Natural Regeneration of Woody Stands in the Groundnut Basin Lands in the Sudano-Sahelian Zone (Region of Kaffrine, Senegal)

The assessment of woody regeneration capacity in Sudano-Sahelian zone in Senegal was determined from the woods inventory and counting. To assess the regenerative potential of the species, an inventory of juvenile plants (basal diameter was less than 3.5 cm) was made. Only the diameter and the height of the highest seedling were measured. Other seedlings supposedly belonging to the same strain were systematically counted. The natural regeneration was strongly dominated by the family of Combretaceae (Combretum glutinosum and Guiera senegalensis), followed by the Caesalpiniaceae (Piliostigma reticulatum). Regeneration capacities varied depending on the lands under the influence of topography gradients and recovery according to a factorial correspondence analysis (soils x species matrix) which allowed the identification of the main groups of lands and to characterize the heterogeneity of the woody stand. There was a variability of the natural regeneration by size and a positive correlation between the height and the basal diameter of seedlings