Abstract:
Vitellaria paradoxa (shea) parklands are
one of the major features of the Sudanian savannah.
Besides the parklands importance in terms of provision
of ecosystem services, they play a major role in
satisfying household subsistence needs. However, the
shea trees on farms are under threat due to the increasing
population growth, inappropriate agricultural practices
and increasing effects of climate change. Thus, we
examine the V. paradoxa population structure and its
regeneration status in parklands under different land
management regimes in four communes of Atacora
department in Northern Benin. Dendrometric parameters were measured in five plots of 50 9 50 m in each
commune and land management regime and the number
of seedling and coppice were assessed. We applied
Weibull theoretical model to compare measured and
expected diameter classes’ densities. The tallest and largest individuals were recorded in fields while old
fallows had the maximum tree density and regeneration
across sites. In over-all, the tree densities across sites as
well as regeneration were low in fields and young
fallows. We also found that the land management
regime significantly influenced regeneration particularly the coppices. On the other hand, the distribution of
diameter classes showed that shea agroforests was
represented by small diameter classes implying a stable
and regenerating population in 92 % of visited sites,
irrespective of the land management regime. Thus, the
state of regeneration in shea parklands appeals for an
improvement in the management of juveniles, a guaranty of future stable population.
