Effects of soil physical and chemical properties on the distribution of trees in some ecological zones of Zalingei-Darfur; Sudan
Abstract
This paper is part of a big research work on the analysis of woody vegetation and natural regeneration of some areas, as influenced by topography and distance from major wades at the study area. Inventories of tree species abundance, dominance and natural regeneration were made. Composite soil samples were taken from the seven identified ecological zones, the soil samples were analyzed for their chemical and physical properties. The distribution of tree species based on soil characteristic was analyzed. The soil texture of the study area was found to be sandy loam at lower hill slope (LH), Stony hill slope (SH) and lower terraces (LT). Sandy clay loam at sedentary plain (SP) and upper terraces (UT). Loamy sand at contemporary flood plain (CF). Clay at clay plain (CP) and. The soil pH is generally acidic. Faidherbia albida is the dominant tree species in Loamy sand and Sandy loam of (CF) and (LT). Balanites aegyptiaca dominant at the sandy clay loam of (UT). At sandy clay loam of (SP) and Sandy loam of (LH) the dominant species are Albizia amara and Acacia senegal. But Acacia seyal and Acacia Senegal dominant at the CP. Boswellia papyrifera and Albizia amara dominant at the sandy loam of SH. Result of Simpson diversity index showed that the most diversity site is at sandy loam of LT (0.15) , sandy loam of LH (0.26), SH (0.33), CP (0.34), sandy clay loam of SP (0.35), UT (0.41) and there is no diversity at loamy sand of CF. Generally there is no diversity in (CF). The (LT) have the highest diversity index of (0.15).
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Introduction
The study was carried out at Zalingei area of central Darfur state in Sudan, the area lies between latitude 12° 42’ 576’’ N (South point) and 13° 08' 055'' N (North point) and between longitude 23° 39' 761'' E (East point) and 23° 25' 835'' E (West point), with altitude that varies from 890 m to 1121 m above the sea level. The area lies on the semi-arid Savannah zone, which is affected by the elevation of Jebel Marra massif. The soils of the country can be classified as 60% sandy, 30% heavy cracking clays and 10% red soils of different types [1]. This research was conducted to study the Effects of soil physical and chemical properties on the distribution of trees in some ecological zones of Zalingei-Darfur; Sudan with the object of understanding the relationship between dominant tree species in each site and the soil physical and chemical properties. and the effects of soil physical and chemical properties in the woody plant diversity. And Identify, the dominant tree species at the study area.