Floristic and phytogeographical analysis of the ecosystems of Kimpolo I and its surroundings in Kinshasa (Democratic Republic of Congo)

Abstract

The ecosystems of Kimpolo I and its surroundings are located 23 km east of Kinshasa on the western edge of the Bateke Tray. To better understand its floristic richness and its chorological position, an analysis of the florule, autoecological and phytogeographical spectra of the species was undertaken. This study was conducted using floristic material from botanical surveys. On an area of 8.65 km2 surveyed, 219 species were inventoried. They belong to 71 families and 168 genera. The most diverse families in number of species are Fabaceae, Poaceae, Rubiaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Cyperaceae, Apocynaceae and Asteraceae. Ecological spectra show the high representativeness of phanerophyts, geophytes, chamephyts, therophyts and hemicryptophyts. At the phytogeographic level, there is a predominance of regional guineo-Congolese species , followed by those with a very wide distribution and African with a large distribution. From the chorological point of view, this flora is north of the Bas-Congo sector and south of the guineo-Congolese regional center of endemism. In view of the many human activities practiced (shifting cultivation, harvesting and harvesting, irrational exploitation of ecosystems, introduction of exotic species, breeding, hunting, fishing, fish farming, charring of wood, bush fires) in the site whose extent on flora and vegetation is strong, special attention must be given to these threatened ecosystems, for their ecological development and their preservation as a regulator of local climate.