Population Structure and Toposequence Distribution of Boscia senegalensis (Pers.) Lam. ex Poir and Sclerocarya birrea (A. Rich) Hoscht in the Ferlo (Senegal)

Abstract

The general objective of this study is to describe the demographic structure and distribution according to topographic units of two woody species, Boscia senegalensis (Pers.) Lam. Ex Poir and Sclerocarya birrea (A. Rich) Hoscht in Widou Thiengoly (Ferlo) in northern Senegal. Stratified random sampling was used to carry out the study taking into consideration the topographic units (low background, pouring and tray). The ligneous inventory method consisted in carrying out vegetation surveys using a dendrometric approach with a minimum area of 2500 m2 . The results obtained indicate that in the study area, the population of B. senegalensis is denser (42 ± 7.3 ind/ha) compared to that of S. birrea (6.1 ± 3.4 ind/ha). Topographic variability has a great influence on the life of the species. The study of the structure of individuals in diameter and height classes has shown that the population of B. senegalensis is shrubby and is generally renewed itself well, unlike that of S. birrea, which is more mature and whose lack of regeneration seems to compromise the renewal of the population. Given the total lack of regeneration of the species, this population, therefore requires more effective conservation strategies for its restoration.