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Type: Monograph
Published: 2017-04-18
Page range: 1–215
Abstract views: 19
PDF downloaded: 1

Diversity, distribution and preliminary conservation status of the flora of Burkina Faso

Dept. of Botany and Molecular Evolution, Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt, Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany Institute for Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, J.W. Goethe University, Max-von-Laue-Straße 13, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre, Georg-Voigt-Straße 14-16, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Institute for Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Carl Skottsbergsgatan 22B, 41319 Göteborg, Sweden
Laboratoire de Biologie et Ecologie Végétales, Université de Ouagadougou, 09 BP 848 Ouagadougou 09, Burkina Faso 5Anzengruberstraße 16, 92318 Neumarkt i.d. Oberpfalz, Germany
Anzengruberstraße 16, 92318 Neumarkt i.d. Oberpfalz, Germany
Conservatoire et Jardin botaniques de la Ville de Genève (CJB), Chemin de l’Impératrice 1, 1292 Chambésy, Switzerland
CIRAD, Campus international de Baillarguet, 34398 Montpellier Cedex 5, France
Dept. of Botany and Molecular Evolution, Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt, Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany Institute for Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, J.W. Goethe University, Max-von-Laue-Straße 13, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Institute for Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, J.W. Goethe University, Max-von-Laue-Straße 13, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Dept. of Botany and Molecular Evolution, Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt, Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany Institute for Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, J.W. Goethe University, Max-von-Laue-Straße 13, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre, Georg-Voigt-Straße 14-16, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Laboratoire de Botanique Systématique et Ecologie Végétale, Université de N’Djaména, BP 1027, N'Djaména, Tchad
Millennium Seed Bank, Conservation Science, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Wakehurst Place, Ardingly, RH17 6TN, West Sussex, United Kingdom
Laboratoire de Biologie et Ecologie Végétales, Université de Ouagadougou, 09 BP 848 Ouagadougou 09, Burkina Faso
Laboratoire de Biologie et Ecologie Végétales, Université de Ouagadougou, 09 BP 848 Ouagadougou 09, Burkina Faso
Laboratoire de Biologie et Ecologie Végétales, Université de Ouagadougou, 09 BP 848 Ouagadougou 09, Burkina Faso
Laboratoire de Biologie et Ecologie Végétales, Université de Ouagadougou, 09 BP 848 Ouagadougou 09, Burkina Faso
Institute for Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, J.W. Goethe University, Max-von-Laue-Straße 13, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Darwinweg 2, 2333 CR Leiden, The Netherlands
Dept. of Botany and Molecular Evolution, Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt, Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany Institute for Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, J.W. Goethe University, Max-von-Laue-Straße 13, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Laboratoire de Biologie et Ecologie Végétales, Université de Ouagadougou, 09 BP 848 Ouagadougou 09, Burkina Faso Institut de Sciences, 01 BP 1757, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
automated conservation assessment distribution ranges habitat loss plant occurrence species distribution models threatened species red list vegetation West Africa General

Abstract

West Africa is a floristically understudied region that is facing severe environmental changes in the 21st century. Basic distribution data and information on the conservation status for most plant species of the region are scarce, and good information only exists for small areas of interest or for key species. This lack of knowledge seriously hampers urgently needed regional conservation efforts. Here we present comprehensive distribution information and preliminary, automated species conservation assessments for the flora of Burkina Faso, a country in tropical West Africa with a flora and vegetation typical for the savanna belt of the region. We documented and analysed the distribution of 1,568 species or 80% of the flora of Burkina Faso based on an expert curated dataset comprising ca. 150,000 occurrence records from herbarium specimens and vegetation surveys. We used this dataset and environmental niche models to calculate three indicator variables for a preliminary, automated conservation assessment. We classified 350 species (18% of the flora, excluding introduced species) as potentially "Critically Endangered", "Endangered", "Vulnerable" or "Near-Threatened" on the national level. The analyses confirmed species-rich areas in the south-west and south-east of the country, and showed a particular concentration of potentially Endangered species in the south. Furthermore, the proportion of potentially Endangered species differed between plant families, growth forms and habitats. Our results set the base for further plant geographical and ecological studies and are a data-driven baseline for further conservation assessments and large scale conservation strategies of the West African flora.