Border and ecotone detection by vegetation composition along forest-savanna transects in Ivory Coast

Abstract

Abstract Question: How do properties of different vegetation components vary along ecotones of semi-deciduous forest islands, and can the depth of edge influence (DEI) of the components be detected using a novel combination of analyses? Location: Comoe National Park (CNP), NE Ivory Coast. Methods: Along eight transects at semi-deciduous forest islands tree individuals > 20 cm DBH were mapped. At one transect, tree and shrub individuals down to 1 cm DBH were measured and cover of species was estimated. Split moving window dissimilarity analysis (SMWDA) and moving window regression analysis (MWRA) were combined to detect statistical significance of borders in multivariate vegetation data along continuous transects, to determine the width of associated ecotones, and, thus, the DEI towards the forest interior. Results: For trees > 20 cm DBH, a distinct boundary formation was detected, dominated by the semi-fire resistant tree species Anogeissus leiocarpus. The median of DEI towards the forest interior was 55 ...