FCapparis scabrida (sapote) grows in arid conditions, in the tropics of South America. To characterize a sapote woodland located near of the town El Tabanco (Piura, Peru) in the study area the trees were georeferenced, measured with a telemeter, and a scaled map was designed. From the map the perimeter, area, trees density and the trees cover was calculate. The Sechura desert in Piura Region is between 6º and 7º S, at 30 to 90 masl. In the woodland the biodiversity included C. scabrida as dominant, Prosopis pallida and C. ovalifolia, with no special plant associations. Tiquilia dichotoma was the only herbaceous plant. The landscape is rugged with high dunes. The vegetation is sparse and scattered. Sapote is able to retain dunes, and there was beekeeping activity. The sapote is overexploited for firewood, charcoal and for wood craft and colour ceramics production; the foliage and fruits are food for goats. The woodland covered 3.3 ha with sapote trees in a irregular grouped pattern, with density of 5.4x10-4 trees m-2 and covering 2.2% of the total area. There were no seedlings or saplings in this area. The sapote dry forest needed urgent conservation.

 

woodland, vegetation, desertification, trees