Abstract
The environmental change in Northern Sub-Saharan Africa (NSSA) remains a challenge in relation with hydro-climatic variations and the low adaptation capacity of the region. The present study investigates the vegetation cover (NDVI) change associated with variations in hydro-climatic indicators over the period 1982–2015. The conventional statistical techniques such as the linear and multiple regressions, Mann–Kendall test, and the Pearson’s correlation were employed. The vegetation cover based on vegetation (NDVI) and hydro-climatic data were used. Trends in vegetation cover and hydro-climatic variables had monotonically increased except for the soil moisture that had monotonically decreased in the region. The proportion of significant positive (negative) changes was 46.78% (8.10%), 38.13% (0.34%), 52.12% (0.10%), 82.86% (0.00%), and 10.54% (38.27%) for NDVI, precipitation, potential evapotranspiration, temperature, and soil moisture, respectively. The low vegetation cover dominated the NSSA region with a proportion of about 32% of the total area coverage. The vegetation classes including low coverage, very high coverage, and extreme high coverage exhibited increasing trends. Meanwhile, moderate coverage and high coverage exhibited decreasing trends. The area-averaged precipitation and temperature were positively correlated with the NDVI; however, the area-averaged soil moisture showed negative association with NDVI. Spatial significant positive (negative) correlations of NDVI with the precipitation, temperature, and soil moisture at the 5% level occupied 1.67% (11.59%), 3.37% (26.19%), and 10.24% (6.75%), respectively. However, the combine effects of hydro-climatic variables are better for the monitoring of vegetation cover. This confirms that the vegetation cover is influenced by many factors such as soil moisture, temperature, and precipitation.
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We sincerely thank CAS-TWAS and the UCAS for their support during our Ph.D. program. We also appreciate the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) for their support, which allowed us to study in this field. We also thank the anonymous reviewers for their insightful and helpful comments to improve the present work.
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Conceptualization: Faustin Katchele Ogou; methodology: Faustin Katchele Ogou; data analysis and draft: Faustin Katchele Ogou and Tertsea Igbawua; original manuscript draft: Faustin Katchele Ogou; supervision and review: Tertsea Igbawua.
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Ogou, F.K., Igbawua, T. Investigation of changes in vegetation cover associated with changes in its hydro-climatic drivers in recent decades over North Sub-Saharan Africa. Theor Appl Climatol 149, 1135–1152 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00704-022-04088-3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00704-022-04088-3