Indicators of Climate Change in the Derived Savannah Niche of Nsukka, South-Eastern Nigeria

Abstract

To track changes in our climate over the past 40 years, three important weather elements namely; temperature, rainfall and relative humidity were analyzed. The results obtained revealed that there is a trend towards warmer temperatures, fluctuating rainfall distribution pattern and reduced relative humidly in the derived savanna ecological belt. The period, 2005-2010, represents the six warmest years in the past four decades in the derived savanna ecology. The bi-modal rainfall pattern is still in place but with a discernable shift of the second peak from September to October from 2001 to 2010. These glaring changes have implications on the development of Agriculture and preservation of biodiversity. Therefore, capacity building among native researchers to conduct locally relevant, policy-oriented research needed to support cogent decisions about adaptation and mitigation, and to provide reasonable options for the support structure required to facilitate and implement the research is imperative.

Key words: climate change, agriculture, derived savannah, Nigeria