Grassland cover declined in Southern Africa but increased in other African subcontinents in early 21st century

Abstract

Abstract The African continent has the most extensive grassland cover in the world, providing valuable ecosystem services. African grasslands, like other continental grasslands, are prone to various anthropogenic disturbances and climate, and require data-driven monitoring for efficient functioning and service delivery. Yet, knowledge of how the African grassland cover has changed in the past years is lacking, especially at the subcontinents level, due to a lack of relevant long-term, Africa-wide observations and experiments. Here, we used Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Land Cover Type (MCD12Q1) data spanning 2001 to 2017 to conduct Land Use Land Cover (LULC) change analyses and map grassland distribution in Africa. Specifically, we assessed the changes in grassland cover across and within African subcontinents over three periods (2001–2013, 2013–2017, and 2001–2017). We found that the African grassland cover was 16777765.5 km2, 16999468.25 km2, and 16968304.25 km2 in 2001, 2013, and 2017, respectively. There were net gain (1.32%) and net loss (0.19%) during 2001–2013 and 2013–2017 periods, respectively. Generally, the African grassland cover increased (1.14%) over the whole study period (2001–2017) at the expense of forestland, cropland, and built-up areas. The East and West African grassland covers reduced by 0.07% and 1.35%, respectively, in 2013–2017, and increased in other periods; those of North and Central Africa increased throughout the three periods; but Southern Africa grassland cover decreased over the three periods. Overall, the net gains in the grassland cover of other African subcontinents offset the loss in Southern Africa and promoted the overall gain across Africa. This study underscores the need for continuous monitoring of African grasslands and the causes of their changes for efficient delivery of ecosystem services.