Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Dune Fields on the Plains of Northern Nigeria

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Landscapes and Landforms of Nigeria

Part of the book series: World Geomorphological Landscapes ((WGLC))

  • 247 Accesses

Abstract

The presence of large areas covered by sand dunes on the plains of northern Nigeria has attracted considerable attention over the years due to the unique and spectacular pattern they form on the landscape. The dominantly linear dunes are relict from the Quaternary period when the climate of northern Nigeria was drier. Today, the dunes are found in areas that receive as much as 1000 mm of rainfall per year. The dunes were first recognized on aerial photographs and later using satellite imagery. The history of the dunes has been further deciphered by the application of luminescence techniques to directly date periods of their formation. In recent years, remote sensing technology has enabled better identification of not only the major units but also the main features. Though degraded, the dunes nonetheless form a distinct and prominent feature on the plains. Besides their significance as a major tourist attraction from within and outside the region, the dunes contain fossil biota that has been used to reconstruct past hydrology and vegetation communities as well as serve as information on the paleoclimatology and paleobotany of the region.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 149.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 199.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 199.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Adeniyi PO (1980) Land use change analysis using sequential aerial photography and computer technique. Photogramm Eng Remote Sens 46:1447–1464

    Google Scholar 

  • Adeniyi PO (1986) Agricultural land use inventory and mapping in Nigeria: the application of remote sensing. In: Eden MJ, Parry JT (eds), Remote sensing and tropical land management. pp 175–187

    Google Scholar 

  • Adeniyi, PO and Olugbile O (1987) An assessment of rural land conversion to urban land in a semi-arid area of Nigeria based on multi-temporal remote sensing data. Paper presented at the annual conference of the Nigeria society of remote sensing. 16pp

    Google Scholar 

  • Arbuszewski JA, deMenocal PB, Cléroux C, Bradtmille L, Mix A (2013) Meridional shifts of the Atlantic intertropical convergence zone since the last glacial maximum Nature. Geoscience 2:102–112

    Google Scholar 

  • Arun AB, Beena KR, Raviraja NS, Sridhar KR (1999) Coastal sand dunes: a neglected ecosystem. Curr Sci 77:19–21

    Google Scholar 

  • Anderson RS, Haff PK (1988) Simulation of aeolian saltation science vol 241, pp 820–823

    Google Scholar 

  • Azzaoui MA, Adnani M, El Belrhiti H, Chaouki IE, Masmoudi L (2016) The international archives of the photogrammetry. Remote Sens Spat Inf Sci vol XLI-B7

    Google Scholar 

  • Bagnold RA (1941) The physics of blown sand and desert dunes. Chapman and Hall, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Bishop MA (2010) Comparative nearest neighbor analysis of mega barchanoid dunes, Ar Rub al Khali sand sea: the application of geographical indices to the understanding of dune field self organization, maturity and environmental change. Geomorphology 120:186–194

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Blumberg DG (1998) Remote sensing of desert dune forms by polarimetric Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR). Remote Sens Environ 65:204–216

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Breed CS, Grow T (1979). Morphology and distribution of dunes in sand seas observed by remote sensing In: McKee ED (ed) A study of global sand seas: U.S. geological survey professional paper 1052, pp 253–302

    Google Scholar 

  • Buschbeck and Thiemeyer (1994) Thermoluminescence dating of palaeodunes in northeast Nigeria, Quatern Sci Rev, pp 106–112

    Google Scholar 

  • Ceballos-Lascurain H (1996) Tourism, ecotourism and protected areas. IUCN-International Union for the Conservation of Nature, Gland, Switzerland

    Google Scholar 

  • Cooke WA (1973) Geomorphology of deserts. B T Batsford Ltd., London

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Cutts JA, Smith RSU (1973) Aeolian deposits and dunes on Mars. J Geophys Res 78:4139–4154

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • de Menocal P (2000) Abrupt onset and termination of the African humid period: rapid climate responses to gradual insulation forcing. Quatern Sci Rev 19(1–5):347–361

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Department of Geography. Unpublished Manuscript Unit. Main Library, Kano University of Science and Technology, Wudil

    Google Scholar 

  • Falconer JD (1911) The geology and geography of northern Nigeria. Macmillan, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Fagbami A (1980) Interpretation of Landsat MSS Imagery of the Nigerian federal capital territory for soil survey purposes. Geoforum II:71–83

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fagbami A (1981a) SLAR imagery interpretation for eastern Niger delta for soil survey purposes. Technical paper. American Society of Photogrammetry, San Francisco, pp 191–202

    Google Scholar 

  • Fagbami A (1981b) Soil formation processes in the sub-humid tropics on Basement complex. Niger Soil Sci J 2:131–146

    Google Scholar 

  • FAO (1969) Soils survey and land classification, soils and water resources survey of the Sokoto Valley, Nigeria. Final report, vol V FAO

    Google Scholar 

  • Florensky CP, Ronc LB, Basilevsky AT (1977) Geomorphic degradations on the surface of Venus: an analysis of Venera 9 and Venera 10 data. Science 196(4292):869–871

    Google Scholar 

  • Fryberger S, Ahlbrandt T (1979) Mechanisms for the formation of aeolian sand seas. Z Geomorphol 23(4):440–460

    Google Scholar 

  • Fryberger S, Dean G (1979) Dune forms and wind regime. A study of global sand seas. In: McKee E (ed), Geological survey paper 1052, Washington, U. S., pp 137–170

    Google Scholar 

  • Gasse F (2002) Diatom-inferred salinity and carbonate oxygen isotopes in Holocene waterbodies of the western Sahara and Sahel (Africa). Quatern Sci Rev 21:737–767

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grove AT (1958) The ancient erg of Hausa land and similar formations on the south side of the Sahara. Georg J 124:528–533

    Google Scholar 

  • Grove AT, Warren A (1968) Quaternary landforms and climate on the south side of the Sahara. Geogr J 134(Part 2):189–208

    Google Scholar 

  • Hansen CJ, Bourke MC, Bridges NT, Byrne S, Colon C, Diniega S, Dundas C, Herkenhoff K, McEwen A, Mellon M, Portyankina G, Thomas N (2011) Seasonal erosion and restoration of Mars’ northern polar dunes. Science 331:575–578

    Google Scholar 

  • Haug GH, Hughen KA, Sigman DM, Petersen LC, Rohl U (2001) Southward migration of the intertropical convergence zone through the Holocene. Science 293:1304–1308

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Holmes JA, Street-Perrot FA, Stokes S, Waller MP, Huang Y, Eglinton G, Ivanovitch M (1999) Holocene landscape evolution of the Manga Grasslands, NE Nigeria: evidence from palaeolimnology and dune chronology. J Geol Soc London 156:357–368

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Important Bird Area factsheet (2019) Hadejia-Nguru wetlands Nigeria. BirdLife International

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones MLM, Sowerby A, Williams DL, Jones RE (2008) Factors controlling soil development in sand dunes: evidence from a coastal dune soil chronosequence. Plant Soil 307:219–234

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jones MLM, Norman K, Rhind PM (2009) Topsoil inversion as a restoration measure in sand dunes early results from a UK field-trial. J Conserv

    Google Scholar 

  • Lancaster N (1987) Formation and reactivation of dunes in the southwestern Kalahari: palaeoclimatic implications. Palaeoecology of Africa 18:103–10

    Google Scholar 

  • Lancaster N et al (2002) Late Pleistocene and Holocene dune activity and wind regimes in the western Sahara of Mauritania. Geology 30(11):991–994

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lippard L (1999) On the beaten track: tourism, art and place. The New Press, New York, USA

    Google Scholar 

  • Mainguet M (1983) Physics of desertification: The wind and desertification processes in the saharo-sahelian and sahelian region, Mithsonian Institution Archives, Accession 17:262, Farouk El-Baz Papers

    Google Scholar 

  • McKee ED (1979) Introduction to a study of global sand seas. In: McKee ED (ed), A study of global sand seas: United States geological survey, professional paper, 1052, pp 3–19

    Google Scholar 

  • Nabegu AB (1979) Land use in the Ancient Erg of Hausa land: a case study of Wurma. Un-published BSc. Dissertation submitted to the Department of Geography, ABU, Zaria

    Google Scholar 

  • Nasiru IM (2007) A comprehensive approach to addressing drought and desertification in Nigeria. Unpublished Master’s Thesis, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia

    Google Scholar 

  • Nasiru IM (2009) Combating desertification and drought in Nigeria (II). This Day Newspaper, Sunday, 31 May 2009 23:56

    Google Scholar 

  • Nichol EA (1991) The extent of desert dunes in northern Nigeria as shown by image enhancement. Geogr J 157(1):13–24

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nichol EA, Kabiru A (2001) A thermal remote sensing of atmospheric boundry layer of homogeneous surfaces. Paper presented at the 22nd Asian conference on remote sensing. Centre for remote imaging, sensing and processing (CRISP), National University of Singapore, Singapore Institute of Surveyors and Valuers (SISV); Asian Association on Remote Sensing (AARS)

    Google Scholar 

  • Oyelese JO (1968) The mapping of landuse patterns from air-photographs in the forest zone of Ibadan Division. Niger Geogr J 11:27–37

    Google Scholar 

  • Plassmann K, Jones MLM, Edwards-Jones G (2010) Effects of long-term grazing management on sand dune vegetation of high conservation interest. Appl Veg Sci 13:100–112

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Preusser F, Degering D (2007) Luminescence dating of the Niederwe ningen mammoth site, Switzerland. Quatern Intl 164–165

    Google Scholar 

  • Provoost S, Jones MLM, Edmondson SE ( 2011) Changes in landscape and vegetation of coastal dunes in northwest Europe: a review. J Coast Conserv

    Google Scholar 

  • Pua Bar K(2009) Overview of the sand dune situation in Israel and the rationale and goals of the study day on ‘Sand Dunes in Israel: In Dunes in Israel: Policy and Management, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel

    Google Scholar 

  • Rognon P (1982) Pluvial and arid phases in the Sahara: the role of non climatic factors. Palaeoecol Afr 12:45–62

    Google Scholar 

  • Ross S, Wall G (2004) Ecotourism: towards congruence between theory and practice. In: Williams S (ed) Tourism: critical concepts in the social sciences. Routledge, pp 240–258

    Google Scholar 

  • Salama A (2001) Ecolodges: a tool for sustainable tourism development in Egypt. A white paper for the tourism development authority in Egypt, Ministry of Tourism, Cairo, Egypt

    Google Scholar 

  • Sarnthein M (1978) Sand deserts during glacial maximum and climatic optimum. Nature 272:43–46. https://doi.org/10.1038/272043a0

  • Scheidt SP, Lancaster N ( 2010) Sensitivity of automatic determination of sand transport direction and rate to dune morphology in the namib sand sea. Des Res Inst, 2215 Raggio Parkway, Reno, NV 89512

    Google Scholar 

  • Sombroek WG, Zonneveld IS (1971) Ancient dune fields and fluviatile deposits in the Rima-Sokoto River basin _N.W. Nigeria. Soil Survey Papers No. 5. Netherlands Soils Survey Institute, Wageningen. Colour printed map, 107pp

    Google Scholar 

  • Sørensen M (1988) On the rate of Aeolian sand transport. In: Proceedings of ICAR5/GCTESEN joint conference, International center for arid and semiarid lands studies, Texas Tech University, USA

    Google Scholar 

  • Sharp RP (1963) Wind ripples. J Geol 71(5):617–636

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sharp RP (1966) Kelso dunes Mojave desert California. Geol Soc Am Bull 77(10):1045–1073

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sharp RP, Saunders RS (1978) Aeolian activity in westernmost Coachella Valley and at Garnet Hill. In: Aeolian features of Southern California: A Comparative Planetary Geology

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith HTU (1968) Aeolian geomorphology wind direction and climatic change in North Africa. Bedford MA, US Air Force Geophysic Research Directorate

    Google Scholar 

  • Stem C, James PL, David RL, David J, Deshler M (2003) How ‘Eco’ is ecotourism? A comparative case study of ecotourism in Costa Rica. J Sustain Tourism 11(4):322–347

    Google Scholar 

  • Stokes S, Horrocks J (1998) A reconnaissance survey of the linear dunes and loess plains of northwestern Nigeria: granulometry and geochronology. In: Alsharan AS, Glennie KW, Whittle GL, and Kendall CGSC (eds.) Quaternary deserts and climatic change. Balkem, Rotterdam, pp 165–174

    Google Scholar 

  • Stuut JB, Lamy F (2004) Climate variability at the southern boundaries of the Namib (southwestern Africa) and Atacama coastal deserts during the last 120,000 yr. Quatern Res 62(3):301–309

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Swezey C (2001) Aeolian sediment responses to late Quaternary climate changes: temporal and spatial patterns in the Sahara. Palaeogeogr Palaeoclimatol Palaeoecol 167:119–155

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Teller JT, Rutter NW, Lancaster N (1990) Sedimentology and palaeohydrology of late Quaternary lake deposits in the northern Namib Sand Sea, Namibia. Quatern Sci Rev 9:343–364

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Theimeyer H (1995) Dating of palaeo-dunes from NE-Nigeria with thermo luminescence. Z Geomorphol 99:97–106

    Google Scholar 

  • van Dijk HJ (1992) Grazing domestic livestock in Dutch coastal dunes: experiments, experiences and perspectives. In: Carter RWG, Curtis TGF, Sheehy-Skeffington MJ (eds) Coastal dunes: geomorphology, ecology and management for conservation, Proceedings of the third European Dune Congress, Galway, Ireland, Rotterdam, Balkema, pp 235–250

    Google Scholar 

  • Vermeesch P, Drake N (2008) Remotely sensed dune celerity and sand flux measurements of the world’s fastest barchans (Bodélé, Chad). Geophys Res Lett 35

    Google Scholar 

  • Wasson RJ, Hyde R (1983) Factors determining desert dune type. Nature 304:337–339

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • White LP (1971) Vegetation stripes on sheet wash surfaces. J Ecol 59:615–622

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wolfe SA, Hugenholtz CH (2009) Barchan dunes stabilized under recent climate warming on the northern Great Plains. Geology 37:1039–1042

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geography, Kano University of Science and Technology, Wudil, Kano State, Nigeria

    Aliyu Baba Nabegu

Authors
  1. Aliyu Baba Nabegu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Aliyu Baba Nabegu .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geography, Faculty of the Social Sciences, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria

    Adetoye Faniran

  2. Department of Geography, Faculty of Social Sciences, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ilé-Ifè, Nigeria

    Lawrence kosoko Jeje

  3. Department of Geography, Faculty of the Social Sciences, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria

    Olutoyin A. Fashae

  4. Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Adeyemi O. Olusola

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2023 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Nabegu, A.B. (2023). Dune Fields on the Plains of Northern Nigeria. In: Faniran, A., Jeje, L.k., Fashae, O.A., Olusola, A.O. (eds) Landscapes and Landforms of Nigeria. World Geomorphological Landscapes. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-17972-3_9

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation