Diversity of Woody Flora around two Apiaries in the Badenou Protected Forest (Northern Cote d-Ivoire)

This study aimed at analyzing the floristic diversity of the woody vegetation around two experimental apiaries installed in the Badenou classified forest. A surface survey was carried out and the number of species, genera, families, Shannon, and Piélou indices were determined. The similarity coefficients of Jaccard and Sorensen were calculated to compare the two sites. An average floristic richness was observed with 96 species grouped into 72 genera and 30 families. The Shannon and Piélou indices were found to be 3.76 and 0.82 respectively. Except the Piélou index, all the determined floristic diversity parameters varied significantly according to the type of vegetation. Thus, the species richness varies from 7.50 ± 2.12 in grass savannah to 21.14 ± 7.06 in open forest; the number of families from 5.50 ± 2.12 in grass savannah to 11.57 ± 4.28 in opens forest, and the Shannon index of 1.57 ± 0.67 in grassy savannah at 2.40 ± 0.42 in open forest. Both sites have the same floristic background. The determination of melliferous species around these apiaries is in progress but these results indicated that the diversity of woody species is a major asset for beekeeping because it is likely to provide the floral resources necessary for a large production of honey.