Ecological Impacts of Mesquite ‘Prosopis spp.’ Expansion in Delta Toker Agricultural Scheme, Northeastern Sudan

Abstract

Based on a field work conducted during 27-30 March 2011 and satellite images, the ecological impacts of mesquite “Prosopis spp.” occupation of Delta Toker scheme were investigated. Results show that mesquite have occupied 73% of the Delta’s area with average annual expansion by 6,122 feddans. Ecological impacts of mesquite have been that it consumes around 127 million cubic meters of the available surface water and one tree of mesquite consumes annually 0.70 cubic meters of surface water; depleting aquifer water through deep root extension; obstructing renewal of natural fauna, declining of annually cropped area from 406,000 feddans to 40,000 feddans by 2011, lowering crop productivity and causing conflict among its beneficiaries. Some suggestions were proposed to alleviate the negative impacts of mesquites in this agricultural scheme.