Overview

This comprehensive survey comprises a documentation of the climatic and geological factors and an analysis of the natural plant communities of the sahelian ecosystems. Moreover, studies of the land-use and livestock production systems, and the primary and secondary productivity of the Sahel are presented, taking into account the various physical, biological, societal, political and economic factors influencing or constricting their development. The principles, methods and possible data interpretation for the monitoring of ecosystems are discussed, supplemented by a case study in Senegal. The reader will also benefit by a competent insight into the fundamental ecological and developmental problems of the Sahel and other African arid lands in general.

Full Product Details

Author:   Henry N. Le Houerou
Publisher:   Springer-Verlag Berlin and Heidelberg GmbH & Co. KG
Imprint:   Springer-Verlag Berlin and Heidelberg GmbH & Co. K
Volume:   75
Weight:   0.585kg
ISBN:  

9783540507918

ISBN 10:   3540507914
Pages:   292
Publication Date:   16 November 1989
Audience:   College/higher education ,  Professional and scholarly ,  Undergraduate ,  Postgraduate, Research & Scholarly
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   Out of stock  
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Table of Contents

1 Definition, Geographical Limits, Contacts with Other Ecoclimatic Zones.- 2 Environmental Characteristics.- 2.1 Climatic Factors.- 2.1.1 General.- 2.1.2 Rainfall.- 2.1.3 Temperature.- 2.1.4 Solar Radiation.- 2.1.5 Wind.- 2.1.6 Air Humidity and Saturation Deficit.- 2.1.7 Evaporation and Evapotranspiration.- 2.1.8 Seasons.- 2.2 Edaphic Factors.- 2.2.1 Geology.- 2.2.2 Geomorphology.- 2.2.3 Topography.- 2.2.4 Hydrology.- 2.2.5 Soils.- 2.2.6 Runoff, Erosion.- 2.3 Anthropozoic Factors: Man and Land Use.- 2.4 Ecoclimatic Classification.- 3 Flora and Vegetation.- 3.1 Flora.- 3.2 Vegetation.- 3.2.1 Physiognomy and Structure.- 3.2.2 Plant Communities.- 3.2.3 Seasonal Aspects, Short-Term Dynamics.- 3.2.4 Biological Recovery After Drought.- 3.2.5 Long Term Dynamics: The Role of Wildfires.- 3.2.6 Inventory and Mapping.- 3.2.7 Primary Production.- 3.2.8 The Screen Function, Energy Flow Conversion, Photosynthetic Efficiency.- 3.2.9 Water and Rain-Use Efficiencies.- 3.2.10 Grazing Value.- 4 Wildlife.- 4.1 General.- 4.2 Invertebrates.- 4.2.1 Non-Social Arthropods.- 4.2.2 Social Arthropods.- 4.3 Vertebrates.- 4.3.1 Herpetofauna.- 4.3.2 Birds.- 4.3.3 Mammals.- 4.3.4 Rodents.- 4.3.5 Consumption of Seeds by Granivores.- 4.3.6 Large Mammals.- 4.4 Conclusions.- 5 Livestock.- 5.1 General.- 5.2 Livestock Numbers, Evolution of Numbers, Densities, Stocking Rates.- 5.3 Breeds.- 5.4 Herd and Flock Structure and Demography.- 5.5 Average Production Parameters.- 5.6 Productivity.- 5.6.1 Transport.- 5.6.2 Draught.- 5.6.3 Hides, Skins, Wood, Hair.- 5.6.4 Dung and Manure.- 5.6.5 Meat.- 5.6.6 Milk.- 5.7 Disease, Parasitism, Predation, Theft.- 5.8 Production Systems and Herd Management.- 5.8.1 The Sedentary Agropastoral Systems of Central Mali.- 5.8.2 The Short-Range Transhuman Agropastoral Systems.- 5.8.3 Long-Range Pastoral Systems.- 5.8.4 Agro-Sylvo-Pastoral Systems.- 5.9 Nutrition, Plant-Animal Relationships, Grazing Patterns, Grazing and Herding Management, Stock Behaviour, Stocking Rates and Carrying Capacities.- 6 Development Outlook; Constraints and Limits.- 6.1 Range Improvement and Development.- 6.1.1 Range Seeding.- 6.1.2 Range Management.- 6.2 Development Outlook.- 6.2.1 Range Development.- 6.2.2 Development of Livestock Production.- 6.2.3 Agropastoralism.- 6.2.4 Agroforestry.- 6.2.5 Livestock Health and Water Development.- 7 Monitoring: A Case Study, the Ferlo Region of Northern Senegal.- 7.1 Introduction.- 7.2 The Pilot Zone of the Ferlo.- 7.2.1 Geographical Zoning and Administrative Setup.- 7.2.2 Climate.- 7.2.3 The Substratum.- 7.2.4 Surface Water.- 7.2.5 Vegetation and Rangelands.- 7.2.6 Wildlife.- 7.2.7 Livestock.- 7.2.8 Evolution of Land Use and History of Development.- 7.3 Monitoring.- 7.3.1 Principles, Problems and Methods.- 7.3.2 Evaluation of Green Herbaceous Biomass by Orbital Remote Sensing.- 7.3.3 Evaluation of Range Production from Ground Sampling.- 7.3.4 Low Altitude Systematic Reconnaissance Flights (SRF).- 7.3.5 Practical Results.- 7.4 Conclusions on Monitoring.- 8 General Conclusions: Towards an Ecological Management of the Sahelian Ecosystems.- References.- Index of Scientific Names.- Animals.- Plants.

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