Implications of land use change for the production of plant biomass in densely populated Sahelo-Sudanian shrub-grasslands in north-east Nigeria

Michael Mortimore; Frances M. A. Harris; Beryl Turner

doi:10.1046/j.1365-2699.1999.00138.x

Implications of land use change for the production of plant biomass in densely populated Sahelo-Sudanian shrub-grasslands in north-east Nigeria

Michael Mortimore
, Frances M. A. Harris
, Beryl Turner

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

The production of plant biomass on small farms and in woodland in densely populated locations in the Nigerian Sahelo-Sudan is estimated in order to test the hypothesis that conversion of land from natural vegetation to cultivation entails a loss in plant productivity. Estimates are given for reserved forest, woodland, shrubland and farmland at two sites varying in mean annual rainfall and population density. The results fail to support the hypothesis. The role of farmers in causing degradation through loss of plant productivity, and appropriate conservation strategies, may require re-evaluation.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	243-256
Journal	Global Ecology and Biogeography
Volume	8
Issue number	3-4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2699.1999.00138.x
Publication status	Published - May 1999
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

Biomass production
deforestation
desertification
fallows
farmland
land cover
Nigeria
rangeland
Sahel
trees
Agriculture, veterinary and food science

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10.1046/j.1365-2699.1999.00138.x

http://dx.doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2699.1999.00138.x

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@article{44efe08f9545462f9b397f6c4607678f,

title = "Implications of land use change for the production of plant biomass in densely populated Sahelo-Sudanian shrub-grasslands in north-east Nigeria",

abstract = "The production of plant biomass on small farms and in woodland in densely populated locations in the Nigerian Sahelo-Sudan is estimated in order to test the hypothesis that conversion of land from natural vegetation to cultivation entails a loss in plant productivity. Estimates are given for reserved forest, woodland, shrubland and farmland at two sites varying in mean annual rainfall and population density. The results fail to support the hypothesis. The role of farmers in causing degradation through loss of plant productivity, and appropriate conservation strategies, may require re-evaluation.",

keywords = "Biomass production, deforestation, desertification, fallows, farmland, land cover, Nigeria, rangeland, Sahel, trees, Agriculture, veterinary and food science",

author = "Michael Mortimore and Harris, \{Frances M. A.\} and Beryl Turner",

year = "1999",

month = may,

doi = "10.1046/j.1365-2699.1999.00138.x",

language = "English",

volume = "8",

pages = "243--256",

journal = "Global Ecology and Biogeography",

issn = "1466-822X",

publisher = "Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd",

number = "3-4",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Implications of land use change for the production of plant biomass in densely populated Sahelo-Sudanian shrub-grasslands in north-east Nigeria

AU - Mortimore, Michael

AU - Harris, Frances M. A.

AU - Turner, Beryl

PY - 1999/5

Y1 - 1999/5

N2 - The production of plant biomass on small farms and in woodland in densely populated locations in the Nigerian Sahelo-Sudan is estimated in order to test the hypothesis that conversion of land from natural vegetation to cultivation entails a loss in plant productivity. Estimates are given for reserved forest, woodland, shrubland and farmland at two sites varying in mean annual rainfall and population density. The results fail to support the hypothesis. The role of farmers in causing degradation through loss of plant productivity, and appropriate conservation strategies, may require re-evaluation.

AB - The production of plant biomass on small farms and in woodland in densely populated locations in the Nigerian Sahelo-Sudan is estimated in order to test the hypothesis that conversion of land from natural vegetation to cultivation entails a loss in plant productivity. Estimates are given for reserved forest, woodland, shrubland and farmland at two sites varying in mean annual rainfall and population density. The results fail to support the hypothesis. The role of farmers in causing degradation through loss of plant productivity, and appropriate conservation strategies, may require re-evaluation.

KW - Biomass production

KW - deforestation

KW - desertification

KW - fallows

KW - farmland

KW - land cover

KW - Nigeria

KW - rangeland

KW - Sahel

KW - trees

KW - Agriculture, veterinary and food science

U2 - 10.1046/j.1365-2699.1999.00138.x

DO - 10.1046/j.1365-2699.1999.00138.x

M3 - Article

SN - 1466-822X

VL - 8

SP - 243

EP - 256

JO - Global Ecology and Biogeography

JF - Global Ecology and Biogeography

IS - 3-4

ER -

Implications of land use change for the production of plant biomass in densely populated Sahelo-Sudanian shrub-grasslands in north-east Nigeria

Abstract

Keywords

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