Use of Drones for Estimating Biodiversity, Structural Parameters, and Woody Carbon Storage in Sahelian Ecosystems of Senegal

Abstract

Ramata Talla, Diara Sylla*, Ndiabou Faye, Moustapha Bassimbé Sagna, Aly Diallo, Oumar Sarr and Aliou Guisse

Sahelian ecosystems play a crucial role in climate regulation, particularly through their capacity to store atmospheric carbon. However, their carbon sequestration potential remains poorly quantified due to the high cost and logistical constraints of conventional field-based methods. This study investigates the use of low-cost unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to assess dendrometric parameters and estimate the carbon storage capacity of woody vegetation within a 10-hectare Sahelian plot in Senegal. High-resolution aerial imagery was acquired using a DJI Phantom 4 Pro+ drone and processed with photogrammetric software. Tree height and crown diameter were extracted and validated using field measurements, showing a strong correlation for tree height (R2 = 0.94) and a moderate correlation for crown diameter (R2 = 0.74). Spectral index analysis enabled the identification of dominant woody species, including Balanites aegyptiaca, Sclerocarya birrea, Acacia raddiana, and Acacia senegal.The results indicate that Balanites aegyptiaca contributes the highest amount of carbon storage per hectare (1520.76 ± 185.5 kg ha−1), mainly due to its high stem density (23.3 individuals ha−1), whereas Sclerocarya birrea exhibits the highest average carbon stock per individual tree (206.8 ± 107.8 kg). These findings highlight the significant role of these species in climate change mitigation strategies. By demonstrating the effectiveness of low-cost UAVs for rapid and non-destructive assessment of Sahelian ecosystems, this study provides a promising approach for large-scale ecological monitoring and sustainable natural resource management. It also identifies methodological improvements required to enhance crown dimension estimates. Overall, this UAV- based approach represents a reliable alternative to destructive methods and is well suited to the ecological and operational challenges of Sahelian environments, with strong potential for application in similar regions.

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