Caractéristiques écologiques et phytosociologiques des galeries forestières de la Réserve de biosphère de la Pendjari (nord-ouest du Bénin)

Abstract

The flora and plant communities of gallery forests were studied of the Biosphere Reserve of Pendjari using the phytosociological approach. A total of 350 plant species were identified, of which 98 are typically gallery forest species of the Sudanian region of northern Benin. We define five plant communities: (1) the Broenadia salicina—Garcinia ovalifolia comm., (2) the Cassia sieberiana—Terminalia glaucescens comm., (3) the Cola laurifolia—Parinari congensis comm., (4) the Garcinia livingstonei—Combretum acutum comm. and (5) the Ficus congensis—Alchornea cordifolia comm., Since the climate does not substantially vary throughout the reserve, relief and topography turn out to be the two major ecological factors that best discrimate gallery forest types in the study area. © 2011, Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.