Influence of Anthropic Pressures on the Landscaping Dynamics of the Partial Reserve of Dosso Fauna (Niger)

Abstract

The Dosso Wildlife Reserve is a protected area with buffer zone status in Niger's W National Park. From its creation (1962) to today, the reserve has become the reception area for environmental refugees (agricultural migrants and Fulani pastoralists) from Niger and neighboring countries. A massive destruction of its ligneous and faunal potential has been observed these three decades, decried by the forest managers. This study aims to analyze the landscape dynamics of the reserve covering the period 1986 to 2016. The Landsat 5 TM (1986) and Landsat 8 OLI (2016) images served as a data source for this study. Maximum likelihood-based classification and ecological index computation were used to quantify land cover dynamics and to detect spatial transformations over 30 years using ENVI 7.1 and Arcgis 10.2 software. Overall, the results show a sharp increase in land-fallow and bare soil occupation classes against a clear regression of the natural forest formation classes. The spatial transformations in progress are fragmentation, dissection and perforation of the vegetation classes natural. This study shed light on the spatial transformation processes underway in the reserve landscape and to determine the state indicators that can be used as a basis for the management and conservation of the forest resources of the partial wildlife reserve from Dosso to Niger.