Some Ecological Observations on a Tropical Forest Type in the Gold Coast

Abstract

From September to December 1944 the writer was preparing a Working Plan for the Bobiri Forest Reserve in Ashanti (Gold Coast), and in February and March 1945 revisited it to prepare profile diagrams of one of the forest types. The following observations are based on this work. The preparation of the profile diagrams was part of a larger project initiated by Capt. R. C. Marshall, Chief Conservator of Forests, with a view to determining whether a clear distinction and definition of the rather indefinite 'types' accepted by the Forest Department Staff could be drawn. It is hoped that the full results of this project will be published eventually as a Departmental Bulletin, but owing to shortage of staff this is likely to be deferred for some years. The writer has therefore taken advantage of his leave to prepare these notes on the observations made in the type in which he worked for comparison with the descriptions of other tropical forest types of Davis & Richards (1933, 1934) and Richards (1936, 1939). The methods suggested by Richards, Tansley & Watt (1939) were followed as far as circumstances allowed.