Spatial Distribution and Bioclimatic Factors of Sudano-Sahelian Agroforestry Tree Species: The Case of African Locust Bean (Parkia Biglobosa) and Shea (Vitellaria Paradoxa) in the Prov-ince of Boulkiemdé, Burkina Faso

Boureima Yo, Joseph Yaméogo, Pawendkisgou Isidore Yanogo

Abstract


African locust bean (Parkia biglobosa) and shea (Vitellaria paradoxa) are emblematic species of West African agroforestry parklands. They play a major role in food security, rural livelihoods and the structuring of agricultural landscapes. However, their spatial distribution is insufficiently documented at the local level, particularly in a context of climate change and increasing pressure on natural resources. This study analyses the spatial distribution and bioclimatic determinants of African locust bean in the province of Boulkiemdé, in central-western Burkina Faso, combining an integrated approach that combines field inventories, spatial analyses and modelling of potential distribution. Data on presence and abundance were collected between November and December 2024 using systematic sampling based on a 3 km grid. The potential distribution of the species was modelled using the MaxEnt model, and the relationships between the probability of presence and bioclimatic variables were analysed using Pearson's correlation. The results highlight a heterogeneous distribution of African locust bean and shea trees, structured by a marked south-north gradient. The southern areas have the highest probabilities of occurrence and densities. The seasonality of rainfall and quarterly precipitation explain the spatial distribution of the species. Conversely, climate variability and temperature extremes appear to be limiting factors. This study highlights the importance of combining ecological modelling and abundance data to inform land use planning and sustainable management of agroforestry parks in the context of climate change.

Keywords: Parkia biglobosa, Vitellaria paradoxa, spatial distribution, climate change, Burkina Faso

© 2026 Serbian Geographical Society, Belgrade, Serbia.

This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Serbia.


Full Text:

PDF

References


Bayala, J., Sanou, J., Teklehaimanot, Z., Kalinganire, A., & Ouédraogo, S. J. (2014). Parklands for buffering climate risk and sustaining agricultural production in the Sahel of West Africa. Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability, 6, 28–34. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cosust.2013.10.004

Boffa, J. M. (1999). Agroforestry parklands in sub-Saharan Africa. Rome: FAO.

Brandt, M., Rasmussen, K., Peñuelas, J., Tian, F., Schurgers, G., Verger, A., Fensholt, R. (2017). Human population growth offsets climate-driven increase in woody vegetation in sub-Saharan Africa. Nature Ecology & Evolution, 1(4), 0081. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-017-0081

Daï, E. H., Houndonougbo, J. S. H., Idohou, R., Ouédraogo, A., Kakaï, R. G., Hotes, S., & Assogbadjo, A. E. (2023). Modeling current and future distribution patterns of Uvariachamae in Benin (West Africa): Challenges and opportunities for its sustainable management. Heliyon, 9(2), Article 13658. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e13658

Dimobe, K., Ouédraogo, A., Ouédraogo, K., Goetze, D., Stein, K., Schmidt, M., ... & Thiombiano, A. (2020). Climate change reduces the distribution area of the Karité tree (Vitellaria paradoxa CF Gaertn.) in Burkina Faso. Journal of Arid Environments, 181, Article 104237. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaridenv.2020.104237

Elith, J., Phillips, S. J., Hastie, T., Dudík, M., Chee, Y. E., & Yates, C. J. (2011). A statistical explanation of MaxEnt for ecologists. Diversity and Distributions, 17(1), 43–57. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1472-4642.2010.00725.x

Faye, E., Diatta, S., Sarr, O., Ndiaye, O., & Lejoly, J. (2018). Structure and dynamics of Parkia biglobosa populations in agroforestry parklands of Senegal. Bois et Forêts des Tropiques, 336, 47–60. https://doi.org/10.19182/bft2018.336.a31606

Garrity, D. P., Akinnifesi, F. K., Ajayi, O. C., Weldesemayat, S. G., Mowo, J. G., Kalinganire, A., Bayala, J. (2010). Evergreen agriculture: A robust approach to sustainable food security in Africa. Food Security, 2(3), 197–214. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12571-010-0070-7

Guisan, A., & Zimmermann, N. E. (2000). Predictive habitat distribution models in ecology. Ecological Modelling, 135(2–3), 147–186. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0304-3800(00)00354-9

Hijmans, R. J., Cameron, S. E., Parra, J. L., Jones, P. G., & Jarvis, A. (2005). Very high-resolution interpolated climate surfaces for global land areas. International Journal of Climatology, 25(15), 1965–1978. https://doi.org/10.1002/joc.1276

Hijmans, R. J., Cameron, S. E., Parra, J. L., Jones, P. G., & Jarvis, A. (2005). Very high resolution interpolated climate surfaces for global land areas. International Journal of Climatology: A Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society, 25(15), 1965-1978. https://doi.org/10.1002/joc.1276

Lambin, E. F., Geist, H. J., & Lepers, E. (2003). Dynamics of land-use and land-cover change in tropical regions. Annual Review of Environment and Resources, 28, 205–241. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.energy.28.050302.105459

Lykke, A. M., Kristensen, M. K., & Ganaba, S. (2013). Valuation of local use and dynamics of 56 woody species in the Sahel. Biodiversity and Conservation, 22(12), 3077–3103. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-013-0564-0

Merow, C., Smith, M. J., & Silander, J. A. (2013). A practical guide to MaxEnt for modeling species’ distributions. Ecography, 36(10), 1058–1069. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0587.2013.07872.x

Nair, P. K. R. (1993). An introduction to agroforestry. Dordrecht: Springer.

Nasare, L. I., Kwapong, P. K., & Stout, J. C. (2025). Geographic variation in Karité (Vitellaria paradoxa subsp. paradoxa) floral phenology and morphology in the Guinea savanna zone of Ghana. Ghana Journal of Science, Technology and Development, 11(1), 55-72. DOI: https://doi.org/10.47881/497.96

Odounharo, O. G. R., Gnansounou, S. C., Salako, K. V., Idohou, R., Mensah, G. A., Glèlè Kakaï, R., & Assogbadjo, A. E. (2022). Medicinal use patterns of Parkia biglobosa (Jacq.) Benth. and Vitellaria paradoxa (Gaertn. F), two important traditional agroforestry species in Benin, West-Africa. Advances in traditional medicine, 22(3), 531-545. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13596-021-00583-6

Ouédraogo, I., Tigabu, M., Savadogo, P., Compaoré, H., Odén, P. C., & Ouédraogo, A. (2014). Population structure and regeneration status of Parkia biglobosa in agroforestry systems in Burkina Faso. Agroforestry Systems, 88(5), 973–989. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10457-014-9737-5

Phillips, S. J., Anderson, R. P., & Schapire, R. E. (2006). Maximum entropy modeling of species geographic distributions. Ecological Modelling, 190(3–4), 231–259. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2005.03.026

Salako, G., Olalubi, O., Adio, A., Sawyerr, H., Adetumbi, M., Adebayo, A., & Zaitsev, A. (2025). Modeling and mapping the distribution and priority seed zone for the conservation of the vulnerable Vitellaria Paradoxa (Karité nut tree) in the Guinea savanna ecosystem. Asian Journal of Water, Environment and Pollution, 22(4), 89-110. DOI:10.36922/AJWEP025210160

Sanou, J., Bayala, J., Teklehaimanot, Z., Bazie, P., & Kalinganire, A. (2012). Phenology and fruit production of Parkia biglobosa in West Africa. Agroforestry Systems, 85(2), 193–205. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10457-012-9509-0

Smith, A., Page, B., Duffy, K., & Slotow, R. (2012). Using Maximum Entropy modeling to predict the potential distributions of large trees for conservation planning. Ecosphere, 3(6), 1-21. DOI:10.1890/ES12-00053.1

Swets, J. A. (1988). Measuring the accuracy of diagnostic systems. Science, 240(4857), 1285–1293. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.3287615

Teklehaimanot, Z. (2004). Exploiting the potential of indigenous agroforestry trees: Parkia biglobosa and Vitellaria paradoxa in sub-Saharan Africa. Agroforestry Systems, 61(1–3), 207–220. https://doi.org/10.1023/B:AGFO.0000028996.98793.9c

Tree seeds for farmers: A toolkit and reference source. World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF).

Thiombiano, A., Schmidt, M., Kreft, H., & Guinko, S. (2006). influence of climatic gradient on the distribution of Combretaceae species in Burkina Faso (West Africa). Candollea, 61, 189–213.

Tosso, D.-F., & Hambuckers, A. (2013). Modélisation de la distribution de six espèces d’arbres multi-usages en Afrique et évaluation de l’effet des changements climatiques (comparaison MaxEnt, logistique, CARAIB). FAO – AGRIS.

Warren, D. L., & Seifert, S. N. (2011). Ecological niche modeling in Maxent: the importance of model complexity and the performance of model selection criteria. Ecological Applications, 21(2), 335–342. DOI:10.2307/29779663

Yabi, C. C., Ayena, J. I. K., Biaou, S., Adomou, S., Houehanou, T. D., & Gouwakinnou, G. N. (2025). Climate change-induced shifts in the ecological niches of Parkia biglobosa (Jacq.) and Vitellaria paradoxa CF Gaertn, two species of agroforestry parks in Benin, West Africa. Trees, Forests and People, 20, Article 100830. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tfp.2025.100830

Yanogo, I. P., & Yameogo J. (2023). Recent rainfall trends between 1990 and 2020: Contrasting characteristics between two climate zones in Burkina Faso. Bulletin of the Serbian Geographical Society, 103(1), 87-106. https://doi.org/10.2298/gsgd2301087y

Yahaya, I. I., Wang, C., Ogbue, C. P., & Yahaya, S. M. (2025). Remote sensing and MaxEnt modeling of canopy and non-canopy forest tree species in Taraba State for biodiversity conservation and ecosystem management. Frontiers in Forests and Global Change, 8, 1631859. https://doi.org/10.3389/ffgc.2025.1631859

Yaméogo, J. (2025a). Annual rainfall trends in the Burkina Faso Sahel: a comparative analysis between Mann–Kendall and innovative trend method (ITM). Discover Applied Sciences, 7(3), 1-17. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42452-025-06675-1

Yameogo, J. (2025b). Spatio-temporal analysis of drought trends recorded during the wettest months in the Mouhoun-Comoé basin in Burkina Faso (Africa): An analysis using Z-score and linear regression. Geographica Pannonica, 29(2), 65-83. https://doi.org/10.5937/gp29-56313

Yaméogo, J. (2025c). Trends and prediction of extreme precipitation indices in three cities of Burkina Faso using non-parametric statistics and the Holt-Winters smoothing method. Meteorology Hydrology and Water Management, 13(1), 1-30. https://doi.org/10.26491/mhwm/209088

Yaméogo, J. (2024). Changes in the seasonal cycles of extreme temperatures in the Sudano-Sahelian domain in West Africa: a case study from Burkina Faso. Meteorology Hydrology and Water Management, 12(2). https://doi.org/10.26491/mhwm/194451

Yaméogo, J., & Sawadogo, A. (2024). Consequences of precipitation variability and socio-economic activity on surface water in the vranso water basin (Burkina Faso). Bulletin of the Serbian Geographical Society, 104(1), 255-266. DOI:10.2298/GSGD2401255Y

Yaméogo, J., Koala, S., Rouamba, S., & Yanogo, P. I. (2026). Spatial distribution and temporal trends in precipitation concentration indices over Burkina Faso from 1993 to 2023. Discover Environment, 4(1), Article 54. https://doi.org/10.1007/s44274-026-00564-z

Yaméogo, J., & Rouamba, S. (2023). Extreme temperature in Burkina Faso: decadal spatio-temporal changes between 1960 and 2019. European Journal of Theoretical and Applied Sciences, 1(6), 441-450. https://doi.org/10.59324/ejtas.2023.1(6).43

Yo, B., Yaméogo, J., Sanou, K., & Yanogo, P. (2025). Extreme heat in Koudougou, Burkina Faso: Analysing trends, community perceptions and migration measures. Bulletin of the Serbian Geographical Society, 105(1), 511–524. https://doi.org/10.2298/GSGD2501511Y

Rouamba, S., Yaméogo, J., Sanou, K., Zongo, R., & Yanogo, I. P. (2023). Trends and variability of extreme climate indices in the Boucle du Mouhoun (Burkina Faso). GEOREVIEW: Scientific Annals of Stefan cel Mare University of Suceava. Geography Series, 33(1), 70-84. https://doi.org/10.4316/georeview.2023.01.07

Yaméogo, J., & Yanogo, I. P. (2023). Impacts and perceptions of climate variability on Karité (Vitellaria paradoxa) and Néré (Parkia biglobosa) in Burkina Faso. The Geographical Bulletin, 1(64), 17-29.

Zenebe, G., Zenebe, A., Birhane, E., Girma, A., & Shiferaw, H. (2024). Revealing suitable habitats for Juniperus procera and Olea europaea tree species in the remnant dry Afromontane forests of Ethiopia: Insights from ensemble species distribution modeling approach. Ecology and Evolution, 14(10), Article e70343. DOI:10.1002/ece3.70343

Zurell, D., Franklin, J., König, C., Bouchet, P.-J., Dormann, C. F., Elith, J., & Merow, C. (2020). A standard protocol for reporting species distribution models. Ecography, 43(9), 1261–1277. DOI:10.18452/22268


Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.