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Questions and Answers
What is the characteristic of trees that reduces moisture loss during the dry season?
What is the term for the period of no leaves in a tree's cycle?
Which of the following is NOT a suggested factor that controls flowering and fruiting?
What is the result of periodic variation in cloud cover, day length, and solar elevation in forest canopies?
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What is the role of daily sunshine hours in forest canopies?
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What is the characteristic of tree species that produce new leaves as they shed old ones?
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What was the limitation of previous classifications of forests in Ghana?
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What percentage of the total forest area is covered by the Moist Evergreen forest type in Ghana?
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What is the name of the forest type that covers an area of 6570 km2 in Ghana?
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How many sample plots were used in the classification of forests in Ghana by Hall and Swaine?
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What is the term used to describe the arrangement of samples or species in a uni-multi-dimensional order?
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What type of data was included in the classification of forests in Ghana by Hall and Swaine?
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What is the minimum annual rainfall in the Wet Evergreen forest area?
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What is unique about the forest floor in the Wet Evergreen forest type?
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Which of the following tree species is absent or rarely found in the Wet Evergreen forest?
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What is the approximate mean height of the tallest trees in the Wet Evergreen forest?
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What percentage of canopy trees are deciduous in the Wet Evergreen forest?
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Which of the following forest reserves falls within the Wet Evergreen forest type?
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What is unique about the structure and floristic of the forest type being described?
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What is the characteristic of the hills where the Upland Evergreen forests occur?
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What is the reason for high nutrient levels in the Upland Evergreen forests?
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What is the vegetation characteristic of the Upland Evergreen forests?
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What is the effect of wind on the tall trees in the Upland Evergreen forests?
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What is the only forest type influenced by elevation?
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What is the average height of the tallest trees in the Dry Semi Deciduous Forest?
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Which species is found rarely elsewhere in Ghana but is widespread in African forests?
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What is the rainfall range in the Moist Semi Deciduous Forest?
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What is the characteristic of the deciduousness in the Dry Semi Deciduous Forest compared to other forest types?
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What is the location of the outliers of the Dry Semi Deciduous Forest?
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Which type of forest harbors elephants more than any other type?
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Study Notes
Forest Classification in Ghana
- Previous classifications, such as Taylor's attempt, were similar to Mooney's and recognized four forest types: Rainforest, Lophira-Triplochiton Association, Celtis-Triplochiton, and Antiaris-Chlorophora.
- However, these classifications were based on arbitrary schemes, lacked an objective approach, and neglected the driest forest.
Forest Types in Ghana
- There are seven forest types in Ghana, classified based on 155 sample plots:
- Wet Evergreen (8.1% of total forest area)
- Moist Evergreen (21.9% of total forest area)
- Upland Evergreen (0.3% of total forest area)
- Moist Semi-Deciduous (40.2% of total forest area)
- Dry Semi-Deciduous (remaining percentage of total forest area)
- South East Type (18,460 km2)
- North West Type (14,430 km2)
Characteristics of Forest Types
- Wet Evergreen Forest:
- Found in the southwestern corner of the forest zone
- Annual rainfall exceeds 1750mm
- Soils are severely leached
- Floristically the richest forest type
- Few commercial timber species
- Mean height of the tallest tree is about 32m
- Moist Evergreen Forest:
- Lies between the Wet Evergreen and Moist Semi-Deciduous forest types
- Lowest diversity and gregariousness among trees
- Some species have disjunct distribution
- Upland Evergreen Forest:
- Occurs on isolated hills ranging from 500-700m above sea level
- Key features include steep-sided hills, flat tops, and clayey soils
- Soils are shallow in several places
- Nutrient levels are high
- Temperatures are relatively low
- Least deciduousness
- Great diversity of epiphyte species
- Unique flora found only on mountains in other parts of Africa
- Moist Semi-Deciduous Forest:
- Rainfall is between 1500-1800mm
- Includes important research plots: Bobire, Kade, Amentia/Pra Anum
- Contains fewer reserves than the other sub-type
- Dry Semi-Deciduous Forest:
- Covers a wider geographical extent
- Exists under a wider set of environmental conditions
- Forms a peripheral band around the High Forest Zone
- Adjacent to the savannah in the North
- Stretches from the western border of Ghana to the east of Koforidua
- Outliers are found between Wnchi and Kintampo
- Rainfall is between 1250-1500mm
- Fewer species occur here than in other forest types
- Tallest trees are between 30-45m
- Deciduousness is higher than in other forest types
Periodicity and Seasonal Rhythm
- Periodicity is related to the timing of rainfall patterns
- Proportion of trees without leaves peaks at the middle of the dry season
- Reduces moisture loss
- Evidence is common in large trees
- Forest types and species distribution, characteristic of species, age, physiological status, and site conditions are affected
Flowering and Fruiting
- Factors that control flowering and fruiting differ for different species and sites
- Suggested factors include:
- Daily sunshine hours
- Severe dry season or drought
- Critical minimum temperatures
- Photoperiod
- Physiological status of the plant
- These factors are triggers and photosynthate build-up promoters
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Description
This quiz examines the classification of forests in Ghana, including the attempts of Taylor and Hall and Swaine, and the characteristics of different forest types such as rainforests and deciduous forests. Test your knowledge of the different forest classification schemes and their features. Learn about the importance of objective approaches in forest classification and how they differ from previous subjective methods.
