Sargassum Species Shifts Distribution along the Nigerian Coast

West Africa is part of vulnerable areas to Climate change. Algae shifting is considered as its negative effects on coastal areas. Sargassum natans and Sargassum fluitans are one of those algae that shifted from Brazilian to Nigerian coast. They affect mostly food security and coastal population income. This study aims to assess climate change impacts on spatial distribution of Sargassum along Nigeria coast by analysing remote sensing images to map species distribution and evaluation of oceanic variables past trend. To achieve these objectives, a combined quantitative and remote sensing approach was performed. Monthly fluorescence images were used to highlight spatial algae blooms. Six oceanic parameters were considered for trends analysis. Remote images reveal past spatiotemporal patterns of Sargassum along the coast. Species fluorescence does not fit with the monthly range trends reported by literatures. That would correspond to an undetected Sargassum or another algae with almost the same fluorescence signature. Then, a temporal trend is observed in the oceanic parameters. Sargassum events in Nigerian coast could be explained by how oceanic parameters reacted to climatic change.

Autorentext

Lucette Adet hat einen Bachelor-Abschluss in Pflanzenbiologie und -physiologie von der Universität Felix Houphouet Boigny (Côte d'Ivoire) und einen Master-Abschluss in Klimawandel und Anpassung an die Landnutzung von der Federal University Technology Minna (Nigeria). Zurzeit promoviert sie an einer der besten Universitäten in Europa. Manchmal arbeitet sie auch als Beraterin.