Woody species diversity as a function of land use types and environmental factors in agroforestry landscapes of Senegal

This study examines the diversity and distribution of woody species in relation to land use and environmental factors across three agroforestry landscapes in the Senegalese Sahel (Ouarkhokh, Niakhar, and Koussanar). A total of 91 species from 27 families were recorded across 400 one-hectare plots, established using a stratified weighted sampling technique. The highest species richness was observed in the Sahelo-Sudanian (60 species, 21 families) and Sudano-Sahelian zones (56 species, 16 families), while the Sahelian zone (Ouarkhokh) had 31 species from 13 families. Dominant families included Fabaceae, Combretaceae, Anacardiaceae, Apocynaceae, Malvaceae, Rubiaceae , and Rhamnaceae . Land use mapping, based on supervised classification, identified natural vegetation, cultivated lands, plantations, water bodies, bare soils, and artificial surfaces. Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) revealed three species groups: Fabaceae and Malvaceae , dominant in cultivated areas and plantations, influenced by high temperature and evapotranspiration; Combretaceae , prevalent in natural vegetation zones, associated with higher elevation and temperature; and species adapted to high rainfall, biomass, and clay content. The study highlights that temperature, rainfall, evapotranspiration, and topography play key roles in shaping woody species distribution, with land use significantly influencing their spatial patterns.