Publications des scientifiques de l'IRD

Awessou K. G. B., Peugeot Christophe, Rocheteau Alain, Séguis Luc, Do Frédéric, Galle Sylvie, Bellanger M., Agbossou E., Seghieri Josiane. (2017). Differences in transpiration between a forest and an agroforestry tree species in the Sudanian belt. Agroforestry Systems, 91 (3), p. 403-413. ISSN 0167-4366.

Titre du document
Differences in transpiration between a forest and an agroforestry tree species in the Sudanian belt
Année de publication
2017
Type de document
Article référencé dans le Web of Science WOS:000403472600002
Auteurs
Awessou K. G. B., Peugeot Christophe, Rocheteau Alain, Séguis Luc, Do Frédéric, Galle Sylvie, Bellanger M., Agbossou E., Seghieri Josiane
Source
Agroforestry Systems, 2017, 91 (3), p. 403-413 ISSN 0167-4366
Average population growth in the African Sudanian belt is 3 % per year. This leads to a significant increase in cultivated areas at the expense of fallows and forests. For centuries, rural populations have been practicing agroforestry dominated by Vitellaria paradoxa parklands. We wanted to know whether agroforestry can improve local rainfall recycling as well as forest. We compared transpiration and its seasonal variations between Vitellaria paradoxa, the dominant species in fallows, and Isoberlinia doka, the dominant species in dry forests in the Sudanian belt. The fallow and dry forest we studied are located in northwestern Benin, where average annual rainfall is 1200 mm. Sap flow density (SFD) was measured by transient thermal dissipation, from which tree transpiration was deduced. Transpiration of five trees per species was estimated by taking into account the radial profile of SFD. The effect of the species and of the season on transpiration was tested with a generalized linear mixed model. Over the three-year study period, daily transpiration of the agroforestry trees, V. paradoxa (diameters 8-38 cm) ranged between 4.4 and 26.8 L day(-1) while that of the forest trees, I. doka, (diameters 20-38 cm) ranged from 9.8 to 92.6 L day(-1). Daily transpiration of V. paradoxa was significantly lower (15 %) in the dry season than in the rainy season, whereas daily transpiration by I. doka was significantly higher (13 %) in the dry season than in the rainy season. Our results indicate that the woody cover of agroforestry systems is less efficient in recycling local rainfall than forest cover, not only due to lower tree density but also to species composition.
Plan de classement
Bioclimatologie [072] ; Sciences du monde végétal [076] ; Etudes, transformation, conservation du milieu naturel [082]
Description Géographique
BENIN ; ZONE SOUDANNIENNE
Localisation
Fonds IRD [F B010070226]
Identifiant IRD
fdi:010070226
Contact