DYNAMIQUE DE L’OCCUPATION DES TERRES AUTOUR DE LA RESERVE DE BIOSPHERE DE LA PENDJARI AU NORD-OUEST DU BENIN

Abstract

The dynamics of land use units are the direct consequence of human activities on naturel resources. The aim of this research is to analyse the dynamics of land use between 1998 and 2018 around the Pendjari Biosphere Reserve (PBR). For this purpose, the method used is based on the diachronic analysis of land use units. This method made it possible to analyse the parameters of the different land use units. Using remote sensing and mapping, the 1998 and 2008 ETM+ and 2018 OLITIRS satellite images of the research area were interpreted to obtain the land use maps. Analysis of the results showed that from 1998 to 2008, natural formations such as gallery forest; dense forest; wooded savannah open forest and saxicolous savannah experienced a strong regression with a rate of -51.13%. On the other hand, the wooded and shrubby savannah; rocky surface and water surface experienced a progression with a rate of about 34%. As for anthropogenic formations, namely mosaics of fields and fallow land; plantations and settlements recorded an increase of 13.19%. Similarly, between 2008 and 2013, natural formations such as gallery forest, open forest, wooded savannah and wooded and shrubby savannah experienced a sharp decline with a rate of -49.6%. However, the Saxicoliansavannah; rocky surface and water surface experienced a progression with a rate of about 1%. With regard to anthropogenic formations, the mosaics of fields and fallow land; plantations and settlements recorded a strong increase of about 45%.