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Grass savannas on lateritic crusts are characteristic landscape elements of the Sudanian savannas. In the W National Park and its surroundings in SE-Burkina Faso, plant diversity of savannas on and adjacent to bowé was assessed by a survey of 19 bowal areas with relevés along transects in each of these. The vegetation structure and species composition of the herb and shrub strata, soil depth, particle size and the concentration of Na+, K+, Mg2+, Ca2+, H+, C and N were recorded on each bowal and its surroundings. Our results show that soils on lateritic crusts are rather shallow and acidic compared to the surrounding savanna woodlands. Nutrient availability is hence comparatively low. The observed flora comprises 130 species mainly belonging to the families Combretaceae, Cyperaceae, Leguminosae and Poaceae with a predominance of therophytes and a comparatively high share of C4 species. In the pastures surrounding the National Park a higher species richness was found than inside the Park due to the occurrence of pioneers, ruderal and unpalatable plants. Savannas on lateritic crusts exhibit due to their extreme edaphic and hydrological conditions a specific flora distinct from their surroundings.
Background: The West African country of Burkina Faso (BFA) is an example for the enduring importance of traditional plant use today. A large proportion of its 17 million inhabitants lives in rural communities and strongly depends on local plant products for their livelihood. However, literature on traditional plant use is still scarce and a comprehensive analysis for the country is still missing.
Methods: In this study we combine the information of a recently published plant checklist with information from ethnobotanical literature for a comprehensive, national scale analysis of plant use in Burkina Faso. We quantify the application of plant species in 10 different use categories, evaluate plant use on a plant family level and use the relative importance index to rank all species in the country according to their usefulness. We focus on traditional medicine and quantify the use of plants as remedy against 22 classes of health disorders, evaluate plant use in traditional medicine on the level of plant families and rank all species used in traditional medicine according to their respective usefulness.
Results: A total of 1033 species (50%) in Burkina Faso had a documented use. Traditional medicine, human nutrition and animal fodder were the most important use categories. The 12 most common plant families in BFA differed considerably in their usefulness and application. Fabaceae, Poaceae and Malvaceae were the plant families with the most used species. In this study Khaya senegalensis, Adansonia digitata and Diospyros mespiliformis were ranked the top useful plants in BFA. Infections/Infestations, digestive system disorders and genitourinary disorders are the health problems most commonly addressed with medicinal plants. Fabaceae, Poaceae, Asteraceae, Apocynaceae, Malvaceae and Rubiaceae were the most important plant families in traditional medicine. Tamarindus indica, Vitellaria paradoxa and Adansonia digitata were ranked the most important medicinal plants.
Conclusions: The national-scale analysis revealed systematic patterns of traditional plant use throughout BFA. These results are of interest for applied research, as a detailed knowledge of traditional plant use can a) help to communicate conservation needs and b) facilitate future research on drug screening.
This paper contains the results of research on a large assemblage of jumping spiders collected by J.-C. Ledoux from Ivory Coast in 1974–75. In total, 105 species are included. Three new genera are erected Pulcherula gen. nov., Sphericula gen. nov. and Vicirionessa gen. nov. Two generic names are synonymized, Polemus Simon, 1902 with Baryphas Simon, 1902 and Brancus Simon, 1902 with Thyene Simon, 1885. Twenty eight new species are described: Afraflacilla albopunctata sp. nov. (♀), Ansienulina lamottei sp. nov. (♂), Asemonaea pusilla sp. nov. (♀), Detalik cavally sp. nov. (♀), Evarcha zougoussi sp. nov. (♀), Heliophanus (Heliophanus) minimus sp. nov. (♂♀), Hyllus ignotus sp. nov. (♀), Hyllus solus sp. nov. (♀), Hyllus unicolor sp. nov. (♀), Icius bandama sp. nov. (♂♀), Langona recta sp. nov. (♂), Malizna zabkai sp. nov. (♀), Menemerus niangbo sp. nov. (♀), Myrmarachne galea sp. nov. (♀), Phintella brevis sp. nov. (♂), Phintella globosa sp. nov. (♀), Phintella occidentalis sp. nov. (♂), Phintella transversa sp. nov. (♂), Pochytoides mirabilis sp. nov. (♂♀), Pochytoides tonkoui sp. nov. (♀), Pochytoides tournieri sp. nov. (♂), Pulcherula magna gen. et sp. nov. (♂), Rhene ferkensis sp. nov. (♀), Sonoita ledouxi sp. nov. (♂♀), Sphericula globulifera gen. et sp. nov. (♀), Thiratoscirtus silvestris sp. nov. (♂♀), Tusitala bandama sp. nov. (♀) and Tusitala cornuta sp. nov. (♂). Five specific names are synonymized: Polemus chrysochirus Simon, 1902 with Baryphas jullieni Simon, 1902, Viciria mondoni Berland & Millot, 1941with Malloneta guineensis Simon, 1902, Brancus lacrimosus Wesołowska & Edwards 2008 with Vicirionessa fuscimana (Simon, 1903), Viciria monodi Berland & Millot, 1941 and Viciria equestris pallida Berland & Millot, 1941 with Vicirionessa equestris (Simon, 1903). Hyllus natali peckhamorum Berland & Millot, 1941 is removed from synonymy of Hyllus brevitarsis Simon, 1902, revalidated and its rank is raised as Hyllus peckhamorum Berland & Millot, 1941 stat. nov. Also rank of Telamonia aequipes minor Lessert, 1925 is elevated as Phintella minor (Lessert, 1925) stat. nov. Menemerus dubius Berland & Millot, 1941 is removed from nomina dubia. This species is considered valid and is redescribed. A lectotype is designated for it. The male of Mexcala torquata Wesołowska, 2009 and females of Hyllus tuberculatus Wanless & Clark, 1975, Iranattus principalis (Wesołowska, 2000), Myrmarachne eidmanni Roewer, 1942 and Thiratoscirtus tentativus (Szűts & Jocqué, 2001) are described for the first time. Many new combinations are proposed. Twenty ex Brancus are recombined: Hyllus nigeriensis (Wesołowska & Edwards, 2012) comb. nov., Thyene blaisei (Simon, 1902) comb. nov., Thyene calebi (Kanesharatnam & Benjamin, 2018) comb. nov., Thyene mutica (Simon, 1902) comb. nov., Thyene verdieri (Berland & Millot, 1941) comb. nov., Vicirionessa besanconi (Berland & Millot, 1941) gen. et comb. nov., Vicirionessa fuscimana (Simon, 1903) gen. et comb. nov., Vicirionessa mustela (Simon, 1902) gen. et comb. nov., Vicirionessa niveimana (Simon, 1902) gen. et comb. nov., Vicirionessa occidentalis (Wesołowska & Russell-Smith, 2011) gen. et comb. nov., Vicirionessa peckhamorum (Lessert, 1927) gen. et comb. nov., Vicirionessa signata (Dawidowicz & Wesołowska, 2016) gen. et comb. nov. Four ex Viciria are recombined: Vicirionessa chabanaudi (Fage, 1923) gen. et comb. nov., Vicirionessa equestris (Simon, 1903) gen. et comb. nov., Vicirionessa prenanti (Berland & Millot, 1941) gen. et comb. nov., Vicirionessa tergina (Simon, 1903) gen. et comb. nov. and one species ex Hyllus: Vicirionessa albocincta (Thorell, 1899) gen. et comb. nov. Furthermore, the following two new combinations are proposed: Thiratoscirtus tentativus (Szűts & Jocqué, 2001) comb. nov. (ex Bacelarella) and Baryphas galeatus (Simon, 1902) comb. nov. (ex Polemus). For 11 species known so far from single records new data are presented: Heliophanus butemboensis Wesołowska, 1986, Hyllus lwoffi Berland & Millot, 1941, Hyllus tuberculatus Wanless & Clark, 1975, Menemerus dubius Berland & Millot, 1941, Mexcala torquata Wesołowska, 2009, Neaetha maxima Wesołowska & Russell-Smith, 2011, Pachyballus miniscutulus Wesołowska, Azarkina & Wiśniewski 2020, Phintella paludosa Wesołowska & Edwards, 2012, Thiratoscirtus gambari Wesołowska & Russell-Smith, 2011, Tusitala guineensis Berland & Millot, 1941 and Tusitala lutzi Lessert, 1927.
A taxonomic revision of Desplatsia Bocq. (Malvaceae s. lat. Juss., subfamily Grewioideae Hochr., tribe Grewieae Endl.) based on about 800 herbarium specimens is presented. Desplatsia is a genus of trees and shrubs found in tropical West and Central Africa and is characterized by subulately divided stipules, the absence of an androgynophore, stamens that are fused to a tube at the base, and large and distinctive fruits that are dispersed by elephants. Four species are recognized (D. subericarpa Bocq., D. chrysochlamys (Mildbr. & Burret) Mildbr. & Burret, D. dewevrei (De Wild. & T.Durand) Burret and D. mildbraedii Burret) and 12 species names are placed into synonymy, two of which have been put into synonymy for the first time: D. floribunda Burret syn. nov. and D. trillesiana (Pierre ex De Wild.) Pierre ex A.Chev. syn. nov. All four species are widely distributed and their conservation status is assessed as Least Concern (LC). A key to the species, full species descriptions, illustrations, a specimen citation list and distribution maps are provided.
The conspicuous Mediterranean brittle star Ophioderma longicauda (Bruzelius, 1805) has been discovered to represent a cryptic species complex, consisting of six nuclear clusters with contrasting reproductive modes (broadcast spawners and brooders). Here, O. longicauda is re-described. It is distinguished by a dark reddish-brown colouration both dorsally and on the ventral disc, and multiple tumid dorsal arm plates. One eastern Mediterranean brooding cluster is described as O. zibrowii sp. nov., characterized by a dark olive-green colour both dorsally and on the ventral disc, and single dorsal arm plates. Another brooder is described from Tunisia as O. hybrida sp. nov., with a highly variable morphology that reflects its origin by hybridization of O. longicauda and a brooder (possibly O. zibrowii sp. nov.), leaving the third brooding cluster as morphologically indistinguishable at this point and possibly conspecific with one of the others. The West-African O. guineense Greef, 1882 is resurrected as a valid species, differing morphologically from O. longicauda by predominantly single dorsal arm plates and light green or creamy white ventral side. Also from West Africa, O. africana sp. nov. is described, characterized by a dark brown colour, dorsally and ventrally, and single dorsal arm plates.
Knowledge about the herbaceous layer in relation to environmental factors in West African savannas is still scarce. Early life-cycle events like germination of the herbaceous species are of special interest, as these stages can play critical roles in establishing of the plants and determine population and community dynamics. We aim to assess intraspecific differences in the germinability of herbaceous savanna species with respect to environmental conditions to reveal adaptations in this early life cycle stage. The study was conducted in the Sudanian savanna of Burkina Faso in West Africa. We collected seeds of two annual herbs (Chamaecrista mimosoides, Spermacoce stachydea) along a climatic gradient from different habitats and land use types and conducted germination experiments under equal conditions in climate chambers. For both species several environmental factors showed a significant impact on the germination rates. While higher precipitation caused an increase in the germination rate only for S. stachydea, habitat conditions had a significant influence for both species. Intermediate habitats with balanced soil moisture caused an enhancement of the germination success. Moreover shrub cover had a positive effect on the germinability of C. mimosoides, whereas the germinability of S. stachydea decreased due to an increasing herbaceous cover. The study showed that certain environmental factors are able to modify the intraspecific variability of the germinability trait, which might affect the establishment of the species populations.
Cercosporoid fungi (Mycosphaerellaceae, Mycosphaerellales, Ascomycota) are one of the largest and most diverse groups of hyphomycetes causing a wide range of diseases of economically important plants as well as of plants in the wild. Although more than 6000 species are known for this group, the documentation of this fungal group is far from complete. Especially in the tropics, the diversity of cercosporoid fungi is poorly known. The present study aims to identify and characterise cercosporoid fungi collected on host plants belonging to Fabaceae in Benin, West Africa. Information on their morphology, host species and DNA sequence data (18S rDNA, 28S rDNA, ITS and tef1) is provided. DNA sequence data were obtained by a simple and non-culture-based method for DNA isolation which has been applied for cercosporoid fungi for the first time in the context of the present study. Among the loci used for the phylogenetic analysis, tef1 provided the best resolution together with the multigene dataset. Species delimitation in many cases, however, was only possible by combining molecular sequence data with morphological characteristics. Based on forty specimens recently collected in Benin, 18 species are presented with morphological descriptions, illustrations and sequence data. Among these, six species in the genus Cercospora and two species in Pseudocercospora are proposed as species new to science. The newly described species are Cercospora (C.) beninensis on Crotalaria macrocalyx, C. parakouensis on Desmodium tortuosum, C. rhynchophora on Vigna unguiculata, C. vignae-subterraneae on Vigna subterranea, C. tentaculifera on Vigna unguiculata, C. zorniicola on Zornia glochidiata, Pseudocercospora sennicola on Senna occidentalis and Pseudocercospora tabei on Vigna unguiculata. Eight species of cercosporoid fungi are reported for Benin for the first time, three of them, namely C. cf. canscorina, C. cf. fagopyri and C. phaseoli-lunati are new for West Africa. The presence of two species of cercosporoid fungi on Fabaceae previously reported from Benin, namely Nothopassalora personata and Passalora arachidicola, is confirmed.
Our recent surveys of the herpetological diversity of the West African Togo Hills documented a total of 65 reptile and amphibian species, making Kyabobo National Park one of the most diverse sites surveyed in Ghana. We provide accounts for all species recorded along with photographs to aid in identification. We recorded 26 amphibians, including six new records for Kyabobo N. P., one of which is a record for the Togo Hills. Our collection of reptile species (22 lizards, 16 snakes, and one crocodile) also provides new records and range extensions for Kyabobo N. P., such as the first observation of the dwarf crocodile, Osteolaemus tetraspis. Amphibian species still lacking from our surveys in the Togo Hills include several species that are adapted to fast running water or large closed forests, like the Togo toad, Bufo togoensis and the slippery frog, Conraua derooi. Appropriate habitat for such species still remains in Kyabobo, highlighting the need for additional survey work. We draw attention to the importance of conserving forest stream habitats, which will in turn help ensure the persistence of forest-restricted species. We also highlight those species that may prove most useful for evolutionary studies of West African rain forest biogeography.
This thesis develops a conceptual framework for a better understanding of the impact of slow-onset climate and environmental changes on human migration in developing countries. Its regional focus is on the West African Sahel, where the majority of the population depends on agriculture and thus is highly vulnerable to environmental changes. Migration from fragile environments is predominantly considered one of several household strategies to adapt to and minimise the risk of environmental stress. Based on qualitative and quantitative data from two selected rural study areas, Bandiagara in Mali and Linguère in Senegal, this thesis analyses the drivers of migration from the two areas.
The findings illustrate that, even though people highly depend on the natural environment, migration motives are manifold and that migration often is not a household strategy to cope with environmental changes. Although environmental conditions shape migration in the region and the migrants’ support is crucial for most households, environmental stress plays a relatively small role as a driver of migration - at least in Mali, where it is considerably less important than in Senegal. On the contrary, migration is often driven by better opportunities elsewhere rather than by livelihood stressors in the home area. Particularly the migration of young people is often an individual rather than a household decision and influenced by individual aspirations, such as aspirations for consumer goods or a better future, rather than by environmental stress.
This thesis claims that research should consider people’s capabilities to migrate or to stay as well as their individual aspirations and preferences - in addition to the household’s needs and the opportunities elsewhere. This is important in order to explain why some people stay in and others migrate from an area affected by environmental stress, though living under similar conditions. Depending on people’s capabilities to choose freely between staying and migrating and their preferences and aspirations for one or the other activity, people can either be “voluntary migrants”, “voluntary non-migrants”, “forced migrants” or “trapped people”.
Moreover, it is important to consider social trends and transformation processes in the analysis of the linkages between environment change and migration. Higher education levels and aspirations to a “modern” lifestyle among young people, for instance, might decrease the impact of environmental factors on migration, despite worsening environmental conditions.