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eISSN: 2083-5906
ISSN: 1230-1485
ISSN: 1230-1485
ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Vegetation Cover and Its Relationships with
Topography and Climate in Cameroon (2000-2022)
1
Jiyang College of Zhejiang A&F University, Zhejiang, China
Submission date: 2025-08-22
Final revision date: 2026-03-11
Acceptance date: 2026-03-15
Online publication date: 2026-07-07
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
Climate change and human activities have significantly altered ecosystems worldwide, leading to
changes in vegetation cover, especially in tropical and arid regions. In Central Africa, Cameroon is
experiencing rapid shifts in vegetation patterns due to both climatic factors and land-use practices.
Understanding these spatiotemporal changes is crucial for developing effective strategies for ecological
protection and restoration. This study examines the spatiotemporal dynamics of vegetation cover in
Cameroon from 2000 to 2022 and explores their relationships with topographic and climatic drivers.
Utilizing remote sensing and GIS, we integrated MODIS imagery, meteorological station records,
and digital elevation models to analyze fractional vegetation cover (FVC) patterns across Cameroon’s
regions. Our results reveal marked spatiotemporal variations in FVC over the past 23 years: southern
tropical rainforests are increasingly threatened by climate change and human activities, while northern
savannas face an increasing risk of desertification. In arid and semi-arid zones, vegetation growth is
closely linked to precipitation and temperature. Furthermore, topographic variables such as elevation
and slope strongly modulate vegetation distribution and growth. These findings illustrate the complex
interplay between climatic and physiographic drivers governing vegetation dynamics in Cameroon and
provide a scientific basis for targeted ecological protection and restoration strategies.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST
The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.
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| eISSN: | 2083-5906 |
| ISSN: | 1230-1485 |
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