Browsing by Author "Sanford, William W."

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    Relationship of Woody Plants to Herbaceous Production in Nigerian Savanna
    (1982) Sanford, William W.; Usman, Sugei; Obot, Emmanuel O.; Isichei, Augustine O.; Wari, Musa
    Evidence is presented that a light, high tree canopy leads to greater production of grasses in the Nigerian Guinea savanna than either full exposure or dense canopy. Furthermore, some shading provides a microenvironment where such favoured species as the Andropogons replace such undesirable species as Schizachyrium sanguineum and Hyparrhenia species. The role of trees in open rangeland in relation to mineral cycling and soil maintenance is briefly discussed. It is recommended that the common practice of clearing all trees to improve rangeland is stopped and a low density of large trees, preferably legumes, be maintained.
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    The Role of the Impractical
    (University of Ife Press, 1973-03-27) Sanford, William W.
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    Savanna
    (John Wiley, 1986) Sanford, William W.; lsichei, Augustine O.
    Very obviously, fire decreases the density of woody stems and late (intense) burning has a greater effect than early burning. In very humid savanna (as in derived savanna regions) the wood volume may sometimes be greater in early burnt plots than in fire protected ones in early successional stages, as smaller mean girth in the fire-protected area may not be compensated for by the increase in stem density. The effect of fire on herbaceous production varies greatly with climate. In drier, more marginal regions early burning or even fire protection may result in higher grass yields than late burning. In the southern derived savanna, time of burning makes little difference in yield, but somewhat greater yield is achieved with late burning. In intermediate (Guinea savanna) regions, late burning usually appears to increase grass above-ground biomass, although no results of long-term experiments are available.