Professor Emmanuel Morgan Attua

Contact info emattua@ug.edu.gh

About

I am a biogeographer/ecologist with specialization in biodiversity and landscape changes. Fields of interest are ecology, biogeography, remote sensing, geographic information systems environmental degradation and ecological restoration. 

Education

2001: PhD, Botany, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana 

1996: Mphil, Botany, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana

1989: BSc & Dip. Ed., University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana           

Research Interest

My research focuses on human-nature interactions and the resultant change dynamics in tropical forest and savanna ecosystems, particularly in West Africa. Theories of ecology and biogeography are integrated with bio-physical and socio-economic information to evaluate human-induced environmental change, at varying geographical scales. Of particular interest is ecosystems’ integrity assessment involving land use/land cover dynamics, ecological change, floral biodiversity measurement and valuation, landscape changes and degradation. My interdisciplinary research approach is spatially explicit and integrates physical, biological and information technology (remote sensing, geographic information science (GIS) and/or statistical analyses to study and solve environmental problems. The overarching goal of my research is to improve understanding of environmental change, particularly the impacts of land use/land cover dynamics on biota, as a principal component of global environmental change. Besides this goal, my research is strongly motivated by ecological concerns to minimize landscape degradation through sustainable land management, especially in tropical environments. 

Publications

BOOKS

  1. Ardayfio-Schandorf, E.; Yankson, P.W.K.; Asiedu, A.B.; Agyei-Mensah, S.; Attua, E.M (2007). Socio-economic perspectives of off-reserve forest management in the Goaso Forest District of Ghana, Woeli Publishing Services, Accra, 176pp, ISBN 9988-0-2992-6.
  2. Owusu, G., Yankson, P. W. K., Agyei-Mensah, S and Attua, E. M (eds.) (2013). Selected Readings in Geography: Essays in Commemoration of the 65th Anniversary of the University of Ghana, Published by Woeli Publishing Services, Accra. ISBN 978-9988-626-10-x.

BOOK CHAPTERS 

  1. Antwi, E. K., Mensah, R., Attua, E.M., Yiran, G., Boakye-Danquah, J., Ametepe, R., and Adjei-Boadi, D (2018). Assessing Land and Ecosystem Management at the Local Level in the Savannah Ecological Zone and the Implications for Sustainability. In Saito et al., (eds.): Strategies for Building Resilience against Climate and Ecosystem Changes in Sub-Saharan Africa, Science for Sustainable Societies, DOI 10.1007/978-981-10-4796-1_1, Chapter 9; pp138-149; Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 
  2. Asiedu, A. B., Agyei-Mensah, S and Attua, E. M (2007). “Physical and Human Geography of the Goaso Forest District”. In Ardayfio-Schandorf, E et al. (eds.). Socio-economic perspectives of off-reserve forest management in the Goaso Forest District of Ghana, Woeli Publishing Services, Accra.
  3. Attua, E. M (2007). “Demand, Supply and Use of Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) and Forest Fringe Communities of the Goaso Forest District”. In Ardayfio-Schandorf, E et al. (eds). Socio-economic perspectives of off-reserve forest management in the Goaso Forest 
  4. Attua, E. M (2013). “Understanding land-use and Land-cover change impacts on tropical ecosystems”, Chapter 17, pp 265-280. In Owusu, G. et al. (eds.): Selected Readings in Geography: Essays in Commemoration of the 65th Anniversary of the University of Ghana. Woeli Publishing Services, Accra, ISBN 978-9988-626-10-x.

 

JOURNAL ARTICLES

  1. Asiedu, E., Kusimi, J.M., Pinto, E. N., Semabiah, C., Attua, E. M (2023). Studying Bankline Migration of the Lower Pra Basisn Using Remote Sensing and GIS. Ghana Journal of Geography, vol.15 (2), 88-109. Doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/gig.v15i2.4
  2. Gyimah, R. R; Antwi, R. A; Attua, E. M; Owusu, A. B; Doe, E. K (2023). Trading greens for heated surfaces: Land surface temperature and perceived health risk in Greater Accra Metropolitan Area, Ghana. The Egyptian Journal of Remote Sensing and Space Sciences, 26 (4), 861-880. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejrs.2023.09.004   
  3. Doe, E. K., Attua, E. M., Obour, P. B., Quaye, A. K., Fosu-Mensah, B. Y (2023). Sustainable Food Systems, Soil health and synergy of ecological determinants of green cocoa productivity in different soil ecotypes in Ghana, Agroecology and Ecosystem Services, 7:
  4. Doe, E. K., Attua, E. M., Dogbatse, J. A and Fosu-Mensah, B. Y (2022). Assessing the condition and capability of soils in cocoa districts of Ghana using geovisualization. Soil Security 7, 100058. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soisec.2022.100058
  5. Acheampong, J. O; Attua, E. M; Mensah, M; Fosu-Mensah, B. Y; Apambilla, R. A; Doe, E. K (2022). Livelihood, carbon and spatiotemporal land-use land-cover change in the Yenku forest reserve of Ghana, 2000–2020. International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation, vol. 112, 102938. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jag.2022.102938
  6. Pabi, O., Egyir S and Attua, E. M (2021). Flood hazard response to scenarios of rainfall dynamics and land use and land cover change in an urbanized river basin, Accra, Ghana. City and Environment Interactions, 12;100075. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.cacint.2021.100075
  7. Quaye, A. K., Doe, E. K., Attua, E. M., Yiran, G., Arthur, A., Dogbatse, A. J., Konlan, S., Nkroma, Y. D and Addo, D (2021). Geospatial distribution of soil organic carbon and soil pH within the cocoa agroecological zones of Ghana. Geoderma, 386, 114921. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2020.114921  
  8. Attua, E. M, Awanyo, L and Effah, A. K (2018). “Effects of anthropogenic disturbance on tree population structure and diversity of a rain forest biosphere reserve of Ghana, West Africa.” African Journal of Ecology, 56: 116-127.
  9. Dabie, P. K., Attua, E. M and Kusimi, J. M. (2018): Urban sprawl, Agricultural land use and Food Security in the Shai Osudoku district, Ghana. Research Journal of Geography, 5 (1): 1-15.
  10. Louis, L., McCarron, M and Attua, E. M (2017). Breaking the silence: housing and psychosocial health inequalities in three urban neighbourhoods of Accra, Ghana, International Development Planning Review, 39 (3): 275-297. https://doi.org/10.3828/idpr.2017.8
  11. Awanyo, L and Attua, E. M (2016): A paradox of three decades of neoliberal economic reforms in Ghana: a tale of economic growth and uneven regional development, African Geographical Review, DOI: 10.1080/19376812.2016.1245152
  12. Yiran, G. A. B., Stringer, L C., Attua, E. M., Evans, A. J., Challinor, A. J and Gyasi, E. A (2016). Mapping vulnerability to multiple hazards in the savannah Ecosystem in Ghana, Regional Environmental Change, 16 (17), DOI 10.1007/s10113-016-1054-8
  13. Mensah, R., Effah, A. K., Attua, E. M., Chimsah, F. A., Boakye-Danquah, J., Sackey, I (2016). Biodiversity   of  woody   species   and  their   utilization   in   a Savannah ecological zone of Northern Ghana. Journal of Biodiversity and Environmental Sciences, 8 (3): 22-45.
  14. Louis, A; McCarron, M and Attua, E. M (2016). Affordable housing options for all in a context of developing capitalism: can housing transformations play a role in the Greater Accra Region, Ghana? African Geographical Review, 35:1, 35-52, DOI: 10.1080/19376812.2014.943774.
  15. Kusimi, J. M., Yiran, G. A. B., and Attua, E. M. (2015). Soil Erosion and Sediment Yield Modelling in the Pra River Basin of Ghana using the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE). Ghana Journal of Geography, 7(2): 38–57.
  16. Laouli, M. A, Villamor, G. B., Attua, E. M and Traoré, S. B (2015). Comparing farmers’ perception of climate change and variability with historical climate data in the Upper East Region of Ghana. Ghana Journal of Geography, 7, 47-74.
  17. Antwi, E. K, Boakye-Danquah, J., Asabere, S. B, Yiran, G. A. B, Loh, S. K., Awere-Gyekee, K, Agbagale, F. K., Asubonteng, K, O., Attua, E. M and Owusu, A. B. (2014). Land use and landscape structural changes in the ecoregions of Ghana. Journal of Disaster Research, 9 (4), 452-467.
  18. Attua, E. M, Ayamga, J and Pabi, O. (2014). “Relating Land Use and Land Cover to Surface Water Quality in the Densu River basin, Ghana”, International Journal of River Basin Management, 12 (1): 57-68. Doi: 10.1080/15715124.2014.880711.
  19. Attua, E. M; Annan, S. T and Nyame, F (2014). Water Quality Analysis of Rivers Used as Drinking Sources in Artisanal Gold Mining Communities of the Akyem-Abuakwa Area: A Multivariate Statistical Approach, Ghana Journal of Geography, 6: 24-42.
  20. Timpong, Jones, E.C., Mutanga, T., Adogla-Bessa, T; Attua, E. M., and Adiku, S. G. K. (2013). “Herbage yield and grazing capacity estimation in a tropical coastal savanna rangeland using geostatistics”, West African Journal of Applied Ecology, 21 (2): 37-45. 
  21. Attua, E. M and Pabi, O. (2013).” Tree species composition, richness and diversity in the forest-savanna ecotone of Ghana”. Journal of Applied Biosciences, 69:5437-5448, ISSN 1997–5902.
  22. Attua, E. M and Fisher J. (2011). “Historical and future land cover change in a municipality of Ghana”, Earth interactions, 15 (9):1-26, doi: 10.1175/2010EI304.1
  23. Awanyo, L., Attua, E. M. and McCarron, M. (2011). “Rehabilitation of forest-savannas in Ghana: The impacts of land use, shade, and invasive species on tree recruitment”, Applied Geography, 31(1): 181-190, doi:10.1016/j.apgeog.2010.04.002. 
  24. Attua, E. M and Fisher, J. B. (2010). “GIS-multi criteria assessment of land suitability and optimal sites allocation for large scale pineapple production in the Akwapim South District, Ghana”, Ghana Journal of Geography, 2: 47-84.
  25. Opoku, P and Attua, E.M.(2009). “Sustainable land-use evaluation on steep landscapes and flood plains in the New Juaben district of Ghana: A GIS Approach”, Ghana Journal of Geography, 1: 115-134.
  26. Kofie, R.Y., Attua, E M. and Nabila, J. S. (2008). “Poverty and socio-economic consequences of Buruli ulcer (Mycobacterium ulcerans) in the Ga West District of Ghana”, Norsk Geografisk Tidsskrift - Norwegian Journal of Geography, 62 (3): 210-221.
  27. Attua, E. M (2007): “Using multiple linear regression techniques to quantify carbon stocks of fallow vegetation in the tropics”, West African Journal of Applied Ecology, 12: 189-197. 
  28. Sovoe, S.; Wiafe, G.; Kakane, V.C.K, and Attua, E.M (2006). “Effect of climate change on primary productivity in the Gulf of Guinea: a remote sensing approach”, Journal of the Ghana Science Association, 8 (2): 71-76.
  29. Opoku, P and Attua, E. M. (2005). “Spatio-temporal differentiation of land-use/cover changes and natural resources management”, Bulletin of the Ghana Geographical Association, 24: 89-103.
  30. Attua, E. M and Laing, E. (2005). “Ecological assessment of carbon sequestration and partitioning in regenerating fallow systems”, West African Journal of Applied Ecology, 7: 123-134.
  31. Attua, E. M. (2003). “Land cover change impacts on the abundance and composition of flora in the Densu Basin”, West African Journal of Applied Ecology, 4:27-34.
  32. Attua, E. M and Laing, E.  (2001). “Land cover mapping of the Densu Basin: interpretations from multi-spectral imagery”, Bulletin of the Ghana Geographical Association, 23:14-25.