Understanding the impacts of wood harvesting intensity on the diversity and structure of ecosystems such as mangroves is essential for defining actions for their sustainable management. We compared tree taxonomic diversity, structural diversity and dominance patterns, density, growth characteristics, size class distribution-SCD and stand stability in West African mangroves subject to low vs. high wood harvesting intensity. Data on tree species identity, total height, diameter (dbh), and conditions (logged, topped or pruned) were collected from ten mangrove sites per harvesting intensity. We found seven species of which two true mangroves species (Rhizophora racemosa and Avicennia germinans) that were dominant across all sites. As expected, there were significantly 3–4, 3–7, and 2–4 times more logged, topped and pruned trees respectively in high-harvesting sites than in low-harvesting sites. Taxonomic diversity was less affected than structural diversity (dbh and height-based diversity metrics). Tree density was significantly 1.3–5 times higher in low-harvesting sites than in high-harvesting sites for the whole stand and each of the dominant species. Total regeneration density was also low in high-harvesting sites. However, regeneration density was relatively higher in high-harvesting sites for R. racemosa contrary to A. germinans. Trees were also significantly smaller and shorter in high-harvesting sites. The SCD indicated inverse J-shaped distributions, irrespective of the harvesting intensity and showed that tree harvesting targeted mostly dbh classes 10–30 cm. The density of this class was 2.6–6.2 times lower in high-harvesting sites. This study provides important information on impacts of wood harvesting in a marginally studied mangroves’ area.

了解木材采伐强度对诸如红树林之类的生态系统的多样性和结构的影响，对于定义对其可持续管理的行动至关重要。我们比较了在木材采伐强度相对较低或较高的情况下，西非红树林的树木分类学多样性，结构多样性和优势模式，密度，生长特征，大小等级分布-SCD和林分稳定性。每收获强度从十个红树林地点收集有关树种身份，总高度，直径（dbh）和条件（伐木，摘顶或修剪）的数据。我们发现了七个物种，其中两个是真正的红树林物种（Rhizophora racemosa和Avicennia Germinans）在所有网站中占主导地位。正如预期的那样，高收割地的砍伐，砍伐和修剪的树木分别比低收割地的砍伐，砍伐，修剪和修剪的树木高出三至四倍，三至七倍和二至四倍。与结构多样性（dbh和基于高度的多样性指标）相比，分类学多样性受到的影响较小。对于整个林分和每个优势种，低采伐区的树木密度比高采伐区的树木密度高1.3-5倍。在高产区，总的再生密度也很低。然而，与高发芽孢杆菌相反， 在高收割位置的R. racemosa的再生密度相对较高。。高收割地区的树木也明显较小和较短。SCD表示呈倒J形分布，与采伐强度无关，并表明采伐树木主要针对10–30 cm的dbh级。在高收割地点，此类的密度降低了2.6-6.2倍。这项研究提供了有关边缘采伐的红树林地区木材采伐影响的重要信息。