The AMMA-CATCH Gourma observatory site in Mali: 7The experimental strategy includes deployment of a variety of instruments, from local to 8 meso-scale, dedicated to monitoring and documentation of the major variables characterizing 9 the climate forcing, and the spatio-temporal variability of surface processes and state 10 variables such as vegetation mass, leaf area index (LAI), soil moisture and surface fluxes. 11This paper describes the Gourma site, its associated instrumental network and the research 12 activities that have been carried out since 1984. In the AMMA project, emphasis is put on the 13 relations between climate, vegetation and surface fluxes. However, the Gourma site is also 14 important for development and validation of satellite products, mainly due to the existence of 15 large and relatively homogeneous surfaces. The social dimension of the water resource uses 16 and governance is also briefly analyzed, relying on field enquiry and interviews. 18The climate of the Gourma region is semi-arid, daytime air temperatures are always high and 29Land surface in the Gourma is characterized by rapid response to climate variability, strong

The patterns of the changes in woody plant population densities, size and species composition is documented and discussed for 24 rangeland sites monitored from 1984 to 2006 in Gourma (Mali). The sites are sampled along the North-South bioclimatic gradient on each of the main soils and levels of grazing intensity. Site woody plant populations range from extremely sparse on shallow soils, to scattered on sandy soils, to open forest in temporarily flooded clayed soils, and to narrow thickets on hard pans. Three different methods contributed to assess and monitor woody plant density and canopy cover. In the short term woody populations were struck by the 1983-84 droughts irrespective 1 of their edaphic situation and location along the bioclimatic gradient. Drought induced mortality was not more severe under drier climate within the Sahel gradient but occurred sooner after drought in shallow soils, and with a lag of a year or two on flooded clay soils. No evidences were found of higher mortality rates in stands with history of intense grazing. Although rainfall remained below average for a decade after the drought, active recruitment of woody plants occurred in all sites starting as soon as 1985. Recruitment proceeded by successive cohorts, often with short-living perennial undershrubs and pioneer shrubs settling first. Acacia species were among the first to settle or re-establish, especially on the sites most intensively grazed. The release of competition due to drought induced mortality and to the reduction of herbaceous cover contributed to the success of the recruitment. The species composition change that resulted could first be interpreted as a shift toward a more arid tolerant flora, then some diversification occurred since the mid 90's that could indicate a possible return to previous composition in the long term, confirming the resilience Sahel vegetation

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Core Ideas AMMA‐CATCH is a long‐term critical zone observatory in West Africa. Four sites sample the sharp ecoclimatic gradient characteristic of this region. Combined measurements of meteorology, water, and vegetation dynamics began in 1990. Intensification of rainfall and hydrological cycles is observed. The strong overall re‐greening may hide contrasted changes. West Africa is a region in fast transition from climate, demography, and land use perspectives. In this context, the African Monsoon Multidisciplinary Analysis (AMMA)–Couplage de l'Atmosphère Tropicale et du Cycle eco‐Hydrologique (CATCH) long‐term regional observatory was developed to monitor the impacts of global change on the critical zone of West Africa and to better understand its current and future dynamics. The observatory is organized into three thematic axes, which drive the observation and instrumentation strategy: (i) analyze the long‐term evolution of eco‐hydrosystems from a regional perspective; (ii) better understand critical zone processes and their variability; and (iii) meet socioeconomic and development needs. To achieve these goals, the observatory has gathered data since 1990 from four densely instrumented mesoscale sites (∼104 km2 each), located at different latitudes (Benin, Niger, Mali, and Senegal) so as to sample the sharp eco‐climatic gradient that is characteristic of the region. Simultaneous monitoring of the vegetation cover and of various components of the water balance at these four sites has provided new insights into the seemingly paradoxical eco‐hydrological changes observed in the Sahel during the last decades: groundwater recharge and/or runoff intensification despite rainfall deficit and subsequent re‐greening with still increasing runoff. Hydrological processes and the role of certain key landscape features are highlighted, as well as the importance of an appropriate description of soil and subsoil characteristics. Applications of these scientific results for sustainable development issues are proposed. Finally, detecting and attributing eco‐hydrological changes and identifying possible regime shifts in the hydrologic cycle are the next challenges that need to be faced.

Abstract:The Sahelian region is characterized by significant variations in precipitation, impacting water quantity and quality. Suspended particulate matter (SPM) dynamics has a significant impact on inland water ecology and water resource management. In-situ data in this region are scarce and, consequently, the environmental factors triggering SPM variability are yet to be understood. This study addresses these issues using remote sensing optical data. Turbidity and SPM of the Agoufou Lake in Sahelian Mali were measured from October 2014 to present, providing a large range of 'values (SPM ranging from 106 to 4178 mg/L). These data are compared to satellite reflectance from Landsat (ETM+, OLI) and MODIS (MOD09GQ, MYD09GQ). For each of these sensors, a spectral band in the near infrared region is found to be well suited to retrieve turbidity and SPM, up to very high values (R 2 = 0.70) seldom addressed by remote sensing studies. The satellite estimates are then employed to assess the SPM dynamics in the main lakes and ponds of the Gourma region and its links to environmental and anthropogenic factors. The main SPM seasonal peak is observed in the rainy season (June to September) in relation to precipitation and sediment transport. A second important peak occurs during the dry season, highlighting the importance of resuspension mechanisms in maintaining high values of SPM. Three different periods are observed: first, a relatively low winds period in the early dry season, when SPM decreases rapidly due to deposition; then, a period of wind-driven resuspension in January-March; and lastly, an SPM deposition period in April-May, when the monsoon replaces the winter trade wind. Overall, a significant increase of 27% in SPM values is observed between 2000 and 2016 in the Agoufou Lake. The significant spatio-temporal variability in SPM revealed by this study highlights the importance of high resolution optical sensors for continuous monitoring of water quality in these poorly instrumented regions.

Abstract. The leaf area index of Sahelian rangelands and related variables such as the vegetation cover fraction, the fraction of absorbed photosynthetically active radiation and the clumping index were measured between 2005 and 2017 in the Gourma region of northern Mali. These variables, known as climate essential variables, were derived from the acquisition and the processing of hemispherical photographs taken along 1 km linear sampling transects for five contrasted canopies and one millet field. The same sampling protocol was applied in a seasonally inundated Acacia open forest, along a 0.5 km transect, by taking photographs of the understorey and the tree canopy. These observations collected over more than a decade, in a remote and not very accessible region, provide a relevant and unique data set that can be used for a better understanding of the Sahelian vegetation response to the current rainfall changes. The collected data can also be used for satellite product evaluation and land surface model development and validation. This paper aims to present the field work that was carried out during 13 successive rainy seasons, the measured vegetation variables, and the associated open database. Finally, a few examples of data use are shown. DOI of the referenced data set: https://doi.org/10.17178/AMMA-CATCH.CE.Veg_Gh.

Résumé -L'élevage pastoral représente la principale activité économique de nombreux ménages au nord du Sahel. Malgré la qualité des pâturages au cours de la saison des pluies, cet élevage est soumis à de nombreuses contraintes liées à l'irrégularité de la disponibilité fourragère, aux difficultés d'accès aux compléments alimentaires et aux soins vétérinaires qui rendent précaires les productions animales. Or la demande en produits d'origine animale est en forte augmentation du fait de la croissance démographique soutenue et de la rapide urbanisation au Sahel et dans les pays côtiers. Cette étude à pour objectif de documenter les paramètres démographiques des troupeaux et la production fourragère des parcours utilisés par l'élevage pastoral de la commune de Hombori située au nord-est du Sahel malien. La démarche adoptée est basée sur des enquêtes rétrospectives sur la composition spécifique des troupeaux et les évènements démographiques qui l'affectent. Ces enquêtes ont été conduites du 15 juillet au 15 septembre 2011 auprès de 120 ménages résidants dans la commune. Les résultats mettent en évidence une faible productivité des troupeaux de conduite pastorale en rapport avec le niveau des paramètres de reproduction, notamment l'âge tardif à la première mise bas, qui s'explique par des pratiques pastorales très extensives. Ils montrent également que les taux d'exploitation sont élevés, en particulier pour les ovins, alors même que les performances reproductrices sont faibles et les taux de mortalité élevés. Pour améliorer la productivité des troupeaux, assurer la pérennité de ces systèmes d'élevage et la transmission intergénérationnelle du cheptel, la qualité et surtout la régularité saisonnière de l'alimentation du bétail doivent être améliorées à travers une plus grande mobilité pastorale mais aussi une supplémentation saisonnière ciblée. Mots-clés : productivité animale / pratiques pastorales / production fourragère des parcours / viabilité économique / SahelAbstract -Visibility of pastoralism in the Sahel: study of demographic parameters of livestock herds in Hombori (Mali). Pastoralism is the main economic activity for many households in northern Sahel. Despite rangeland quality during the rainy season, pastoral husbandry is subject to many constraints related to the irregular availability of forage and the lack of access to food supplements and veterinary care making livestock production precarious. Yet the market demand for livestock products is growing rapidly triggered by high population growth and rapid urbanization in the Sahel states and also in the neighboring coastal states. This study aims to document the herd demographic parameters and the forage production of rangelands used by livestock from the district of Hombori located in the northeast of Malian Sahel. The approach is based on retrospective surveys on herd composition and demographic events conducted from July 15 to September 15 2011 with 120 households from the district. The results indicate a low productivity of pastoral husbandry related t...