Assessing fruit production and harvesting effects on Carapa procera DC. population, a threatened oil tree in Burkina Faso, West Africa

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Résumé

The exploitation of non-timber forest products contributes considerably to local livelihoods for subsistence in developing countries. The study aims to assess the structure and fruit production of C. procera natural populations in harvesting and non-harvesting sites and to compare the structure characteristics and fruits yields of the two sites. The study was carried out in Burkina Faso on both, harvesting and non-harvesting sites. Eighty fruits bearing trees (40 per site) were sampled, from each, all the fruits were counted. Dendrometric parameters were measured in 80 plots of 1000 m². In each plot, diameter at breast height (dbh) and total height of trees were measured. Density, basal area, mean diameter and height were computed for each site. Analyses of variance were performed to test differences between sites based on measured variables. Weibull theoretical model was used on size class distribution to analyze trees structure in both sites. The results showed that the production of fruits reaches a mean of 6462.73 ± 4237.51 fruits/ha and 9103.44 ± 7631.88 fruits/ha, respectively in non-harvesting and harvesting site. Significant differences (p < 0.05) were found for tree densities, basal area and tree height between sites with highest values in the harvesting site. The size class distribution of trees showed in both sites the existing of potential regeneration with the dominance of young trees (1 < c < 2) with some survival difficulties during the growth stages. C. procera populations exhibit a high potential of fruit production and natural regeneration but are influenced by pressures impact.

Mots-clés

Basal area, Diameter at breast height, Dominance (genetics), Forestry, Weibull distribution, Population, Threatened species, Biology, Agronomy, Agroforestry, Horticulture, Geography, Mathematics, Ecology, Statistics, Demography