Acacia communities and species responses to soil and climate gradients in the Sudano-Sahelian zone of West Africa

Abiotic environmental factors have a major impact on the distribution and performance of plant species. In order to assess two major species–environmental relations in Sudano-Sahelian Acacia woodlands, we tested the relationship of soil and climate variables on plant diversity as well as on species responses. The indicator species values clustered in five vegetation units characterized by three to ten diagnostic species with woody species richness means varying from three to seven species per 0.09 ha. The NMS ordination explained 65% of the variation in species composition and revealed that soil properties, annual precipitations and temperature range structured the diversity of Acacia communities. Along the annual precipitations gradient, the response of Acacia polyacantha and Acacia hockii showed maxima in the wettest zone of our study area (more than 850 mm/year) whilst Acacia laeta showed a maximum response in the driest zone (below 500 mm/year). The unimodal response of A. hockii, Acacia gourmaensis and Acacia seyal to the soil available water gradient spanned their central borders, respectively from 13 to 18% (optimum 16%), 11–20% (optimum 15%) and 4–12% (optimum 7.5%). The response of Acacia communities and species to soil and climate gradients, makes them performant afforestation species in specific habitats of the Sudano-Sahelian zone. ► Abiotic factors have major impact on the performance of plant species. ► Sample a range of Acacia woodlands across soil and climate gradients. ► Assess the community–environmental relations and model the species responses. ► Soil and climate variables controlled the communities and species responses.