1. UKM Learning and Research Repository
2. PHD Thesis / Tesis PHD
3. Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities / Fakulti Sains Sosial dan Kemanusiaan

Title:	Assessing the impacts of climate change and variability on ecosystem health and vegetation phenology using geo-informatics: a case of Sokoto, Northwestern Nigeria
Authors:	Abubakar Magaji Jibrillah (P79849)
Supervisor:	Mokhtar Jaafar, Dr.
Keywords:	Climatic changes -- Nigeria
Issue Date:	8-Feb-2018
Description:	The dryland ecosystem of Sokoto Close-Settled Zone, North-western Nigeria, is continuously under heavy threats by many drivers of ecosystem change both natural and anthropogenic. Climate change and variability is now aggravating these challenges causing continuous changes on ecosystem structure and functions. This research aimed at assessing the impacts of climate change and variability on the ecosystem and how this affects the livelihoods of its inhabitants. Using MODIS-NDVI remote sensing data integrated with rainfall and estimated annual crop yield data, this research applied various geospatial and statistical techniques such as image pre-processing and analyses, time series data analyses and correlation and regression analyses. These are to assess the impacts of the recent climate change and variability on the ecosystem health and vegetation phenology of the area from 2000 to 2016. Combinations of Focus Group Discussions, in-depth interview and questionnaire were used to assess the impacts of the observed changes on the livelihood of the inhabitants of the area as well as their adaptation and mitigation measures, including government interventions. The results revealed a persistent decline in ecosystem health (40%) with a positive correlation to rainfall distribution (r = 0.45). Spatial distribution of vegetation also declined by 30% with a strong positive correlation with rainfall distribution (r = 0.90) and a perfect negative correlation with population distribution (r = -0.99). The same way, the length of the growing season of the major vegetation classes in the area such as cropland, natural grasses and shrubs declined by 33%, 40% and 36% respectively, with a positive correlation to rainfall distributions (r = 0.46, 0.35 and 0.40 respectively). These present serious implications to ecosystem and human livelihoods including declining productivity of crops and livestock, increasing water scarcity, destruction of farmlands and grazing areas, declining income, conflicts over resources and migration. These requires proactive measure from all stakeholders including governments, individuals, private organizations and international agencies for effective mitigation and adaptation measures. Frequent monitoring and assessment of ecosystem, effective weather monitoring and prediction systems, adequate funding of government intervention programs and projects, as well as ecosystem-based adaptation measures among others, are recommended to help improves situations.,'Certification of Master's/Doctoral Thesis' is not available,Ph.D.
Pages:	208
Call Number:	QC903.2.N6J533 2018 tesis
Publisher:	UKM, Bangi
Appears in Collections:	Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities / Fakulti Sains Sosial dan Kemanusiaan

Items in DSpace are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.