Structure and dynamics of a tropical dry forest in Ghana

Forest under low rainfall (averaging 745 mm$\text{yr}^{-1}$) on the Shai Hills in S.E. Ghana has redeveloped following cessation of farming in the 1890s. Forest stature is low, with a canopy at about 11 m, principally of three species, Diospyros abyssinica, D. mespiliformis and Millettia thonningii....

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Vegetatio Vol. 88; no. 1; pp. 31 - 51
Main Authors:	Swaine, M.D. (Aberdeen Univ. (UK). Dept. of PLant and Soil Science), Lieberman, D, Hall, J.B
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	Dordrecht Kluwer Publishers 01-07-1990 Kluwer
Subjects:	Animal and plant ecology Animal, plant and microbial ecology Biological and medical sciences BOSQUE TROPICAL CANOPY COUVERT CUBIERTA DE COPAS Demecology DIOSPYROS Dry forests ECOLOGIA FORESTAL ECOLOGIE FORESTIERE FOREST ECOLOGY FOREST LITTER Forest regeneration FORET TROPICALE Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology GHANA HOJARASCA FORESTAL LITIERE FORESTIERE MILLETTIA MORTALIDAD MORTALITE MORTALITY NATURAL REGENERATION Plant litter Plants and fungi PRECIPITACION ATMOSFERICA PRECIPITATION Rain REGENERACION NATURAL REGENERATION NATURELLE Seedlings SOTOBOSQUE SOUS BOIS Trees TROPICAL FORESTS Tropical rain forests UNDERGROWTH Ghana Forests Litter Mortality Tropical zone Africa Natural forest regeneration Decomposition Ghana Vegetation dynamics Vegetation structure
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Summary:	Forest under low rainfall (averaging 745 mm$\text{yr}^{-1}$) on the Shai Hills in S.E. Ghana has redeveloped following cessation of farming in the 1890s. Forest stature is low, with a canopy at about 11 m, principally of three species, Diospyros abyssinica, D. mespiliformis and Millettia thonningii. Drypetes parvifolia and Vepris heterophylla are common understorey trees. Twelve species of woody liane were recorded. Species of thicket vegetation in the area were also present at low density. Most species are evergreen. Tree mortality averaged 2.3%$\text{yr}^{-1}$and exceeded recruitment (1.5%$\text{yr}^{-1}$). Differences between species in mortality and recruitment were pronounced: canopy species showed a small decline in density; understorey species increased markedly and the thicket species declined. Seed production was very variable, but seedling establishment was very poor for all species. Seedling mortality was high (11%$\text{yr}^{-1}$) especially for small seedlings. These population trends probably represent the latter stages of succession of forest regrowth after farming about 100 years ago. Compared with tropical rain forest, Shai Hills forest has similar relative tree diameter growth (1-3.5%$\text{yr}^{-1}$), mortality and recruitment rates, and small-litter fall (5.52 t$\text{ha}^{-1}$ $\text{yr}^{-1}$). Shai Hills forest differs from rain forest by its short stature, relatively few (evergreen) tree species, poor regeneration from seed, high soil nutrient status and low rainfall. Similar forests have been reported in east Africa and in parts of New Guinea.
Bibliography:	9101152 F40 ObjectType-Article-2 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-1 content type line 23
ISSN:	0042-3106 1573-5052
DOI:	10.1007/bf00032601