Responses and feedbacks of African dryland ecosystems to environmental changes

Drylands occupy 43% of the African continent and play an important role in the global carbon cycle and in supporting local livelihoods. Understanding how dryland ecosystems respond to environmental changes, both structurally and functionally, is of great significance for sustainable dryland management. In this article, we review the current remote sensing-based knowledge on African dryland ecosystem dynamics and the main drivers of changes. Global CO2 enrichment, changes in rainfall regimes, and a decline in fire activity have collectively driven vegetation greening, woody plant increase and carbon dynamics in African drylands over recent decades, challenging the long-held desertification narrative. Here we also highlight the importance of rainfall-vegetation-fire feedbacks in enhancing dryland ecosystem resilience and predicting future ecosystem responses.

Automated summary

Drylands in Africa cover 43% of the continent and have a significant impact on global carbon cycling and local livelihoods. Understanding the response of dryland ecosystems to environmental changes is crucial for sustainable management. Recent studies using remote sensing have shown that factors like increased CO2 levels, changes in rainfall patterns, and reduced fire activity have led to vegetation greening and woody plant growth in African drylands, challenging the traditional desertification narrative.