Spatio-temporal patterns of fire in Namibia, German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), University of Bayreuth Graduate School

Project Description

Fires are a regular feature of savanna landscapes worldwide. As such, fires play a crucial role to drive vegetation structure and composition, nutrient cycling, competition between herbaceous and woody species, and, with regards to human activities, forage availability and regeneration in these ecosystems. In Namibia, where fires are mainly restricted to the northern parts of the country due to productivity, fire activity was found to also vary with land use and tenure. Hence, the conceptual framework in this project considers a large gradient of fire regimes to address their impact on and interaction with vegetation. We use extensive field surveys, continuous in situ measurements, as well as satellite and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) remote sensing to study fire-vegetation feedbacks in Namibia’s Otjozondjupa and Kavango regions. The aims of the intended research will be of relevance for rangeland management, fire ecology of arid savannas, fire regime and fuel modeling, as well as UAV remote sensing.

Principal investigators

• Manuel Mayr
  
• Elisabeth Ofner
  

Cooperation partner

• Polytechnic of Namibia (School of Natural Resources and Spatial Sciences)

Student investigators

• S. Malß