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Affem Boussou community forest (AFC) abounds in important biological resources. This study, which contributes to its better management, examines the spatiotemporal dynamics of the vegetation and its ecological and structural characteristics to propose a zoning plan for said forest. The analysis of the spatiotemporal dynamics of land use in the AFC from Google Earth images of 2015, 2018, and 2021 revealed a regressive trend of formations: crops and fallows (−33.98%), dense dry forests (−7.92%), gallery forests (−3.46%), plantations (−100%), grassy savannahs, and meadows (−18.84%), except for tree/shrub savannahs (484.23%). The floristic inventory identified 163 species divided into 129 genera and 55 families. Fabaceae (14.02%), and Combretaceae (10.55%) are the most represented families. Anogeissus leiocarpa (5.19%) and Vitellaria paradoxa (4.72%) are the most frequent species. We note the dominance of individuals of small diameters. The regeneration potential of the AFC is 64 feet/ha due to 21 feet/ha of suckers, 29 feet/ha of seedlings, and 14 feet/ha of shoots. As a zoning plan, the AFC was subdivided into four zones: the agroforestry zone (18.80%), the sustainable production forest zone (42.22%), the buffer zone (11%), and the biological conservation zone (28%). These results constitute a scientific basis for testing ecological indicators of the sustainable management of community forests in Togo.

Climate change and anthropogenic pressures are increasingly affecting land resources, especially wetlands. This work is a contribution to the sustainable management of wetlands in Togo, particularly in the Ogou basin, which are still not been the focus of scientific investigations. The objectives of this study are to (i) map the diversity of wetlands in the Ogou River basin, and (ii) analyze the wetland habitat fragmentation at the landscape level in the study area. First, three images from Landsat 8 of 2017 and 2018 were used for wetland mapping in ENVI 4.7 software. The unsupervised classification ISODATA were used after a color composition based on neochannels (Brighness, Greeness of the Tasseled Cap and the Modified Water Detection Index (MNDWI)). Next, the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) was used to map land cover for wetland categorization. Field surveys and very high resolution Google Earth images were used to evaluate the land use and wetland mapping, using Pontius matrix which showed total discrepancies of 20% and 21% for land use and wetlands, respectively. Finally, the ''LECOS'' extension of the QGIS software was used to calculate landscape fragmentation based on landscape metrics. Two wetland types were identified according to Ramsar categorization. The “inland wetlands” (90.66%) consists of forested peatlands (33%), tree-dominated freshwater wetlands (26.68%), bush-dominated wetlands (22.14%), and non-forested peatlands (8.84%). The “artificial wetlands” (09.34%) consists of seasonally flooded agricultural land (09.32%) and water storage areas (0.03%). These wetlands make up 34.98% of the land use in the study area. The landscape metrics revealed that these wetlands are differently affected by the fragmentation process. Thus, at the global scale inland wetlands are less fragmented than artificial wetlands. However, at a more detailed scale of categorization, bush-dominated wetlands are the most fragmented on the landscape. Study results indicate that knowledge on landscape configuration will be important to monitor wetland dynamics in multifunctional areas. This study can assist in efforts towards the biological conservation and ecological restoration planning addressing wetland resources in the study area.

The aims of this research was to estimate total carbon stock of the agroforestry system in the Sudanese tropical region of Togo. Physical measurements (height, diameter, and tree density) of trees in major agroforestry parklands were carried out on random quadrat (900 m2) samples. The total biomass carbon stock was computed following the tropical dry area allometric equation as suggested by Brown (1997). Results showed that recorded total carbon stock in agroforestry systems species in the study zone was 81.2 t ha?1 with Adansonia digitata, Parkia biglobosa, Sterculia setigera and Vitelaria paradoxa tree species respectively accumulated 34.7 t ha-1, 20.1 t ha-1, 8.4 t ha-1, and 3.9 t ha-1. The A. digitata parkland (mature one) has shown the highest total carbon stock (16.9 t ha-1), whereas the low values occurred in young parkland (0.23 t ha-1). Among the five parklands of the study zone, high carbon stock accumulated in Diameter at Brest Height (DBH) class ranging from [0-10] to [30-40]. The agroforestry system in the study zone could contribute to improving the functionality of the whole ecosystem by its substantial capacity to sequester carbon. In the context of reducing global warming with the objective to improve country income through the green and clean mechanism of ecosystems; agroforestry systems could be efficiently promoted by adhering to Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation project (REDD+) and to clean development mechanism (CDM). Keywords: Agroforestry, above-below ground biomass, carbon stock, Togo

Understanding forest carbon budget and dynamics for sustainable resource management and ecosystem functions requires quantification of above- and below-ground biomass at individual tree species and stand levels. In this study, a total of 122 trees (9-12 per species) were destructively sampled to determine above- and below-ground biomass of 12 tree species (Acer mandshuricum, Acer mono, Betula platyphylla, Carpinus cordata, Fraxinus mandshurica, Juglans mandshurica, Maackia amurensis, P. koraiensis, Populus ussuriensis, Quercus mongolica, Tilia amurensis and Ulmus japonica) in coniferous and broadleaved mixed forests of Northeastern China, an area of the largest natural forest in the country. Biomass allocation was examined and biomass models were developed using diameter as independent variable for individual tree species and all species combined. The results showed that the largest biomass allocation of all species combined was on stems (57.1%), followed by coarse root (21.3%), branch (18.7%), and foliage (2.9%). The log-transformed model was statistically significant for all biomass components, although predicting power was higher for species-specific models than for all species combined, general biomass models, and higher for stems, roots, above-ground biomass, and total tree biomass than for branch and foliage biomass. These findings supplement the previous studies on this forest type by additional sample trees, species and locations, and support biomass research on forest carbon budget and dynamics by management activities such as thinning and harvesting in the northeastern part of China.

In Togo, the building of harbor facilities, the construction of the hydroelectric dam plant of Nangbeto, urban growth and activities relating to the installation of fish farms, and the expansion of croplands are the major causes of a drastic degradation of mangroves. For a better management of this ecosystem, assessment of the current structure of mangroves, their spatiotemporal dynamics and socioeconomic issues related to mangroves were performed. Data from forest inventory, structured interviews and Landsat images of 1986 and 2014 were used. Inventories have identified 23 plant species distributed among 23 genera and 17 families dominated by Rhyzophora racemosa and Avicennia germinans. The hierarchical classification of forest inventory samples has identified three groupings of mangrove plants. Investigations show that stakeholders use wood from the mangrove for energy and fuelwood purposes. From 1986 to 2014 the land use/land cover patterns in the study area has undergone tremendous changes. Floodplains and tannes find their areas increased by 39.91 % and 46.06 % respectively, while wooded vegetation cover in whole lost 47.19 % of its area. Anthropogenic pressures would be the main cause of the degradation affecting mangroves ecosystem services and productivity. However, due to the ecological importance of mangroves, there is a need for an appropriate management plan including the contextual realities of mangroves landscapes.

Anarchic urbanization and land artificialization expose urban ecosystems and ecosystem services (ES) to threat. Urban ecosystems and trees play a crucial role in improving urban environments, and their management depends on the perceptions and preferences of urban residents. An assessment of the socio-ecological factors determining the perception of the actors allows for the proper design and planning of ecological urban policies and urban adaptation to climate change. The objective of this work was to determine the key determinants (factors) of urban stakeholders' perceptions of ES in generating socio-ecological information for planning and preservation of ecosystems in Cotonou municipality. In this way, we assessed the perception and discriminating variables of the different stakeholders of urban ES provided in the city of Cotonou. Thus, 381 city dwellers were individually interviewed after statistical sampling. Focus group discussions with the stakeholders also made it possible to highlight the ES provided in the different land use units (LU). The results show that 73.23% of the city dwellers agreed that they were aware of ecosystem services. The hierarchical classification shows two homogeneous groups of perceivers with ethnicity, age, and education as statistically discriminating sociological variables (pv ˂ 0.001). Urban dwellers in the city of Cotonou perceived more SEs in the cultural and regulatory services category significantly (pv < 0.001; v-test > 3). The principal component analysis (PCA) reveals the varying availability of ES according to the different LU in the city. It will be worthwhile to apply this study in the processes of decision-making in climate and environment policy planning for sustainable cities in Africa and all over the world because it adds scientific value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forest ecosystems are storehouses of resources that contribute to socio-economic development while preserving a healthy living environment. Population growth leads to pressures that degrade ecosystem services at the landscape scale, preventing them from fulfilling their functions. The study aims to determine the diversity of ecosystem services, their spatialization and to propose a spatial model with the perspective to optimizing them in favor of the resilience of communities in context of climate change by 2025. The study has required an inventory ecosystem services carried out within 99 plots in the Eburnean landscape. In order to maintain the ecological character of this study, only provisioning, regulating and supporting services were taken into account. Thus, an inventory of ecosystem services based on qualitative observations according to magnitudes (1: Not very important, 2: Important, 3: Very important) was carried out in 99 places in the Eburnian bedrock. The collected data are subjected to coding and classification before the calculation of descriptive statistics parameters. Finally, geo-relational analyses coupled with spatial analyses of the union/intersection type under QGIS were carried out. A total of fifteen (15) different types of ecosystem services have been assessed and grouped into 3 sub-classes (provisioning services, regulating services and supporting services). The analysis of the diversity of ecosystem services showed that provisioning services are fewer importances in 85 % of the surveys in terms of timber availability, 76 % in terms of service timber, 69 % in terms of productivity, 53 % in terms of fuel wood and 52 % in terms of plant non-timber forest products. However, are important in 63 % of sampling in terms of stubble and fodder. The support service is also important in 59 % of the surveys in terms of water infiltration. In the different forms of land use, only agroforestry parks presented significant ecosystem services in terms of supply (75 %) and regulation (75 %). The study also noted that in 2025, 1758.09 ha (1.83 %) of agroforestry parks, 80.22 ha (1.48 %) of urban areas and 1968.47 ha (11.15 %) of vegetation seasonal marshes according to the RCP2.6 scenario and 8316.74 ha (8.72 %) of agroforestry parklands, 312.40 ha (20.91 %) of urban areas according to the RCP8.5 scenario will be able to adapt to climate change while by providing quality ecosystem services. It is also an opportunity for the implementation of ecological restoration measures in connection with the agenda 2063 and AFR100 programs for the benefit of urban areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]