Useful Tree Species for Eastern Africa

a species selection tool based on the VECEA Map



Upland Acacia wooded grassland

Description

Where domestic (or wild) animals are numerous, East African evergreen bushland (Be) has been severely degraded and invaded by Acacia species. It is therefore typical to find Acacia drepanolobium, Acacia hockii, Acacia kirkii and Acacia seyal occurring together with evergreen species such as Carissa edulis, Dodonaea viscosa, Euclea divinorum, Euclea racemosa and Tarchonanthus camphoratus (White 1983 p. 115). Similarly, Evergreen bushland (Be) communities of the Lake Victoria region have been extensively destroyed and replaced by a lightly wooded Acacia grassland dominated by Acacia hockii, Acacia gerrardii, Acacia kirkii, Acacia senegal and Euphorbia candelabrum (also an emergent of evergreen bushland (Be)).

As several of these Acacia species are also typical of Edaphic wooded grassland on drainage-impeded or seasonally flooded soils (wd), we expect that not all areas that were mapped as Upland Acacia wooded grassland are an “alternative steady state” of Evergreen and semi-evergreen bushland and thicket (Be). As we lacked ancillary information, we do not know which portion of Upland Acacia wooded grassland occurs mainly for edaphic reasons (this is something that we will try to resolve in later versions of the VECEA map). Because of the floristic overlap in Acacia species between Acacia-Commiphora deciduous wooded grassland (Wd) and Upland Acacia wooded grassland, it is also possible that some areas that we mapped as Upland Acacia wooded grassland should have been mapped as Acacia-Commiphora deciduous wooded grassland (Wd) instead.


  1. Gachathi 2008; Figure 6.2 in VECEA Volume 3

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.IIIcat.IVcat.VINCNPSum
Be/We0094003,7613,855
We2,9625103596915,24219,259
Sum2,96251943596919,00323,114
IUCNBe/WeWeSum
cat.II02,9622,962
cat.III05151
cat.IV94094
cat.VI03535
NC0969969
NP3,76115,24219,003
Sum3,85519,25923,114

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

Click here for the full terms of use, disclaimer and errors and omissions statement that accompanies our data. When using our data, you agree with these terms.