Land Cover Land Use Change and Soil Organic Carbon Under Climate Variability in the Semi-Arid West African Sahel (1960-2050)

Author

Amadou M. Dieye, South Dakota State University

Document Type

Dissertation - Open Access

Award Date

2016

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department / School

Geospatial Science and Engineering

First Advisor

David Roy

Keywords

climate variability, land cover land use, satellite imagery, Senegal West Africa Sahel, soil organic carbon, spatially explicit biogeochemical modeling

Abstract

Land Cover Land Use (LCLU) change affects land surface processes recognized to influence climate change at local, national and global levels. Soil organic carbon is a key component for the functioning of agro-ecosystems and has a direct effect on the physical, chemical and biological characteristics of the soil. The capacity to model and project LCLU change is of considerable interest for mitigation and adaptation measures in response to climate change. A combination of remote sensing analyses, qualitative social survey techniques, and biogeochemical modeling was used to study the relationships between climate change, LCLU change and soil organic carbon in the semiarid rural zone of Senegal between 1960 and 2050. For this purpose, four research hypotheses were addressed. This research aims to contribute to an understanding of future land cover land use change in the semi-arid West African Sahel with respect to climate variability and human activities. Its findings may provide insights to enable policy makers at local to national levels to formulate environmentally and economically adapted policy decisions. This dissertation research has to date resulted in two published and one submitted paper.

Library of Congress Subject Headings

Landscape changes -- Sahel

Landscape changes -- Senegal

Land use -- Sahel

Land use -- Senegal

Climatic changes -- Sahel; Climatic changes -- Senegal

Soils -- Organic compound content -- Sahel

Soils -- Organic compound content -- Senegal

Soils -- Carbon content -- Sahel

Soils -- Carbon content -- Senegal

Arid regions

Description

Includes bibliographical references

Format

application/pdf

Number of Pages

211

Publisher

South Dakota State University

Recommended Citation

Dieye, Amadou M., "Land Cover Land Use Change and Soil Organic Carbon Under Climate Variability in the Semi-Arid West African Sahel (1960-2050)" (2016). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 998.
https://openprairie.sdstate.edu/etd/998