African Journal of Ecology and Ecosystems

Full Length Research Paper

The regeneration dynamics of Miombo tree species in Sub-Saharan Africa

Matowo Godbless S¹, Sangeda Anthony Z² and Katani Josiah Z¹

¹Department of Forest Resources Assessment and Management, College of Forestry, Wildlife and Tourism, Sokoine University of Agriculture, P.O. Box 3013, Morogoro, Tanzania.

²Department of Animal, Aquaculture and Range Sciences, College of Agriculture, Sokoine Universityof Agriculture, P.O. Box 3004, Morogoro, Tanzania.

Accepted 19 May, 2019

Abstract

Miombo woodlands support livelihoods of more than 100 million rural and urban dwellers by providing them with a wide range of products and services. Concurrently, Miombo shelters more than 10000 plants and animal species majority of which are endemic. However, overexploitation of Miombo through trees cutting for charcoal, firewood, tobacco curing, farmlands expansion, and wildfires have led to deforestation and forest degradation accompanied by multiple negative effects on human livelihoods. Regeneration as a survival strategy after disturbance is an important plant functional trait for its sustainability. This paper reviewed the regeneration dynamics of Miombo tree species. The aim was to explore regeneration methods, factors affecting regeneration in Miombo ecosystem and proposes the most promising disturbance-dependent regeneration method. Information for this study was obtained by the synthesis of academic articles obtained through standard literature search performed using multiple electronic databases. Studies in Sub-Saharan Africa have demonstrated the vital role of natural regeneration in the sustainable and post-disturbance management of Miombo woodlands. Conclusively, Miombo regenerates sexually through seedlings and vegetatively propagated through root suckers and coppicing. However, vegetative propagation is highly recommended as it offers maximum regeneration with fast growth rate contributing to the rapid recovery of disturbed Miombo woodland ecosystem.