Mapping of soil degradation factors and their impacts on plant biodiversity
1 Department of Geography, Faculty of Arts, Letter and Human Sciences University of Ngaoundere, Cameroon.
2 Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences; University of Ngaoundere, Cameroon.
3 Department of Geography, Faculty of Arts, Letter and Human Sciences University of Maroua, Cameroon.
Research Article
World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews, 2023, 17(01), 984–991
Article DOI: 10.30574/wjarr.2023.17.1.1478
Publication history:
Received on 22 November 2022; revised on 19 January 2023; accepted on 21 January 2023
Abstract:
To contribute to the knowledge of the factors of soil degradation and the loss of biodiversity in the corridors of the Benue National Park, the general objective of this work is to identify the factors of soil degradation and determine their impacts on plant biodiversity. Hence, it will it will be necessary to do an inventory on the factors of soil degradation in the corridors of the BNP; study between 2005 and 2015 by remote sensing and Geographic Information Systems (GIS), the land use of the Areas of Hunting Interest in which the corridors are located and make inventory on the floristic diversity of the park. The transect method was used to identify soil degradation factors. The aerial mapping made it possible to highlight the different classes of land use as well as their areas.
The floristic inventory carried out using the transect method made it possible to do a study on the distribution of the flora. Among the soil degradation factors inventoried, agriculture (74.22%) is practiced more in all corridors. It is followed by the town planning process (9.53%), carbonization (7.19%), pastoral practice (6.56%) and gold panning (2.50%). A satellite view showed an extension of land use from 1.41% for bare soil to 36.57% (fields) to the detriment of the initial vegetation. The floristic inventory revealed an equitable distribution of vegetation according to their abundance. In view of these results, it is important to set up strategies for the conservation and restoration of biodiversity.
It therefore seems urgent to undertake methods to restore these soils.
Keywords:
Soil degradation; Corridor; Benue National Park; Mapping of soil
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Copyright © 2023 Author(s) retain the copyright of this article. This article is published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Liscense 4.0