Useful Tree Species for Eastern Africa

a species selection tool based on the VECEA Map



Edaphic grassland on drainage-impeded or seasonally flooded soils (g)

Description

Within the VECEA map, we loosely defined “edaphic grassland” as “edaphic grassland with a very low density of scattered woody species”. White (1983) used a threshold value of 10% woody cover to distinguish between grasslands and woody grasslands. In contrast, Pratt et al. 1966 defined grasslands as "land dominated by grasses and occasionally other herbs; sometimes with widely scattered or grouped trees and shrubs, the canopy cover of which does not exceed 2%".

For the regional map, all areas classified as (edaphic) wooded grasslands on the national maps were classified as such on the regional map as well. For the areas mapped as grasslands or areas which classification was ambiguous on the national maps, we used the average woody vegetation cover estimates by the MODIS Vegetation Continuous Fields collection (version 5) [1] for the 2000-2010 period to distinguish between grasslands and woody grasslands. All areas with a estimated tree cover > 10% were classified as edaphic woody grasslands (wd) and the remainder as edaphic grasslands.

Although White (1983) described edaphic grasslands and wooded grasslands separately for the various floristic regions, we did not apply a floristic classification system to edaphic grasslands and edaphic wooded grasslands in the VECEA map.


  1. Gachathi 2008; Figure 12.1 in VECEA Volume 5

Useful woody species

The main species recorded to occur within this vegetation type are listed below. Clicking the name of any of these species will open the page for that species on the Agroforestry Species Switchboard.

For more detailed information about the species occurrences see this excel workbook. It provides country specific information on species composition for this vegetation type. It also allows you to select a subset of useful tree species to provide desired products and services. For each species links to a number of websites / databases with information about this species are provided as well.

Conservation status

The table shows the area (km2) of the PNV is outside the protected areas (NP) and the area protected within one of the protected areas, split by IUCN management category. Only the nationally designated protected areas were included.

PNVcat.Ibcat.IIcat.IIIcat.IVcat.Vcat.VINCNPSum
Bd/g0000001,0212,0293,050
g04,11121,05004242,85440,42448,865
g/P051000012604667
g/T03,1630004,00868210,58318,436
g/Wk04250005,5231982,7168,862
g/X010,1240422032,8967,26488,834139,540
Wn/g1024,025019,578914819,59483,426126,864
Sum10221,899221,0509142,89931,625228,616346,284
IUCNBd/ggg/Pg/Tg/Wkg/XWn/gSum
cat.Ib000000102102
cat.II04,111513,16342510,1244,02521,899
cat.III02000002
cat.IV01,05000042219,57821,050
cat.V0000009191
cat.VI042404,0085,52332,8964842,899
NC1,0212,854126821987,26419,59431,625
NP2,02940,42460410,5832,71688,83483,426228,616
Sum3,05048,86566718,4368,862139,540126,864346,284

Ia - Strict nature reserve, Ib - Wilderness area, II - National park, III - Natural monument or feature, IV - Habitat/species management area, V - Protected landscape/seascape, VI - Protected area with sustainable use of natural resources, NC - unclassified or not assigned, NP - outside the protected areas

Links

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