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Prospective analysis of land use dynamics in the town of N'Dali (North-East Benin)

Université d’Abomey-Calavi (UAC), Dept. of Geography and Regional Planning, Benin

Abstract

The anthropisation of forest ecosystems has become a major environmental problem impacting biodiversity in the study area. The aim of this study is to assess the spatial and temporal dynamics of land-use units in the N'Dali town. The methodological approach was based on the use of satellite images, including Landsat TM from 1980, Landsat ETM from 2000 and Oli Tirs from 2020, with 30 m × 30 m resolution. Processing was carried out using a method based on supervised classification. Analysis and interpretation focused on spatio-temporal dynamics, with the aim of determining the positive and negative effects in terms of vegetation cover increase and regression resulting from the various uses of wood resources. The result of all these efforts was the mapping of land-use units in the N'Dali town. The CA-MARKOV model under IDRISI Selva was used to model land use units for the 2060 horizon. The results show that the period from 1980 to 2000 saw a decline in natural formations (open forest and savannah, surface water) in favour of anthropogenic formations (settlements, grassland and thicket, plantations, field and fallow mosaics, field and fallow mosaics under plantations). Savannahs and gallery forests declined by 68.69% and 69.32% respectively. Cultivated areas and housing increased by 206.54% and 82.08% respectively. Between 2000 and 2020, forests and gallery forests declined by 45.76% and 37.92% respectively. Anthropogenic units (cultivated, farmed and residential areas) have increased by 108.27% and 180.47%, respectively. Modelling of land-use units by 2060 showed a decline in forest, savannah and gallery forest of 5.28%, 13.92% and 15.78%, respectively. Housing and cultivated areas increased by 8.57% and 79.58%, respectively in the town of N'Dali.

Keywords: Cartography, land use, modelling, N'Dali town, prospective analysis

Contact Address: N. Innocent Gbai, Université d’Abomey-Calavi (UAC), Dept. of Geography and Regional Planning, 677, Abomey-Calavi, Benin, e-mail: gbainofodogmail.com