The potential of secondary forests to restore biodiversity of the lost forests in semi-deciduous West Africa

In West Africa, more than 80% of the original forest cover has disappeared due to exponential growth human populations in a recurrent search for new agricultural land. Once fertility land is exhausted, these areas are abandoned and left be reforested through natural succession. Despite widespread presence secondary forests various ages African landscapes, little known about trajectories recovery environmental factors that influence rates. We set up 96 0.2 ha plots, along chronosequence 1 40 years including 7 controls, on which all trees larger 2.5 cm diameter at breast height were inventoried. modelled four complementary dimensions biodiversity (richness, diversity, composition, indicators old-growth forest) Bayesian framework. Our results show recover different rates, with composition recovering much faster floristic diversity. Among local, landscape, historical studied, number remnants proximity have positive impact with, under good conditions, richness, diversity being almost completely recovered less 25 years. demonstrate very high resilience semi-deciduous but also suggest management post-forest must differentiated according landscape context isolated trees, last vestiges former forest. unfavourable dynamics should assisted by agroforestry practices local tree planting allow rapid restoration goods services populations.