Forest islands of southern Togo: dynamics and relationship with surrounding vegetations

This study deals with floristic and dynamic relationships between forest is lands and surrounding vegetations in coastal plain of southern Togo. These forest islands are essentially sacred groves or "foret pare-feu" near villa ges. Evident relations had been established between forest islands and surr ounding vegetations: (1) phytogeographically, 52,4 % of island species and 32,4 % of surrounding species originate from forest; (2) floristically, 870 species had been encountered, among which 649 in the forest islands and 61 0 in surrounding. 373 species are common for both areas. 11 plant communiti es in the forest and 9 in the surrounding vegetations had been recognized. Most of the surrounding plant communities become forest plant communities w hen human pressure and fire are absents. This forest dynamics is today expl oited by the farmers through agroforestry practices. In fact, in the fallow s surrounding the forest islands, Albizia species (Mimosaceae) are in the m ajority of the trees. At the cultivation season, these species are preserve d in the farms for restoring soil fertility and procuring fire wood.