Vegetation Cover and Its Relationships with Topography and Climate in Cameroon (2000-2022)

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.