Spatiotemporal Patterns in Land Use/Land Cover Observed by Fusion of Multi-Source Fine-Resolution Data in West Africa

Land Use/Land Cover (LULC) change is a major global concern and topic of scientific debate. In West Africa, the key trend among changes past few years loss natural vegetation related to in different LULC categories, e.g., water bodies, wetland, bare soil. However, not all detected these categories are relevant for management intervention resource-constrained continent, as massive dominant types may be due errors maps. Previous analysis large discrepancies existing maps Africa. Here, we applied an open synergistic framework update improve Africa at five-year intervals from 1990 2020—updating them finer spatial resolution 30 m. Next, spatial–temporal patterns present with intensity framework, focusing on following periods: 1990–2000, 2000–2010, 2010–2020. A faster annual rate overall transition was 1990–2000 2010–2020 than 2000–2010. We observed consistent increases shrubland grassland periods, which confirms re-greening rangeland By contrast, forestland areas experienced decreases over entire period, indicating deforestation degradation. net cropland drought period gains subsequent periods. The settlement category also gained actively Net losses wetland land were bodies period. highlighted active systematic issued clarion call intervention. simultaneous gross gain raises food security concerns should act early warning sign policy makers that marginal geographic locations under threat, despite expansion this study area. Instead dynamics irrelevant, vital identifying well cost-effective approach.