Useful Tree Species for Eastern Africa

a species selection tool based on the VECEA Map



Somalia-Masai semi-desert grassland and shrubland

Description

White (1983) does not think that there is an objective criterion to separate arid regions from wet regions, although he also mentions that semi-desert areas usually begin to appear where the mean annual rainfall drops below 250 mm, the southern boundary of the Sahara desert corresponds to the 150 mm isohyet and the northern boundary of the Sahara desert corresponds to the 100 mm isohyet. However, he defines semi-deserts as areas where the differences in soil characteristics (such as soil colour) are more conspicuous than the vegetation itself, but where the plants are still sufficiently evenly distributed so that the vegetation can be further classified in physiognomic categories such as “semi-desert grassland” and “semi-desert shrubland” (White 1983 pp. 52 - 53).

Where annual rainfall is between 100 and 200 mm in the Somalia-Masai floristic region, semi-desert grassland (dominated by Centropodia glauca, Eragrostis mahrana and Panicum turgidum) occurs on deep sand. Under similar rainfall conditions, semi-desert shrubland occurs on stony soils (White 1983 p. 115).


F. Gachathi 2010; Figure 9.2 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.IIcat.IVcat.VINCNPSum
Bds/S00631023,3213,486
S3178561,4084,22793,832100,640
Sum3178561,4714,32997,153104,126
IUCNBds/SSSum
cat.II0317317
cat.IV0856856
cat.VI631,4081,471
NC1024,2274,329
NP3,32193,83297,153
Sum3,486100,640104,126

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

Citation and terms of use

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