No changes in soil organic carbon and nitrogen following long term prescribed burning and livestock exclusion in the Sudan savanna woodlands of Burkina Faso

This study was done to study the impact of grazing and fire on soil Carbon stocks. It was part of a long-term split-plot experiment established in 1992 to explore the ecological impacts of prescribed fire and grazing intensity. It analyzed the effects of 19 years of prescribed annual burning and livestock exclusion on tree density, SOC and TN concentrations in the Sudanian savanna ecoregion at two sites (Tiogo and Laba) in Burkina Faso. The study was conducted in partnership with Environmental Institute for Agricultural Research (INERA) and International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI). It was supported by the GIZ/BEAF International Agricultural Research Grants Programme; and Water Land and Ecosystems program of the CGIAR. The study contributed to the Carbon sequestration options in pastoral agro-pastoral systems in Africa project.