The Upper Guinea Forest is subject to heavy deforestation. In this context,
many endemic and/or rare plant species are threatened with extinction. This is the
case of Aubregrinia taïensis (Aubrév. & Pellegr.) Heine, a critically
endangered Sapotaceae species, endemic to Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana. After
3 years of investigation in and around the Tai National Park (TNP) in the West of
Côte d’Ivoire, only one individual of this species was located and no sexual
reproductive organs (fruits, seeds) were observed. Woody plant species around this individual were inventoried in order to know the
species that can co-occur with Aubregrinia taïensis. For
that a plot of 30 m of diameter was established around the individual and all of
the woody species of this circle were inventoried. Then, the taxonomic diversity,
the chorology of the species, the conservation
status and their life-form were recorded. A total of 130 woody plant species
belonging to 51 families were collected in the site. The most represented families
are Euphorbiaceae (12 spp.), Rubiaceae (10 spp.), Annonaceae (7 spp.), Fabaceae,
Moraceae, Malvaceae (6 spp. each) while the most represented genera are Diospyros L. (4 spp.), Cola Schott & Endl. and Vitex L. (3 spp.). Species from the Guineo-Congolese Region (GC) are
the most abundant (72%). They are followed by West African endemic species (GCW, 19%). Microphanerophytes (mp) are the most abundant
and represent more than 40% of the species. Three vulnerable species were
found in this plot: Campylospermum amplectens, Placodiscus boya and Trichoscypha cavalliensis. Thus, the preservation of this forest is more
than necessary.
References
[1]
Stévart, T., Dauby, G., Lowry II, P.P., Blach-Overgaard, A., Droissart, V., Harris, D.J., Mackinder, B.A., Schatz, G.E., Sonké, B., Sosef, M.S.M., Svenning, J.-C., Wieringa, J.J. and Couvreur, T.L.P. (2019) A Third of the Tropical African Flora Is Potentially Threatened with Extinction. Science Advances, 5, eaax9444.
https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aax9444
[2]
Myers, N., Mittermeier, R.A., Mittermeier, C.G., da Fonseca, G.A.B. and Kent, J. (2000) Biodiversity Hotspots for Conservation Priorities. Nature, 403, 853-858.
https://doi.org/10.1038/35002501
[3]
Mittermeier, R.A., Turner, W.R., Larsen, F.W., Brooks, T.M and Gascon, C. (2011) Global Biodiversity Conservation: The Critical Role of Hotspots. In: Zachos, F. and Habel, J., Eds., Biodiversity Hotspots, Springer, Berlin, 3-22.
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-20992-5_1
[4]
Koné, M., Kouadio, Y.L., Neuba, D.F.R., Malan, D.F. and Coulibaly, L. (2014) évolution de la couverture forestière de la Côte d’Ivoire des années 1960 au début du 21e Siècle [Evolution of the Forest Cover in Côte d’Ivoire since 1960 to the Beginning of the 21st Century]. International Journal of Innovation and Applied Studies, 7, 782-794.
[5]
Aké Assi, L. (1988) Espèces rares et en voie d’extinction de la flore de la Côte d’Ivoire. Monographs in Systematic Botany from the Missouri Botanical Garden, 25, 461-463.
[6]
Aké Assi, L. (2002) Flore de la Côte d’Ivoire: Catalogue systématique, biogéographie et écologie. II. Boissiera, 58, 1-401.
[7]
Aubréville, A. and Bossanyi, I. (2015) In Search of Forest in Côte d’Ivoire, Parts 1 & 2. Bois et Forêts des Tropiques, 323, 71-101.
https://doi.org/10.19182/bft2015.323.a31247
[8]
Fanfarillo, E., Latini, M. and Abbate, G. (2020) Patterns of Co-Occurrence of Rare and Threatened Species in Winter Arable Plant Communities of Italy. Diversity, 12, Article No. 195. https://doi.org/10.3390/d12050195
[9]
Waser, N.M. (1978) Interspecific Pollen Transfer and Competition between Co-Occurring Plant Species. Oecologia, 36, 223-236.
https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00349811
[10]
Brou, Y.T. (2009) Impacts des modifications bioclimatiques et de l’amenuisement des terres forestières dans les paysanneries ivoiriennes: Quelles solutions pour une agriculture durable en Côte d’Ivoire. Cuadernos Geográficos, 45, 13-29.
[11]
Tom-Dery, D., Struwe, J. and Schroeder J.-M. (2013) Mapping and Tree Species Diversity of the Forest Savanna Mosaic in Ashanti Region, Ghana. African Journal of Agricultural Research, 8, 3608-3617. https://doi.org/10.5897/AJAR12.2177
[12]
The Angiosperm Phylogeny Group (2016) An Update of the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group Classification for the Orders and Families of Flowering Plants. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 181,1-20. https://doi.org/10.1111/boj.12385
[13]
Adou Yao, C.Y., Kpangui, K.B., Kouao, K.J., Adou, L.M.D., Vroh, B.T.A. and N’Guessan, K.E. (2013) Diversité floristique et valeur de la forêt sacrée Bokasso (Est de la Côte d’Ivoire) pour la conservation. VertigO, 13.
https://doi.org/10.4000/vertigo.13500
[14]
Bakayoko, A., Martin, P., Chatelain, C., Traore, D. and Gautier, L. (2011) Diversity, Family Dominance, Life Forms and Ecological Strategies of Forest Fragments Compared to Continuous Forest in Southwestern Côte d’Ivoire. Candollea, 66, 255-262. https://doi.org/10.15553/c2011v662a2
[15]
Bongers, F., Parren, M.P.E., Swaine, M.D. and Traoré, D. (2005) Forest Climbing Plants of West Africa: Introduction. In: Bongers, F., Parren, M.P.E. and Traoré, D., Eds., Forest Climbing Plants of West Africa: Diversity, Ecology and Management, CABI Publishing, Wallingford, 5-18.
[16]
Chatelain, C., Aké Assi, L., Spichiger, R. and Gautier, L. (2011) Cartes de distribution des plantes de Côte d’Ivoire. Boissiera, 64, 1-327.
Poorter, L., Bongers, F., Kouame, F.N. and Hawthorne, W. (2004) Biodiversity of West African Forests: An Ecological Atlas of Woody Plant Species. CABI Publishing, Wallingford, 521 p. https://doi.org/10.1079/9780851997346.0000
[19]
Hawthorne, W. and Jongkind, C. (2008) Woody Plants of Western African Forests. A Guide to the Forest Trees, Shrubs and Lianes from Senegal to Ghana. Kew Publishing, Richmond, 1023 p.
[20]
Bonnéhin, L. (2000) Domestication paysanne des arbres fruitiers Forestiers: Cas de Coula edulis Baill. Olacaceae, et de Tieghemella heckelii Pierre ex A. Chev., Sapotaceae, autour du Parc National de Taï, Côte d’Ivoire. Tropenbos-Côte dívoire, Abidjan, 141 p.
