http://197.159.135.214/jspui/handle/123456789/961 2026-07-29T17:04:40Z http://197.159.135.214/jspui/handle/123456789/1306 Title: Wildfire Effects on Savannah Ecosystem in The Northern Part of Ghana Amidst a Changing Climate Authors: Naawa, Mwintome Aline Abstract: Wildfires in Ghana's part of the Northern Savannah zone have recently become a primary environmental and socio-economic concern due to climate change and human activities. The aftermath of such a fire can be stretched toward species composition, vegetation structure, and resilience in ecosystem services. For that reason, a careful consideration of its impact and management strategies is imperative. This work systematically evaluated wildfire management strategies at national and local scales, wildfire drivers and impacts were examined, and the effects of wildfires on Northern Ghana's ecosystem structural diversity and vegetation dynamics were assessed. Using a mixed-method approach combining remote sensing data from MODIS-NDVI ground truthing to understand the status of area wildfires from 2000 to 2021, this research analysed climatic variables from 1992 to 2022 relevant to temperature, humidity, and wind speed with fire patterns. Additionally, species composition was studied across frequently burned and non-burned plots, considering fire-tolerant and fire-sensitive species. The analysis used OLS and GWR models to anchor our understanding of the spatial pattern of the wildfires and their driving factors, such as land use and proximity to settlements. The findings reveal that within the study area, active fires number 432,153, with the highest in West Gonja and Mamprugu Moagduri. At the same time, the most significant wildland fire occurrence predictors were proximity to the settlements, slope gradient and temperature, and the most influential was maximum temperature at p < 0.01. Fire-resistant species, such as Vitellaria paradoxa and Parkia biglobosa, were abundant in most areas affected by the fire. The populations of fire-intolerant species, such as Khaya senegalensis, declined considerably. Species richness was 15% lower in the frequently burned areas, and there was a significant shift towards shrubland expansion at the expense of forest cover. The study also identified a decreased burned area over time, p = 0.015, although no significant trend in fire frequency, p = 0.499, was detected. Wildfires threaten savannah ecosystems by reducing biodiversity, altering vegetation, and degrading ecosystem services, with human activities and climate change intensifying their impact. However, integrating wildfire prevention into climate policies, afforestation, controlled burning, and early warning systems can enhance ecosystem resilience in Ghana’s savannah zone. Description: A Thesis submitted to the West African Science Service Centre on Climate Change and Adapted Land Use and the Université Félix Houphouët-Boigny, Côte d’Ivoire, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science Degree in Climate Change and Biodiversity 2025-02-27T00:00:00Z http://197.159.135.214/jspui/handle/123456789/1305 Title: Yam Production Risks Analysis for Food Security Under Climate Change in Gontougo Region (Côte D'ivoire), West Africa Authors: Aka, Kadio Saint Rodrigue Abstract: Yam, a staple food crop in Côte d'Ivoire, is the main source of livelihood for many inhabitants in the Gontougo region. Changes and variations in climate have significant impacts on its productivity. Soil depletion, variations in cropping seasons and dropping down of some agronomic practices due to climatic variability, varieties not adapted to the current climate and growing up of perennial crops such as cashews which dominating the landscape, are the main issues confronting the yam sector in the Gontougo region. This research aims to examine yam production risks and adaptive methods implemented by farmers using different methods. Firsly, we computed LULC changes and examined the vegetation healthy (NDVI) using Landsat 8 images and evaluate their effect on land surface temperature (LST). The Pearson correlation between the two parameters indicated that LST is hot when vegetation is low (strong negative coorelation) and the LULC classes forest and annual crops loose 48.13% and 65.14%, respectively of their areas for the benefit of perennial crops from 2015 to 2022. In the next step, a total of eight composite soil samples were collected ranging from 0 – 40 cm horizon on the yams farming in Tanda’s and Bondoukou’s department which are respectively forest and savannah zones and underwent physicochemical analysis. We discovered that soil under savannah is mainly coarse sandy (52.61%) as opposed to soil under forest which is less coarse sandy (41.63%). By computing some climate indices and surveyed communities, we discovered that yam farmers are mostly worried about rain uncertainties, decreasing of suitable land to grow and surface temperatures due to the decline of vegetation. The effects are felt most in Bondoukou’s department (92.48%) than in Tanda’s department (61%). Finally, the climate change scenarios coupled model intercomparison project phase 6 (CMIP6) historical and future model data including ssp2-4.5 and ssp5-8.5 have been used in the statistical Multiple Linear Regression model. The results of the simulations were carried out over 30 years (2025 - 2054) and indicate that both climate scenarios (ssp2-4.5; ssp5-8.5) show that yam yields will be lower than in the reference period. Yield variations could vary between -10% to -45% depending on the climate scenario. Effective and robust adaptation strategies, agricultural innovation, and substantial investment will be crucial to mitigate these negative impacts and sustain yam production in the face of rapid climate change. Description: A Thesis submitted to the West African Science Service Centre on Climate Change and Adapted Land Use and the Université Félix Houphouët-Boigny, Côte d’Ivoire, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science Degree in Climate Change and Biodiversity 2025-03-27T00:00:00Z