The LabTogo-Project

A joint project between West African Science Service Center on Climate Change and Adapted Land Use (WASCAL), the University of Lomé and the German Biomass Research Center (Deutsches Biomasseforschungszentrum; DBFZ) was initiated in 2020. The project aims at evaluating alternative and regenerative energy sources for rural areas and creating the basis for successful implementation. In three different work packages, therefore, biomass potentials should be quantified, technologies should be examined with regard to their suitability and - in the case of biogas application - a research structure, pilot biogas laboratory, should be created that is necessary to enable the sustainable implementation of technologies

Impact des feux sur la biomasse dans les savanes guinéo-soudaniennes du Togo

Au Togo, la mise à feu de la végétation est une pratique ancestrale très usitée en agriculture. Mais, au-delà de certaines normes, l’aspect utilitaire des feux est supplanté par des conséquences dommageables à l’environnement. Un des impacts des feux incontrôlés est la perte de ressources végétales réduisant sa disponibilité pour les besoins humains et l’équilibre écosystémique. Face au risque d’incendie de plus en plus élevé dû aux dérèglements climatiques et à la pression anthropique sur les écosystèmes forestiers, il devient urgent de mieux comprendre l’impact des feux sur la biomasse végétale. Cette étude vise à évaluer l’impact des feux sur la production et la diversité végétale. Pour se faire, des parcelles ont été délimitées sur la base de la distribution des feux actifs, des superficies brulées et des mesures au sol. L’étude porte sur la strate herbacée épigée exposée aux feux de surface dans les savanes d’aires protégées. Il en ressort que la biomasse est faible au niveau des zones brulées (1034,6±249,6 g/m²) qu’au niveau des zones exclues des feux (1078,3±275,4 g/m²). Les feux itératifs ont induit une perte de production moyenne 43,67±26,2 g/m². Cette perte est plus élevée sous climat guinéen que soudanien. Au total, 16015±9 627,3 t/an de biomasse herbacée est brulée au niveau de la zone d’étude, équivalent à 8007,6±4750,5 tonnes de carbone rejeté. Les Poaceae semblent plus pyrotolérantes et prédominantes au niveau des sites brulés au détriment des autres familles d’herbacées. Ainsi, pour atténuer le rejet des gaz à effet de serre, conserver la biodiversité et répondre à la forte demande en biomasse végétale, une meilleure connaissance de l’impact des feux sur les écosystèmes devient incontournable dans la planification du développement.In Togo, the setting on fire of vegetation is a very common ancestral practice in farming. Beyond certain norms, the useful aspect of bush fire is superseded by its devastative effect on the ecosystems and environment. One of these effects is the fire influences on the vegetable biomass production and diversity. In front of forest fires occurrence enhancing, due to climate irregularity and human pressure on forest ecosystems, it becomes urgent to analyze the impact of fires on vegetable biomass. This study aims to assess the impacts of the iterative fires on herbaceous biomass production and diversity. To reach the goal, the demarcation of plots is based on the distribution of active fires and burned surface data and the ground measuring test. The studies took place in the savanna of protected areas. Plant layer studied is the aboveground herbaceous biomass more exposed to surface fires. It has got that main biomass is lower on the burned plots (1,034.6±249.6 g/m²) than burned plots (1,078.3±275.4 g/m²). The iterative fires lead to a main loss of production of 43.7±26.2 g/m². This loss is higher in guinean zone than sudanian’s. The total loss of herbaceous plant biomass is about 16,015±9,627.3 tons/year, equivalent to 8,007.6±4,750.5 tons of carbon rejected. Poaceae grasses, relatively more fire-resistant, prevail on the burned plots to the detriment of other herbaceous families. Indeed, in order to mitigate the rejection of household gas, to promote sustainable biodiversity management and to feel biomass needs, better comprehension of fires impacts on the dynamic of ecosystems becomes very crucial in country development planning

Effects of charcoal production on soil biodiversity and soil physical and chemical properties in Togo, West Africa

In Togo, traditional energy sources including charcoal represent 80% out of total household energy requirements. The techniques of charcoal production in earth kiln are quite common. During carbonization, the temperature rises from 20 to over 500°C. This study focuses on the impact of this high temperature on the soil properties and soil fauna in three biogeographical zones of Togo. The methodology used consists in comparison of soil sampling in surface layer (0-20 cm depth) inside burnt plot i.e. inside the kiln to an unburnt plot in charcoal production area. The results revealed that the soil physical, chemical and microbial properties were altered. The organic matter was destroyed; it is higher at the unburnt plot level than inside the kiln. The soil pH increased at the kiln level by the provision of rich ash bases during the carbonization. Fire increased the permeability at the kiln level by raising the bulk density and the total porosity of soil. The variation in microbial biomass induced by the heat around the kilns is different according to the ecosystem; it is of 15 m radius around the kilns in Sudanian or Guinean savanna areas while this radius is 5 m in Semi-deciduous forest. The soil fauna assessment permitted to record 81 micro-organisms belonging essentially to the Beetles, Hymenoptera, Heteroptera, Diptera, Orthoptera, Myriapods, Homoptera, Acarians, Nematodes, Isoptera, etc. The hypogeal biodiversity index calculation (average species richness, Shannon average indexes and average evenness) revealed that farther moving away from the kiln, greater the fauna species diversity was.© 2009 International Formulae Group. All rights reserved.Key words: Charcoal production, kiln, soil physical and chemical properties, soil biodiversity, Togo

Impact des feux sur la biomasse dans les savanes guinéo-soudaniennes du Togo

In Togo, the setting on fire of vegetation is a very common ancestral practice in farming. Beyond certain norms, the useful aspect of bush fire is superseded by its devastative effect on the ecosystems and environment. One of these effects is the fire influences on the vegetable biomass production and diversity. In front of forest fires occurrence enhancing, due to climate irregularity and human pressure on forest ecosystems, it becomes urgent to analyze the impact of fires on vegetable biomass. This study aims to assess the impacts of the iterative fires on herbaceous biomass production and diversity. To reach the goal, the demarcation of plots is based on the distribution of active fires and burned surface data and the ground measuring test. The studies took place in the savanna of protected areas. Plant layer studied is the aboveground herbaceous biomass more exposed to surface fires. It has got that main biomass is lower on the burned plots (1,034.6±249.6 g/m²) than burned plots (1,078.3±275.4 g/m²). The iterative fires lead to a main loss of production of 43.7±26.2 g/m². This loss is higher in guinean zone than sudanian’s. The total loss of herbaceous plant biomass is about 16,015±9,627.3 tons/year, equivalent to 8,007.6±4,750.5 tons of carbon rejected. Poaceae grasses, relatively more fire-resistant, prevail on the burned plots to the detriment of other herbaceous families. Indeed, in order to mitigate the rejection of household gas, to promote sustainable biodiversity management and to feel biomass needs, better comprehension of fires impacts on the dynamic of ecosystems becomes very crucial in country development planning