@article{PAR00000053,
  title = {{R}esponses of soil crusting, runoff and erosion to fallowing in the sub-humid and semi-arid regions of {W}est {A}frica},
  author = {{V}alentin, {C}hristian and {R}ajot, {J}ean-{L}oup and {M}itja, {D}anielle},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{S}ystems including a long fallow period have proven to be sustainable in the tropics for they enable the transfer of the rich store of nutrients from the vegetation to the ensuing crops. {T}hese systems have been mainly studied in the forest zone with a peculiar focus on the maintenance of organic and chemical fertility. {B}y contrast, the effects of the fallow on soil physical properties have not been widely documented especially in the drier areas. {T}he objectives of this paper are: (i) to summarise the fragmented and not readily accessible information on the responses of soil crusting, runoff, water and wind erosion to fallowing in the sub-humid and semi-arid regions of {W}est {A}frica; (ii) to infer possible scenarios of land use change from the recent past. {T}wo main examples have been taken in northern {I}vory {C}oast and southern {N}iger. {I}n the {I}vorian example, physical properties are restored after a fallow duration of 10 years on sandy clay loam whilst crusts persist over a longer period on sandy soils, partly due to the foraging activities of termites. {I}n the sandy {S}ahelian soils, cultivation destroys the erosion crusts that develop as the fallow proceeds as a result of dust deposition and colonisation by blue green algae. {T}his crust development is inherent to the {S}ahelian ecosystem and favours the natural concentration of water resources. {T}he net balance of dust is negative in millet fields (-0.25 t ha(-1) per year) and positive in young fallows (+0.68 t ha(-1) per year) so that a slight increase in the field/fallow ratio can transform the region from an accumulation zone to a source zone with consequences on regional fertility transfer. {F}inally, in both regions the sandy soils have specific dynamics that should be accounted in land management planning. {D}espite a higher water erosion risk, the sub-humid zone offers a better potential for intensification than the semi-arid zone. ({C}) 2004 {E}lsevier {B}.{V}. {A}ll rights reserved.},
  keywords = {fallow ; {W}est {A}frica ; soil crusting ; runoff ; water erosion ; wind erosion ; {COTE} {D}'{IVOIRE} ; {BURKINA} {FASO} ; {NIGER} ; {ZONE} {SAHELIENNE} ; {ZONE} {TROPICALE} {HUMIDE}},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{A}griculture {E}cosystems and {E}nvironment},
  volume = {104},
  numero = {2},
  pages = {287--302},
  ISSN = {0167-8809},
  year = {2004},
  DOI = {10.1016/j.agee.2004.01.035},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/{PAR}00000053},
}