Analysis of the Relationship between Wildfire Occurrences and Population Trend within the Shores of Lake Chad Basin Using Geoinformation

A Dami,H K Ayuba,M Bila

doi:10.5539/jgg.v4n1p49

Abstract

The study focuses and examines the relationship that exists between wildfire occurrence and the population trend within the shore of the Lake Chad. Geospatial analysis of fire pixel counts from MODIS images of the period 2001 – 2009 was performed to determine the relationship between the wildfire occurrences and the population trend. The interpretation of SPOT panchromatic imagery in combination with field survey provided perimeters of settlements and estimated population in the area with the highest fire density in the north basin of Lake Chad. Major findings shows that the distribution of wildfires on the floor of Lake Chad for the period 2001-2009 reflected a spatial relationship with the distribution of vegetation and a temporal relationship with the seasonality of human-ecosystem interactions. The total number of fires recorded on the Lake floor is 25,690 leading to a burnt area of 19,274 km2. The population trend however, is increasing while that of wildfire occurrences is decreasing. The increasing trend in population against a decreasing trend in wildfire occurrences is an indication of the gradual conversion of the wild habitat between the old and the new shorelines of Lake Chad through human-ecosystem interactions from wild land to human occupation and exploitation.

Highlights

The treaty signed by the Member States of the Lake Chad Basin Commission defined a geographical area of jurisdiction measuring 987,000 km2 called the “Conventional Basin”
The study focuses and examines the relationship that exists between wildfire occurrence and the population trend within the shore of the Lake Chad
Major findings shows that the distribution of wildfires on the floor of Lake Chad for the period 2001-2009 reflected a spatial relationship with the distribution of vegetation and a temporal relationship with the seasonality of human-ecosystem interactions

Summary

Introduction

The treaty signed by the Member States of the Lake Chad Basin Commission defined a geographical area of jurisdiction measuring 987,000 km called the “Conventional Basin”. Since 1984 when the United States Geological Survey (USGS) published Argon and LANDSAT satellites images of the shrinking Lake Chad, the attention of policy makers, scientists and the general public has been on the possibility that the Lake Chad might disappear This state of thinking has been given added impetus in the sub-region by the resolution of the 10th Summit of Head of States and Governments of the Lake Chad Basin Commission Member States held in Ndjamena in 1998 that launched a campaign to save the Lake Chad from disappearing. In the recent past there is a long-term reduction in rainfall in the semi-arid regions of West Africa, on the order of 20 to 40% in parts of the Sahel (Nicholson, 2001) This reduction of rainfall has led to increased exploitation of the Lake Chad Basin water in irrigation by public irrigation agencies. This migration is leading to clearing wild habitat into new settlements and the new rural settlements are likely to lead to an increase in the demand for wood as a source of household energy and construction material

Methods

Findings

Discussion

Conclusion