrutex grasslands in south-central Angola: belowground biomass, root structure, soil characteristics and vegetation dynamics of the ‘underground forests of Africa’

Journal of Tropical Ecology ◽

10.1017/s0266467421000298 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-11

Author(s):

Amândio L. Gomes ◽

Rasmus Revermann ◽

Francisco M. P. Gonçalves ◽

Fernanda Lages ◽

Marcos P. M. Aidar ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Human Impact ◽

Vegetation Dynamics ◽

Vegetation Index ◽

Belowground Biomass ◽

Google Earth ◽

Carbon Stocks ◽

Miombo Woodlands ◽

Central Plateau ◽

South Central ◽

Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer

Abstract Despite its importance for carbon stocks accounting, belowground biomass (BGB) has seldom been measured due to the methodological complexity involved. In this study, we assess woody BGB and related carbon stocks, soil properties and human impact on two common suffrutex grasslands (Brachystegia- and Parinari grasslands) on the Angolan Central Plateau. Data on BGB was measured by direct destructive sampling. Soil samples were analysed for select key parameters. To investigate vegetation dynamics and human impact, we used Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) and fire data retrieved via Google Earth Engine. Mean belowground woody biomass of sandy Parinari grasslands was 17 t/ha and 44 t/ha in ferralitic Brachystegia grasslands of which 50% correspond to carbon stocks. As such, the BGB of Brachystegia grasslands almost equals the amount of aboveground biomass (AGB) of neighbouring miombo woodlands. Almost the entire woody BGB is located in the top 30 cm of the soil. Soils were extremely acid, showing a low nutrient availability. Both grassland types differed strongly in EVI and fire seasonality. The Parinari grasslands burnt almost twice as frequent as Brachystegia grasslands in a 10-year period. Our study emphasizes the high relevance of BGB in suffrutex grasslands for carbon stock accounting.

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Effects of human disturbance on understory woody species composition and diversity in fengshui forests

Biodiversity Science ◽

10.3724/sp.j.1003.2009.09174 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 17 (5) ◽

pp. 458 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Lü Hao-rong ◽

Liu Song-song ◽

Zhu Jian-yun ◽

Ye Yong-chang ◽

Chen Hong-yue ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Species Composition ◽

Human Disturbance ◽

Woody Species

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Constraints to Pearl Millet (Pennisetum glaucum) Production and Farmers’ Approaches to Striga hermonthica Management in Burkina Faso

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su13158460 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (15) ◽

pp. 8460

Author(s):

Armel Rouamba ◽

Hussein Shimelis ◽

Inoussa Drabo ◽

Mark Laing ◽

Prakash Gangashetty ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Burkina Faso ◽

Pearl Millet ◽

Management Practices ◽

Pennisetum Glaucum ◽

Control Measures ◽

Striga Hermonthica ◽

Soil Conditions ◽

Management Options ◽

Central Plateau ◽

South Central

Pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) is a staple food crop in Burkina Faso that is widely grown in the Sahelian and Sudano-Sahelian zones, characterised by poor soil conditions and erratic rainfall, and high temperatures. The objective of this study was to document farmers’ perceptions of the prevailing constraints affecting pearl millet production and related approaches to manage the parasitic weeds S. hermonthica. The study was conducted in the Sahel, Sudano-Sahelian zones in the North, North Central, West Central, Central Plateau, and South Central of Burkina Faso. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire and focus group discussions involving 492 participant farmers. Recurrent drought, S. hermonthica infestation, shortage of labour, lack of fertilisers, lack of cash, and the use of low-yielding varieties were the main challenges hindering pearl millet production in the study areas. The majority of the respondents (40%) ranked S. hermonthica infestation as the primary constraint affecting pearl millet production. Respondent farmers reported yield losses of up to 80% due to S. hermonthica infestation. 61.4% of the respondents in the study areas had achieved a mean pearl millet yields of <1 t/ha. Poor access and the high cost of introduced seed, and a lack of farmers preferred traits in the existing introduced pearl millet varieties were the main reasons for their low adoption, as reported by 32% of respondents. S. hermonthica management options in pearl millet production fields included moisture conservation using terraces, manual hoeing, hand weeding, use of microplots locally referred to as ‘zaï’, crop rotation and mulching. These management techniques were ineffective because they do not suppress the below ground S. hermonthica seed, and they are difficult to implement. Integrated management practices employing breeding for S. hermonthica resistant varieties with the aforementioned control measures could offer a sustainable solution for S. hermonthica management and improved pearl millet productivity in Burkina Faso.

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Demographic Effects of Severe Fire in Montane Shrubland on Tasmania’s Central Plateau

Fire ◽

10.3390/fire4030032 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 4 (3) ◽

pp. 32

Author(s):

Judy A. Foulkes ◽

Lynda D. Prior ◽

Steven W. J. Leonard ◽

David M. J. S. Bowman

Keyword(s):

Woody Species ◽

Fire Frequency ◽

Fire Season ◽

Burned Area ◽

Large Area ◽

Seedling Regeneration ◽

Central Plateau ◽

Conservation Area ◽

Severe Fire ◽

Representative Area

Australian montane sclerophyll shrubland vegetation is widely considered to be resilient to infrequent severe fire, but this may not be the case in Tasmania. Here, we report on the vegetative and seedling regeneration response of a Tasmanian non-coniferous woody montane shrubland following a severe fire, which burned much of the Great Pine Tier in the Central Plateau Conservation Area during the 2018–2019 fire season when a historically anomalously large area was burned in central Tasmania. Our field survey of a representative area burned by severe crown fire revealed that more than 99% of the shrubland plants were top-killed, with only 5% of the burnt plants resprouting one year following the fire. Such a low resprouting rate means the resilience of the shrubland depends on seedling regeneration from aerial and soil seedbanks or colonization from plants outside the burned area. Woody species’ seedling densities were variable but generally low (25 m−2). The low number of resprouters, and reliance on seedlings for recovery, suggest the shrubland may not be as resilient to fire as mainland Australian montane shrubland, particularly given a warming climate and likely increase in fire frequency.

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Changes in Woody Vegetation over 31 Years in Farmed Parkland of the Central Plateau, Burkina Faso

Land ◽

10.3390/land10050470 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (5) ◽

pp. 470

Author(s):

Koichi Takenaka ◽

Kenta Ikazaki ◽

Saïdou Simporé ◽

François Kaboré ◽

Natacha Thiombiano ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Burkina Faso ◽

Eucalyptus Camaldulensis ◽

Woody Vegetation ◽

Importance Value Index ◽

Importance Value ◽

Central Plateau ◽

West Region ◽

Sapling Survival ◽

Tree Composition ◽

Insight Into

Farmed parklands of the Central Plateau, Burkina Faso, integrate native woody vegetation with managed cropland. However, sapling survival in the parklands is increasingly threatened. This study characterized woody vegetation abundance along a 2.7 km long transect in the Doulou Basin, Boulkiemdé Province, Central West Region, to assess changes in vegetation composition since 1984. In addition, a householder survey was conducted to gain insight into tree uses and preferences and residents’ knowledge of regulations. In total, 4999 individuals from 26 tree species were recorded, including 123 individuals (11 species) with stem DBH ≥ 5 cm, and 4876 individuals (21 species) with stem DBH < 5 cm. The three species with the highest importance value index provided fruit for sale or self-consumption. Tree abundance was associated with soil type and topography; highest abundance was on Lixisol soils along the lower transect. Soil degradation and preference changes among residents since 1984 may have influenced tree abundance. Certain beneficial species (e.g., Vitellaria paradoxa) have declined in abundance, and certain exotics (Azadirachta indica and Eucalyptus camaldulensis) have expanded in distribution. Respondents expressed strongest interest in three species, including V. paradoxa, that show high versatility. These results supported the recorded tree composition. The respondents generally understood forest conservation regulations. Dissemination of regreening technology and awareness promotion among residents is essential for sustainable tree use in farmed parklands.

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The influence of the 1991/92 drought on the woody vegetation of the Kruger National Park

Koedoe ◽

10.4102/koedoe.v38i2.316 ◽

1995 ◽

Vol 38 (2) ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

A.J. Viljoen

Keyword(s):

National Park ◽

Woody Species ◽

Aerial Photographs ◽

Woody Vegetation ◽

General Area ◽

Variable Intensity ◽

The North ◽

Olifants River ◽

Area North ◽

The Impact

All observations and data related to the impact of the 1991/92 drought on the woody vegetation, excluding the riverine vegetation of major rivers, are summarised. This includes data from a visual estimate of damage from aerial photographs, surveys on selected sites, and general observations. Despite lower rainfall, the area north of the Olifants River (excluding the far-northern part) was less affected than the area south of it, suggesting that the woody vegetation in the north is more adapted to drought. A characteristic of the drought was the localised distribution pattern and variable intensity of damage to the same species in the same general area. Information on 31 species are presented briefly. Although a large number of woody species was to some extent damaged, when the woody vegetation is considered as a whole, the influence of the drought was not very severe.

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