Editing Sahel (section)

===Flora and fauna===
The Sahel is mostly covered in grassland and savanna, with areas of woodland and shrubland. Grass cover is fairly continuous across the region, dominated by annual grass species such as ''[[Cenchrus biflorus]], [[Schoenefeldia gracilis]]'' and ''[[Aristida stipoides]]''. Species of [[acacia]] are the dominant trees, with ''[[Acacia tortilis]]'' the most common, along with ''[[Senegalia senegal]]'' and ''[[Senegalia laeta]]''. Other tree species include ''[[Adansonia digitata]]'', ''[[Commiphora africana]]'', ''[[Balanites aegyptiaca]]'', ''[[Faidherbia albida]]'', ''[[Borassus aethiopum]]'', ''[[Vitellaria paradoxa]]'', ''[[Olea europaea]]'', ''[[Arbutus unedo]]'', ''[[Phoenix canariensis]]'', ''[[Hyphaene compressa]]'', ''[[Cupressus sempervirens]]'', ''[[Quercus coccifera]]'', ''[[Quercus suber]]'', ''[[Pinus nigra]]'', ''[[Populus nigra]]'', ''[[Ceratonia siliqua]]'', ''[[Salix alba]]'', ''[[Afzelia africana]]'', ''[[Kigelia africana]]'', ''[[Sclerocarya birrea]]'', and ''[[Boscia senegalensis]]''. In the northern part of the Sahel, areas of desert shrub, including ''[[Panicum turgidum]]'' and ''[[Aristida sieberiana]]'', alternate with areas of grassland and savanna. During the long dry season, many trees lose their leaves and the predominantly annual grasses die.

The Sahel was formerly home to large populations of grazing mammals, including the [[scimitar oryx|scimitar-horned oryx]] ''(Oryx dammah)'', [[dama gazelle]] ''(Gazella dama)'', [[Dorcas gazelle]] ''(Gazella dorcas)'', [[red-fronted gazelle]] ''(Gazella rufifrons)'', the giant prehistoric buffalo ''([[Pelorovis]])'', and [[Bubal hartebeest]] ''(Alcelaphus buselaphus buselaphus)'', along with large predators, such as the [[African wild dog]] ''(Lycaon pictus)'', the [[Northwest African cheetah]] ''(Acinonyx jubatus hecki)'', the [[Northeast African cheetah]] ''(Acinonyx jubatus soemmeringii)'', and the [[lion]] ''(Panthera leo)''. The larger species have been greatly reduced in number by over-hunting and competition with livestock, and several species are [[vulnerable species|vulnerable]] (Dorcas gazelle, cheetah, lion and red-fronted gazelle), [[endangered species|endangered]] ([[Dama gazelle]] and [[African wild dog]]), or [[extinction|extinct]] (the Scimitar-horned oryx is probably [[extinct in the wild]], and both ''[[Pelorovis]]'' and the Bubal hartebeest are now extinct).

The seasonal wetlands of the Sahel are important for [[migratory bird]]s moving within Africa and on the [[African-Eurasian flyways]].<ref name="wwf"/>