En Afrique Sub-Saharienne, les zones humides forment d'importantes zones de pâturages pour bon nombre de pastoralistes. Le régime d'inondation de ces plaines influence leur fonc tionnement et leur productivité. Pour comprendre et maitriser ces régimes, il est donc essentiel d'évaluer l'impact de l'infrastructure hydro-électrique sur les dynamiques d'inondations en aval des barrages. Pourtant, le manque de données disponibles, l'absence de modèles validés et la forte variabilité environnementale rendent cet exercice difficile. Cette thèse contribue à quantifier l'impact du changement des ressources hydriques sur la productivité fourragère des prairies inondables dans le Delta du fleuve Tana, au Kenya. 1/ Les caractéristiques de croissance et la productivité d'une prairie inondable à Echinochloa stagnina (Retz) P. Beauv. ont été déterminées pour différents régimes de fauche, d'irrigation et conditions d'inondations. Ensuite, un modèle de croissance adapté à des Graminées en C4, tropicales et pérennes, de prairies inondables a été développé. Il constitue, à notre connaissance, le premier modèle éco-physiologique adapté à ce type de prairies. 2/ Des processus hydrologiques importants pour le fonctionnement des écosystèmes (étendue, période, durée et fréquence d'inondation) ont été caractérisés grâce à un modèle de bilan hydrologique et à l'utilisation de techniques de télédétection, et cela en dépit de la faible instrumentalisation du bassin, du peu de données topographiques et d'un fort couvert nuageux. 3/ Une analyse préliminaire de l'impact de différents scénarios d'inondations sur la production fourragère a été effectuée en utilisant des indicateurs de services écosystémiques. Cette thèse participe à l'amélioration de nos connaissances des services écosystémiques des zones humides par la construction de modèles et par l'évaluation de scénarios dans une région du monde où ce type de données est rare. / Wetlands are a vital resource for many pastoralists in Sub-Saharan Africa as they provide dry-season grazing zones. As floods are essential for wetland ecosystems, the assessment of water abstraction and hydroelectric infrastructure on downstream flooding dynamics is crucial. Yet, scarce data, environmental variability and the lack of models make this challenging. This research contributes to quantifying the influence of changing water resources on fodder pro- duction of floodplain grasslands in the Tana River Delta, Kenya. 1/ Growth characteristics of floodplain grasslands of Echinochloa stagnina (Retz) P. Beauv. for different flood and manage- ment options were determined and a quantification of their productivity achieved. This kind of data is scarce for floodplain grasslands. A plant growth model adapted to tropical floodplain conditions and perennial C4 grasses was developed, and is the first known physiologically based model for floodplain grasslands. 2/ Hydrological processes of ecological importance (flood extent, timing, duration, frequency) were characterized in a poorly gauged basin using a water-balance model combined with remote-sensing techniques, despite precise knowledge of discharge rates, topography and a high cloud cover. 3/ A preliminary analysis explored different flooding scenarios and their impact on fodder production through the use of simple ecosystem service indicators. This PhD contributes to the repertoire of wetland ecosystem ser- vices by building biophysically based simulation models and exploring possible scenarios in a region of the world and an ecosystem where these type of evaluations are rare.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / Brazil has a vast area consisting of forage plants, therefore, a large number is at some stage of degradation mainly due to inappropriate choice of the species in relation to the cultivation environment, and as a result, this work took place in order to evaluate the Morphogenesis of White-Band Grass Submitted to Nitrogen Fertilization. The experiment was conducted to evaluate the morphogenetic, structural and productive characteristics of White-Band grass (Digitaria umfolozii) subjected to nitrogen fertilization from January to May 2014. Five doses of nitrogen were evaluated: 0, 100, 200, 300 and 500 kg/ha. The experimental outline was randomized blocks, with four repetitions. Nitrogen fertilization did not affect (P> 0.05) the final length of the leaves, leaf senescence rate, the number of green leaves per tiller, plant height and the ratio of leaf to stem of grass-Range White, presenting, respectively average amounts of 26.9 cm; 0.77 cm / tiller day; 4.2 leaves / tiller; 43.4 cm and 1.04. The appearance and leaf elongation rates, the tiller population density and accumulation of forage, leaves, stems and dead materials of White-Band grass were influenced by nitrogen doses adjusted to a positive quadratic equation (P <0.05) by nitrogen doses. In general, the increase in the amount of nitrogen applied increased the amounts of these rates, reaching maximum points at doses between 300 and 400 kg/ha according to the respective adjusted models. Phyllochron and the lifespan of the leaves were affected in a negative quadratic way (P <0.05) by nitrogen doses. Similarly, the increase in the amount of nitrogen applied declined the values of these rates, reaching minimum points at doses between 300 and 400 kg /ha, according to the respective equations set. The stem elongation rate increased linearly with the nitrogen dose. The White-Band grass has a higher renewal of tissues and productivity when fertilized. The improvement in productive characteristics of White-Band grass reaches maximum amount with nitrogen doses around 300 kg/ha. / O Brasil possui uma vasta área composta por plantas forrageiras, no entanto, grande parte encontra-se em algum estagio de degradação devido principalmente a escolha inadequada da espécie em relação ao ambiente de cultivo, diante disso realizouse esse trabalho a fim de avaliar a Morfogênese do Capim Faixa-Branca Submetido a Adubação Nitrogenada. O experimento foi desenvolvido objetivando avaliar as características morfogênicas, estruturais e produtivas do capim Faixa-Branca (Digitaria umfolozii) submetido a adubação nitrogenada, no período de janeiro a maio de 2014. Foram avaliadas cinco doses de nitrogênio: 0, 100, 200, 300 e 500 kg/ha. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi o de blocos casualizados, com quatro repetições. A adubação nitrogenada não influenciou (P>0,05) o comprimento final das folhas, a taxa de senescência foliar, o número de folhas vivas por perfilho, a altura das plantas e a relação folha:colmo do capim Faixa-Branca, apresentando, respectivamente, valores médios de 26,9 cm; 0,77 cm/perfilho dia; 4,2 folhas/perfilho; 43,4 cm e 1,04. As taxas de aparecimento e de alongamento de folhas, a densidade populacional de perfilhos e os acúmulos de forragem, de folhas, de colmos e de material morto do capim Faixa-Branca foram influenciadas pelas doses de nitrogênio ajustando-se a uma equação quadrática positiva (P<0,05) pelas doses de nitrogênio. De maneira geral, a elevação na quantidade de nitrogênio aplicada aumentou os valores destas taxas, atingindo pontos de máximo com doses entre 300 e 400 kg/ha, segundo os respectivos modelos ajustados. O filocrono e a duração de vida das folhas foram afetados de maneira quadrática negativa (P<0,05) pelas doses de nitrogênio. De maneira semelhante, a elevação na quantidade de nitrogênio aplicada diminuiu os valores destas taxas, atingindo pontos de mínimo com doses entre 300 e 400 kg/ha, segundo as respectivas equações ajustadas. A taxa de alongamento de colmo aumentou linearmente com a dose de nitrogênio. O capim Faixa- Branca apresenta maior renovação de tecidos e produtividade quando adubado. A melhoria nas características produtivas do capim Faixa-Branca atingem valores máximos com doses de nitrogênio em torno de 300 kg/ha.