Land Surface Phenology for Africa - A Case of the Republic of Ghana
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.58825/jog.2025.19.1.226Keywords:
Land Surface Phenology, Climate change, Remote Sensing, ecosystem, sub-saharan Africa, Systematic reviewAbstract
Understanding Earth’s surface phenology at different spatiotemporal scales is fundamental in evaluating the interaction between biogeographical distributions and climate dynamics. Despite remarkable achievements in remote sensing and Earth-observing technologies, there is a deficiency of African studies in land surface phenology (LSP). The article is a case of Ghana synthesizing studies of LSP between 2000 and 2024 using a systematic review and meta-analysis method. In a systemic review of the literature using the PRISMA protocol, this article critically examines methodological frameworks, spatiotemporal patterns, and drivers of LSP in diverse ecological zones of Ghana. The results indicate large discrepancies in ecological zone-based phenomenological patterns driven by climate variability, land use/cover change, and human pressures regarding deforestation, urban expansion, and agriculture expansion. Remote sensing observations using MODIS and Landsat imagery have been crucial in observing such processes, yet there is a limitation in using ground observations to gain better precision. Temperature and precipitation patterns indicate a trend in vegetation cycles such as the advancing start of the growing season and shortening vegetation duration of growth, having implications for biodiversity and agriculture productivity. In addition, extreme events in terms of heatwaves and droughts have heightened phenomenological anomalies. The article recommends more efficient remote sensing approaches, climate-resilient land management approaches, and environmentally friendly policy interventions to mitigate their impact. Future studies need to use high-resolution satellite observations in combination with local ground observations to calibrate models of LSP to provide useful information to support environmentally friendly management approaches and policy making. The article addresses knowledge gaps in African ecosystem processes and facilitates strategies to meet Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
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