Influences of Agricultural Practices in the Canton Erdé-Pala Chad Vegetation
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Journal of Life Sciences 9 (2015) 494-510 doi: 10.17265/1934-7391/2015.10.006 D DAVID PUBLISHING Influences of Agricultural Practices in the Canton Erdé-Pala Chad Vegetation Daniel Tchobsala1, Vroumsia Toua2, Fonone Nafou2 and Kaira Denis2 1. Department of Biological Sciences, University of Ngaoundere, PO Box 454, Cameroun 2. Department of Life Sciences and Earth, University of Maroua, PO Box 55, Cameroun Abstract: The study, conducted in the Canton Erdé-Pala Chad, aims to i) list the different cultural practices, ii) study their impact on the vegetation and iii) determine the methods of co-management of these cultural practices. The surveys were realized on 50 households in the village and phytosociological plants in corn, millet, cotton and peanuts cultures. The data analysis by statgraphic and Excel and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) showed that maize production (1,200 kg/ha) ranked first at the expense of cotton (640 kg/ha). They negatively affect climate change (temperature increase (26%), rain drop (20%), land reclamation (18%) and flooding (12%)). Surveys of vegetation on three acres cotton fields (76.17%), millet (81.06%), corn (80.32%) and groundnut (83.56%) showed that there is no significant difference (P = 0.05) on the specific contribution of wood of different types of farming practices. Adventists species herbacious like Thelepogon elegans (27.84%), Hyptis spicigera (19.31%), Teramnus labialis (15.86%) have most important contributions in specific cultures. Methods of crop treatments have a destructive impact on the environment and the loss of biodiversity and the invasion of crops by adventists. Co-management, crop rotation, association of cultures, community forest management, agroforestry and training farmers in the use of inputs will reduce the potential risks of farming practices. Key words: Influence, cultural practices, floristic composition, soil restoration, Chad. 1. Introduction destruction of the surrounding cultures for implementation. Strategies for biodiversity protection Agriculture in Chad, in general, and especially in and sustainable development are scarcely integrated the canton Erdé-Pala is an essential for the survival of by the people of this area. It is fashionable to study the peasant activities. To meet their needs, farmers make management of arable land and the protection of the maximum use of the land and arable land is increasing environment for better living conditions of the [1]. Plowing with a hoe, hoe and plow by farmers Chadian population. Specifically, there is an inventory influence on soils and vegetation. Intensive practice of different cultural practices developed in this area, to culture, without rotation destroys the soil [2]. study the influence of these cultural practices on Nowadays, new technics cultural and methods are vegetation (influence of cultural practices on the introduced and taken place of traditional technic. The floristic composition, inventory of endangered species introduction of cash crop farmers rocked a situation of disappearance) and assess management methods self-sufficiency in a situation of dependence [3], envisaged by the local population and the government. worked on the dynamics of agriculture and its impact on natural resources, without putting the action on the 2. Materials and Methods vegetation becomes increasingly zero [4], discusses in 2.1 Presentation of the Study Area rural Moundang country, but has focused on how land management in Moundang. It is the massive and rapid The study was conducted in the township Erdé-Pala in Chad Vridjibao village north latitude: 9°32′6″ and longitude 15°9′52″ with an area of 1,410 km² (Fig. 1). Corresponding author: Daniel Tchobsala, Ph.D., research fields: botanic and ecology. E-mail: [email protected]. It is bordered to the north by the cantons and Gouing Influences of Agricultural Practices in the Canton Erdé-Pala Chad Vegetation 495 Goï-Gouduom, to the east by the township Tagalog, to are: agriculture, farming and logging. the south by the township Gouadji and west by the 2.2 Methods township Gifted. This localization excludes the town of Pala who is not part of the cantonal territory within 2.2.1 Interviews a radius of 7 km. The Canton-Erdé Pala has several The interviews were conducted on a sample of 50 soil types (sandy and sandy loam) suitable for farmers. Open or semi-open questions were asked. The growing sorghum, millet, sesame, peanuts, corn and interview was either group before the court of the cotton [5]. Climate Township Erdé-Pala is a sudanian village chief, or in groups of 5 or even individually. climate. The vegetation consists of the Sudanese Sheets field surveys were established to record species domain with precipitation ranging from 700 to 1,000 found in home gardens. mm, the Sahel region between 300 and 600 mm of 2.2.2 Experimental and Vegetation Surveys rain, savannas to forest or woodland affinity Chad, the The experimental device is a further randomized savanna woodlands composed overwhelmingly of block with four treatments (millet, maize, groundnuts Combretaceae. The main activities of the population and cotton) and three repetitions. In total 12 plots of Legend: mais: maize, mil rouge: red millet, coton: cotton and arachide: peanuts. Fig. 1 Map of geographical location of the study sites. 496 Influences of Agricultural Practices in the Canton Erdé-Pala Chad Vegetation 50 50 m were used for surveys of woody vegetation It is calculated using the formula: in agricultural practices. The transects of 10 50 m FCi = NPi/PE 100; were defined by three people with a measuring tape. The specific contribution (CSi) is defined as the ratio The fourth person was in charge of the survey of timber. of the frequency elemental (FCi) the sum of the The surveys focused on density, height, diameter and frequencies centesimal (FCn) of all species sampled. It crown diameter (Fig. 2). Within each of the 12 plots is calculated using the formula: used for recording woody species, five circles of 1m CSi = ΣFCi/FCn 100 radius are delimited with a measuring tape for surveys The overall recovery (R) is the ratio, expressed as a of invasive herbaceous crops. 5 circles are arranged in percentage of the number of points where there is the the following manner, in the center of a square of 50 presence of at least one species and the number of 50 m and to each of four corners of the square. The sample points. statement of the herbaceous layer was involved 4 people, 3 people to limit the 5 circles and someone to take notes. Only the presence of the herbaceous layer was noted. The species were identified on site scientific names or common names (Fig. 3). Those which have not been identified on the site were made in a herbarium and identified in Herbarium of Wakwa Ngaoundere. 2.3 Data Analysis Methods The data was analyzed taking into account the following parameters: Centesimal rate (FCi) of a given species which is the ratio of the number of occurrences of the species (NPi) the total number of points sampled (PE) as a percentage. Fig. 2 Experimental setup. Fig. 3 Statement of the vegetation in the village of Vridjibao Erdé-Pala in Chad. Influences of Agricultural Practices in the Canton Erdé-Pala Chad Vegetation 497 R = B/A 100 where, A is the point number of drive 3. Results and B, the number of points where the vegetation is 3.1 Types of Crops Grown in Vridjibo Village present. Fig. 4 shows the principal types of crops system 2.4 Absolute and Relative Densities practiced in the village. Maize cultivation takes place The absolute density (Ni) or absolute abundance of a in the home garden, benefiting from the household taxon is the total number of stems of this taxon per unit garbage. area. The relative density (dr) or relative abundance is 3.2 Tools and Methods used in Farming Practices the ratio between the number of individuals of a species and the total number of all individuals of all species Fig. 5 shows that the plow-hoe combination (44%) encountered on a surface considered multiplied by 100. is much practiced by farmers to clear and plow the fields, because this method keeps fields clean and 2.5 Absolute and Relative Dominance eliminate any competition with the Adventists. Use of Dominance expresses the influence of a species in a herbicide-hoe (24%) is the second technique for community. The relative dominance (Dr) is the ratio of clearing farmland. This method is to burn the herbs the basal area (Sb) of a species on the total basal area of with the chemicals (Roundup) and plant and wait at all individuals encountered; Sb = .D2/4, D is the times for up to 45 days before the first plowing. Few diameter of the rod. The total basal area (SBT) is the people practice tractor-hoe combination (6%) because total sum of all the basal areas of all stems per hectare it is not well known in the village, leaving hollows in treated. It is expressed in m2/ha. the field causing erosion. The statistical analysis shows that there are significant differences between 2.6 Value Importance Curtis the different farming techniques (P = 0.05). The three statistics (dominance, frequency and The Fig. 6 shows four (4) different techniques of relative density) are commonly used together and their plowing in the fields. It is plowing with the tractor, ass sum is equal to “Value importance Curtis”. Its value plowing, horse and cattle plowing. Plowing horse and ranges between 0 and 300. the donkey are increasing for the sole reason that farmers are unable to buy the horse hitch given the 2.7 Technical Data Processing very high price. The data collected in the field were collected and 3.3 Area and Production of Different Types of Crops processed by Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel and so the means of descriptive statistics and Principal Fig.