Useful Tree Species for Eastern Africa

a species selection tool based on the VECEA Map



Zambezian dry deciduous forest and scrub forest

Description

Zambezian dry deciduous forests have a canopy that varies from 12 to 25 m that is not always continuous. Zambezian dry deciduous forests occur in those parts of the Zambezian region where rainfall is between 600 and 900 mm per year. These forests are characteristically found on certain deep (usually sandy) soils which absorb all the rainfall and lateral seepage water and thereby remain moist at depth throughout the greater part of the dry season (White 1983 p. 90).

White (1983 p. 90) distinguishes between Baikiaea forests (forests virtually confined to Kalahari Sand where Baikiaea plurijuga forms an almost pure canopy and Pterocarpus lucens is an abundant subdominant species) and related forests where Baikiaea plurijuga is absent, that occur in the valleys of the middle and lower Zambezi and that show continuous floristic change towards the east (i.e. towards Malawi).


C. Dudley; Figure 13.1 in VECEA Volume 2

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.

PNVIIVINCNPSum
Fn8941,6311,8213,8908,236
Sum8941,6311,8213,8908,236
IUCNFnSum
II894894
VI1,6311,631
NC1,8211,821
NP3,8903,890
Sum8,2368,236

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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