Survey of ecological structures in Ghana

The ecology is the science of the interrelations of the living matter have with the non-living matter of their direct environment as well as of the interdependencies with each other or with other organisms (including the human). The ecology is considering itself thereby as interdisciplinary field of the biology and the Earth sciences (geology, physical geography, geochemistry). This includes also a consideration of the impacts of human activities on the nature in all their forms of appearance (agriculture, fishing, forestry, mining, transportation, energy production, waste management, tourism etc.).

- The most ridges and furrows of Ghana refer to the Pre-Cambrian period and have an average age of circa 600 Mio years.

- In the middle Volta Basin and along the coast and the coastal hinterland respectively are located the lowest lying areas of Ghana.

- the Coastal Plains

- the Buëm-Togo Ranges

- the Forest Dissected Plateau

- the Southern Volta Plateau

- the Savanna High Plains

- the Gambaga Scarp

a) the Guinea-Congolian Zone (South Western Ghana)

b) the Sudanian Zone (Northern Ghana)

c) the Guinea-Congolian/Sudanian Transition Zone (Middle part of Ghana)

b) the Volta Zone (also called: Butterfly Zone)

• Wet Evergreen (WE)

:

1. precipitation: 1700 - 2030 mm, year-round

2. typical plant species: Cynometra ananta, Tarietia utilis, Tieghemelia heckelii

• Moist Evergreen (ME)

:

1. precipitation: 1500 - 1700 mm, year-round

2. typical plant species: how WE, but in other composition as WE

• Upland Evergreen (UE)

UE-forests are mostly found on hills and mountainous areas.

:

1. precipitation: < 1700 mm, year-round

2. typical plant species: how WE, but in other composition as WE

• Moist Semi-deciduous (MS or MSD)

In the case of Ghana are differenced two sub-types of MSD-areas: a North-Western MSD (NW-MSD), and a South-Eastern MSD (SE-MSD).

:

1. precipitation: 1200 - 1500 mm, with one distinctive dry season

2. evergreen plants, but other predominant species as in the Evergreen sub-zones

• Dry Semi-deciduous (DS or DSD)

This type characterizes the transition between the Rainforest and Guinea Savanna in Ghana.

The zone is partitioned into a inner zone (DSD(IZ)) and a fire zone (DSD(FZ)).

:

1. precipitation: 1100 - 1200 mm, with one distinctive dry season

2. typical plant species:

a) DSD(IZ): Milicia excelsa (name in Ghana: Odum)

3. The DSD(FZ) is characterized by the occurrence of periodic fires, especially during the dry season.

• Southern Marginal (SM)
• Southeast Outlier (SO)

Generally, one defines a savanna as grassland with scattered individual trees in climates where the annual rainfall is from about 500.8 to 1270 mm per year. The decisive criterion in difference to the other vegetation zones is that the rainfall is concentrated in six or eight months of the year, followed by a long period of drought when fires can occur. Especially in the case of Ghana (not so in North America, India, Australia) one is distinguishing:

• Tall-grass Savanna (also called: Guinea Grass Savanna) (TGS)
• Short-grass Savanna (also called: Sudan Grass Savanna) (SGS)

Mangroves are wood-building salt-resistant plants of different botanical affiliation. Their common feature is that they have adapted themselves to the life in tidal areas of tropical coasts and only there they are stand-forming.

• Mangrove forests and swamps including open water areas:

• Mangroves in Ghana
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In the course of implementation of the National Biodiversity Strategy for Ghana (NBSG) (= an action plan of the Ghanaian government for the implementation of the aims of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), which Ghana has signed in June 1992) have been created the following Wildlife Protected Areas (WPAs) in Ghana which represent a total area of 1,347,600 Hectare or 5.6% of the country’s land area. Responsible for the administration of these areas is today (2015) the Ministry of Environment and Science of the Ghanaian government. (All other areas of Ghana have no authentication as protected area.)

There are established seven National Parks (IUCN category II).

- Bia National Park

• Bia National Park
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- Bui National Park

• Bui National Park
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- Digya National Park

- Kakum National Park

• Kakum National Park
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- Kyabobo National Park

• Kyabobo National Park
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- Mole National Park

• Mole National Park
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- Nini-Suhien National Park and Ankasa Conservation Area (Twin Area)

• Ankasa Conservation Area
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(IUCN category V)

- Esen Epam Forest Reserve

• Esen Epam Forest Reserve
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In the Esen Epam Forest Reserve is also located the tallest tree of West Africa. The Big Tree (name first documented in 1931) is a tree of the species Tieghemella heckelii (native name of this species: Bako-tree) with a high of 66.5 metre.

There are established six Resource Reserves (IUCN category VI).

- Assin-Attandanso Game Production Reserve

- Bia Resource Reserve

- Bunkunaw Game Production Reserve (not officially recognized as a protected area of the IUCN category VI)

- Gbele Game Production Reserve

- Kalapka Game Production Reserve

- Shai Hills Game Production Reserve

• Shai Hills Game Production Reserve
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There are established five Wildlife Sanctuaries (no IUCN classification).

- Agumatsa Wildlife Sanctuary

• Agumatsa Wildlife Sanctuary
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- Boabeng-Fiema Wildlife Sanctuary

- Bomfobiri Wildlife Sanctuary

- Owabi Wildlife Sanctuary (also a ramsar zone)

- Tafi Atome Monkey Sanctuary

• Tafi Atome Monkey Sanctuary
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- Bobiri Forest Reserve + Bobiri Butterfly Sanctuary (Twin Area)

• Bobiri Forest Reserve
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There is established one Strict Nature Reserve (no IUCN classification).

- Kogyae Strict Nature Reserve

There are established six Ramsar Zones (wetland areas) (no IUCN classification).

- Densu Delta (also: Denu Lagoon)

• Densu Delta
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- Awuna Lagoon (also called: Keta Lagoon, Anlo-Keta Lagoon)

• Awuna Lagoon
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- Muni Lagoon

- Owabi Wildlife Sanctuary (also a ramsar zone)

- Sakumono Lagoon

• Sakumono Lagoon
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- Songor Lagoon

- Korle Lagoon

• Korle Lagoon
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The National Biodiversity Strategy for Ghana (NBSG) is closely linked with The Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme of the UNESCO and in the context of that to the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves (WNBR).

(categorization as WPA...?)

- Bia Resource Reserve (UNESCO Biosphere Reserve since 1983)

(277.92 km²; was a former part of the Bia National Park)

- Songhaw Biosphere Reserve (UNESCO Biosphere Reserve since 2011)

(also called: Songor Lagoon Reserve)

• Songhaw Biosphere Reserve
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