Caractérisation des services écosystémiques fournis par Cordyla pinnata dans la périphérie de la Forêt classée de Patako au Sénégal

Local plant species allow illustrate the diversity of ecosystem services provided by natural ecosystems. The present study has the objective to characterize ecosystem services provided by Cordyla pinnata, an indigenous species of the sudanian zone of Senegal. To achieve this objective, 97 questionnaires were conducted with the head of households around Patako Classified Forest and data analysis was based on ethnobotanical indicators. This study shows that Cordyla pinnata provides 20 ecosystem services which belong to three categories : provisioning services, regulation services and cultural services. The total Use Value (UVt) of the species is 7.9 and UV differ among sites. Factor of Informant Consensus (FIC) is greater than 0.9 in all three categories and Fidelity Levels (FL) are high for food, traditional medicine, wood, shade, soil fertilization and inheritance. Results show that Cordyla pinnata is a useful species in many aspects of local people’s lives. Its UV is higher in sites distant from Patako Classified Forest were the natural vegetation is less abundant. However the majority of these ecosystem services provided by the species are locally perceived and enjoyed and is compromised by the degradation of its stand population in the area. Thus, it appropriate to make local population more conscious about the socio-economic and ecological importance of the species for them so that they the preserve it better and restore it in agro-systems.