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The aim of this study is to identify the main factors of anthropogenic impact and indicators of landscape transformation in the Fatala River Basin in the Republic of Guinea. Our fieldwork in the Boke and Kindia regions was the main source of materials and data. The landscape and ecological situation of nine key study plots were characterized. These key plots make up a representative series of transformed and natural landscapes. We complemented our fieldwork with Landsat satellite image analysis. We learned that the main factors of anthropogenic impact in the Fatala River Basin are the systematic burning of vegetation, mechanical disturbances of soil and vegetation cover, the depletion of fertile topsoil, grazing, and the littering of the landscape with household waste. The indicators of landscape transformation are deforestation, changes in the natural vegetation cover, and mechanically disturbed lands. We identified five main stages of agro-landscape development, starting from the clearing of a plot by burning vegetation (stage I) and ending with the completion of the agricultural activity in the plot and its abandonment to restore the topsoil (stage V). The limiting factors of nature management are elevation differences, the rapid restoration of vegetation cover, and rocky/gravelly substrate. It is possible to identify transformed landscapes in large or hard-to-reach regions using satellite images. Thus, natural or quasi-natural landscapes can be identified based on the lower surface temperature relative to the surrounding lands. The normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and normalized difference moisture index (NDMI) could be useful for identifying agricultural pasture plots within a tropical forest using long-term satellite data series. We revealed a tendency for landscape deterioration in the middle and upper parts of the Fatala River Basin, while vegetation cover is being restored in the lower part of the basin. Finally, we propose some measures to rehabilitate transformed landscapes and increase the efficiency of agricultural production in the study region. Full article

This study conducts an in-depth analysis of anthropogenic transformation and air pollution within the confines of the Fatala River Basin situated in the Republic of Guinea, Africa. The foundation of this investigation relies upon interdisciplinary geoinformatics methodologies and data acquired through remote sensing, specifically drawing from Sentinel-5P and Sentinel-2 satellite datasets. The primary objectives encompass scrutinizing the extant ecological conditions characterizing the Fatala River Basin and assessing the anthropogenic influences within its geographic expanse. The utilization of remote sensing data, as facilitated by the Sentinel-5P satellite, emerges as a potent instrument for meticulously monitoring environmental transformations. A comprehensive analysis of the designated area, conducted through remote sensing methodologies, is employed to ascertain the concentrations of various atmospheric constituents, including nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, formaldehyde, methane, ozone, and carbon monoxide. The findings gleaned from this inquiry reveal that, notwithstanding the dynamic growth of the extractive industry centered around the world’s preeminent bauxite province, the Fouta Djallon–Mandingo, the anthropogenic transformation of the Fatala River Basin exerts a comparatively minor influence on air quality. Statistical assessments, including correlation analysis, conducted between computed parameters delineating anthropogenic alterations within the Fatala River Basin, and a comprehensive atmospheric pollution index elucidate a lack of a significant nexus. It has been determined that air pollution within the Fatala River Basin is notably influenced by topographical features and the transport of contaminants from adjacent river basins. Consequently, this article makes a substantial contribution to our comprehension of the contemporary ecological state of the Fatala River Basin in the Republic of Guinea. It also holds significant importance in elucidating the ecological challenges specific to the researched region. Full article