Vegetation and fire readiness in main morphological units of Niokolo Koba National Park (Southeast Senegal)

Abstract

Bush fires are the main cause of natural resource degradation in Niokolo Koba National Park. So-called “early fires” or management fires are considered an irreplaceable tool for land management in protected areas. A synthesis of the literature and field observation reveals that plateaus and slopes are the most prone to burning. Fire proneness depends mainly on vegetation characteristics. The main vegetation types on plateaus and slopes are shrub and arboreal savannah, respectively. These savannah types are both dominated by Combretaceae in the ligneous stratum, while in the herbaceous layer species of Poaceae family dominate. The predominance and state of Poaceae in the herbaceous layer are major indicators of fire readiness. It is sought to adopt a strategy for early fire implementation that minimizes impact on natural resources. Any strategy must include an operational system for monitoring herbaceous fuel conditions. Such a system could benefit from new remote sensing technologies when combined with field measurements in the most exposed zones.