Land use dictates diversity, density and regeneration of woody species in southwestern Mali, West Africa

Despite the progression of land degradation and deforestation leading to vegetation fragmentation, most of the population in Mali are still strongly dependent on trees. The current study aimed at exploring how woody species diversity, density and regeneration varies with land use types (farmland, fallow and forest). The study also puts a particular focus on abundance, regeneration and distribution of Parkia biglobosa, a high value tree crop. Data were gathered through systematic vegetation surveys in 48 quadrat plots of 50×50 m distributed in three land use types.