Article (Scientific journals)
The Spatiotemporal Changing Dynamics of Miombo Deforestation and Illegal Human Activities for Forest Fire in Kundelungu National Park, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Sikuzani, Yannick Useni; Mukenza, Médard Mpanda; Malaisse, François et al.
2023In Fire, 6 (5), p. 174
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Keywords :
Earth and Planetary Sciences (miscellaneous); Safety Research; Environmental Science (miscellaneous); Safety, Risk, Reliability and Quality; Building and Construction; Forestry
Abstract :
[en] In the Kundelungu National Park (KNP), southeast of the Democratic Republic of Congo, illicit human activities including recurrent bushfires contribute to constant regression of forest cover. This study quantifies the landscape dynamics and analyses the spatio-temporal distribution of bushfire occurrence within KNP. Based on classified Landsat images from 2001, 2008, 2015 and 2022, the evolutionary trend of land cover was mapped and quantified through landscape metrics. The spatial transformation processes underlying the observed landscape dynamics were identified based on a decision tree. Finally, the spatio-temporal fire risk assessment was carried out after defining the burnt areas for each year between 2001 and 2022. The obtained results, expressed by the process of dissection and attrition of patches, show that the forest cover has regressed from 2339 km2 to 1596 km2 within the PNK, with an annual deforestation rate varying from 0.8% to 3.4% between 2001 and 2022. Over the same period, the average distance between forest patches has increased significantly, indicating fragmentation and spatial isolation. On the other hand, savannahs as well as field and fallow mosaics have expanded within KNP through the creation of new patches. In addition, several active fires affected more savannahs between 2001 (70 km2 in Integral Zone, 239 km2 in Annex Zone and 309 km2 in KNP) and 2022 (76 km2 in Integral Zone, 744 km2 in Annex Zone and 819 km2 in KNP), limiting their capacity to evolve into forests. Overall, anthropogenic pressure is higher in the Annex Zone of the KNP. Illegal agricultural development and vegetation fires have thus doubled the level of landscape disturbance in 21 years. Our observations justify the need to strengthen protection measures for KNP by limiting repeated human intrusions.
Disciplines :
Environmental sciences & ecology
Author, co-author :
Sikuzani, Yannick Useni;  Ecology, Ecological Restoration and Landscape Research Unit, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Université de Lubumbashi, Lubumbashi P.O. Box 1825, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Mukenza, Médard Mpanda ;  Department of Renewable Natural Resources Management, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Université Technologique Katumba Mwanke, Lubumbashi P.O. Box 74, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Malaisse, François ;  Université de Liège - ULiège > Département GxABT > Biodiversité et Paysage
Kaseya, Paul Kazaba;  Ecology, Ecological Restoration and Landscape Research Unit, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Université de Lubumbashi, Lubumbashi P.O. Box 1825, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Bogaert, Jan  ;  Université de Liège - ULiège > TERRA Research Centre > Biodiversité et Paysage
Language :
English
Title :
The Spatiotemporal Changing Dynamics of Miombo Deforestation and Illegal Human Activities for Forest Fire in Kundelungu National Park, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Publication date :
23 April 2023
Journal title :
Fire
eISSN :
2571-6255
Publisher :
MDPI AG
Volume :
6
Issue :
5
Pages :
174
Peer reviewed :
Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi
Funders :
ARES CCD - Académie de Recherche et d'Enseignement Supérieur. Coopération au Développement [BE]
Available on ORBi :
since 26 April 2023

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