Land use patterns and tree species diversity in the Volta Geological Unit, Togo

• Published in: Journal of mountain science 2019-08, Vol.16 (8), p.1869-1882
• Main Authors: Folega, Fousseni, Atakpama, Wouyo, Wala, Kperkouma, Mukete, Beckline, Shozo, Shibata, Akira, Osawa, Zhao, Xiu-hai, Akpagana, Koffi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Afforestation; Agricultural land; Biodiversity; Dominant species; Earth and Environmental Science; Earth Sciences; Ecology; Environment; Geography; Height; Image classification; Land use; Landsat; Landsat satellites; Multiplication; Plant diversity; Plant species; Rainforests; Reforestation; Regeneration; Regeneration (biological); Regions; Remote sensing; Sandstone; Satellite imagery; Savannahs; Sedimentary rocks; Species diversity; Stand structure; Taxonomy; Trees; Wildlife conservation
• ISSN: 1672-6316; 1993-0321; 1008-2786
• DOI: 10.1007/s11629-018-5154-4

The application of remote sensing in understanding tree species structural diversity and land use patterns relationship is imperative for reforestation and biodiversity conservation efforts. This study assesses land use patterns and tree species structural diversity in previously reforested hilly sandstone regions of northern Togo. The physical height, and diameter at breast height (DBH) more than 5 cm of all tree species in each given plot were measured in summer 2017. A total of 75 plots of 900 m 2 installed along the toposequence were recorded. In addition, a semi-supervised classification of Landsat 8 images in January of 2018, was also used to classify the land use patterns. 36 tree species and 19 families were recorded for the entire study area. Meanwhile, 19 tree species and 15 families were recorded for the previously afforested zones. The most abundant species included the Sterculiaceae, Zygophyllaceae, Meliaceae , and Mimosaceae . The trees stand structure represented 8.61 ± 0.57 m, 11.28 ± 1.76 cm, and 0.018 ± 0.009 m 2 per hectare for height, diameter and basal area respectively. Major land use patterns were tree and shrub savannahs, parklands and croplands which represented over 60% of the landscape. It is necessary to examine the regeneration and vegetative multiplication potentials of the most frequent and abundant tree species for any eventual future afforestation programs in these hilly sandstone regions of northern Togo.