Diversité floristique et caractérisation structurale des formations ligneuses des collines dans le canton d'Ataloté au Nord-Togo

Abstract

In order to characterize woody vegetation on hills of North Togo, floristic investigations were carried out in the canton of Ataloté (commune of Kéran 2). The methodological approach consisted in setting up 38 plots (50 m by 20 m) along transects running from the lower slopes to the hilltops. In these plots, all woody species were surveyed and all individuals with a DBH (here at 1.30 m height) greater than or equal to 10 cm were measured dendrometrically. The floristic data obtained were processed using multivariate analysis techniques, in particular ascending hierarchical classification (AHC) and the Weibull method. The results reveal a woody vegetation rich in 132 woody species divided into 93 genera and 43 families, the most important of which are Combretaceae (10.6 % of species), Rubiaceae (8.3 %), Mimosaceae (6.8 % of species) and Moraceae (6.8 %). This vegetation is divided into four types of woody formations with clearly different floristic and structural characteristics. The structure in diameter classes reveals that these woody formations are dominated by small-diameter individuals. This vegetation is a refuge for endangered vegetal species on the IUCN red list and some species that have become rare in the surrounding plains. This study therefore provides a useful for the management, conservation and development of this vegetation specific to hillside community forests.

Keywords

• woody formation
• diversity
• characterization
• Ataloté
• North Togo