Characterization of Plant Communities in the Wetlands of Ramsar Site 1017 in Benin

Abstract

This study aims to characterize plant communities in Ramsar Site 1017 in Benin and to analyze their structural patterns in relation to environmental variables. The results indicate that 116 phytosociological surveys, conducted within square plots of 30 m × 30 m, led to the identification of nine plant communities distributed across marine and coastal, continental, and artificial wetlands. Hierarchical classification and Canonical Correspondence Analysis show that cation exchange capacity, clay content, and soil organic carbon are the main factors controlling the distribution of plant communities. The results also reveal marked variability in species richness and Shannon diversity index among communities. Marine and coastal wetlands exhibit

the lowest diversity values (H’ = 0.4–1.9 bits), reflecting strong ecological specialization, whereas several continental and artificial communities display high

diversity levels (H’ > 4 bits). These findings highlight the differential sensitivity of

plant communities to edaphic gradients and anthropogenic pressures and provide

essential scientific evidence to support conservation and sustainable management strategies for Ramsar Site 1017.