Diachronic analysis of the transformation of natural environments by
morphopedological landscapes in the Comoé National Park
(Northeastern Côte d’Ivoire)
This study aims to show the importance of ecosystems degradation of the Comoé national park at the morphopedological regions scale, and the field mechanisms determining the degradation processes. The hypothesis is that the degradation is more pronounced in sandy soils on plateau landscapes made up with granite rocks and are mainly linked to physical circumstances with edaphic significance. From the integrated analysis of landscapes, it appears that “categories” characterized as field/fallow and tree-shrub or grass savanna of the land cover constitute forms of degradation, but with overestimated disturbance rates due to extension of tree-shrub or grass savanna. Regions on tropical ferruginous and sandy ferralitic soils, with very low water retention capacity, resulting from granites, are the most exposed to transformations. To the low water reserve in the soil, it is added the effect of climatic deficits, already important because ˂250 mm, to cause a weaker regeneration of vegetations than in regions on green rocks and shales.
Keywords:
Comoé national park, Côte d’Ivoire, transformation, natural environments.