Soil aggregate stability of forest islands and adjacent ecosystems in West Africa

In the mesic savannas of West Africa, areas around villages relatively tall and dense forest vegetation are often found. These ‘forest islands’ presumably direct outcome human activity. To better understand these patches with luxuriant vegetation, our study focused on how they influence soil aggregate stability- a key indicator resilience to degradation through erosion. We compared proportion stable aggregates islands nearby croplands natural savanna across precipitation transect in Africa for which mean annual at sites ranges from 0.80 1.27 m a−1. Soil samples were taken 0–5 cm 5–10 depths stability groups diameters: > 500 μm, 500–250 μm 250–53 (viz. “macroaggregates”, “mesoaggregates” “microaggregates” respectively) determined using wet sieving method. The results showed significantly (p < 0.05) higher meso- macro-aggregates than agricultural soils. Although there was no effect land-use type microaggregate stability, strong tendency microaggregates all land use types increase increasing precipitation. organic carbon iron oxides contents most important factors influencing meso macro-aggregate African ecosystems. conclude that formation ecosystems climate or driven whereas more labile larger-size meso-and macro- driven. provides first insights quality processes poorly studied but unique phenomenon man-made Africa.