Climate Change in Africa and Vegetation Response: A Bibliometric and Spatially Based Information Assessment

Abstract

The impact of climate change over the coming decades will increase the likelihood of many species undergoing genetic alterations or even becoming extinct. Vegetation and belowground organisms are more vulnerable to the intensified impact of climate change due to a possible lack of genetic plasticity and limited mobility. Organisms are inter-dependable in ecosystems; hence, this study focused on the impact of climate change, examining the soil condition in Africa, vegetation responses and the overview of species’ responses to climate change through a bibliometric study and an analysis of remote sensing information. The bibliometric study examines climate change-related literature published from 1999 to 2019, collected from the Web of Science and Scopus database platforms, and this reveals an overall rapid increase in the number of climate change publications in Africa, with South Africa occupying a leading position in all the studied parameters. The spatially based information on soil moisture, temperature and the photosynthetic activities of vegetation affirmed that there is increasing amount of drought in Africa with more impact in northern, southern and eastern Africa. African countries, especially in the above-mentioned regions, need to urgently invest in support programs that will ease the impact of climate change, particularly on food security.

Formulation of a Structural Equation Relating Remotely Sensed Electron Transport Rate Index to Photosynthesis Activity

“…This modeling approach would be useful for identifying sub-optimal photosynthesizing patches in agriculture fields, and screening of new varieties through breeding. Eventually, using this model on periodic satellite scans of RS-ETRi will aid in understanding how global warming affects crops and attenuation in yield [31].…”

Agroecological concepts and alternatives to the problems of contemporary agriculture: Monoculture and chemical fertilization in the context of climate change

“…Climate change perturbs microbial profiles and their functions through changes in carbon/nitrogen cycling (Naylor et al, 2020), resulting in positive effects such as GHGs emissions or negative effects like carbon immobilization into microbial and plant biomass, soil warming, and elevated CO2 levels (Sulman et al, 2014). Furthermore, it induces genetic changes and the extinction of some species (Idris et al, 2022). Variations in air temperature, rainfall, and the intensity and frequency of extreme weather events can have direct or indirect effects on climate change, which can lead to negative consequences (Lacetera, 2019).…”

“…Variations in air temperature, rainfall, and the intensity and frequency of extreme weather events can have direct or indirect effects on climate change, which can lead to negative consequences (Lacetera, 2019). Climate change has been forecast to cause more droughts in the near future across the majority of the world's regions, with an increase in the area impacted by drought from 15.4 to 44% by the year 2100 (Idris et al, 2022). The region considered to be most vulnerable is Africa.…”

“…Heat stress can negatively impact animal health directly by causing oxidative stress, metabolic changes, immune suppression, and mortality. Climate change indirectly impacts microbial abundance, disease spread (Lacetera, 2019), and food and water scarcity (Abdelmajid et al, 2021;Chien et al, 2023;Hssaisoune et al, 2020;Idris et al, 2022;Matthan, 2022;Mutengwa et al, 2023). Temperature and precipitation changes lead to increased pesticide use (Idris et al, 2022;Kaka et al, 2021), toxicity, decreased bioavailability, altered earthworm growth patterns, and increased acidification and eutrophication potential (Leal Filho et al, 2023;Matthan, 2022;Mutengwa et al, 2023;Parmesan et al, 2022;Pimbert, 2015).…”

“…Climate change indirectly impacts microbial abundance, disease spread (Lacetera, 2019), and food and water scarcity (Abdelmajid et al, 2021;Chien et al, 2023;Hssaisoune et al, 2020;Idris et al, 2022;Matthan, 2022;Mutengwa et al, 2023). Temperature and precipitation changes lead to increased pesticide use (Idris et al, 2022;Kaka et al, 2021), toxicity, decreased bioavailability, altered earthworm growth patterns, and increased acidification and eutrophication potential (Leal Filho et al, 2023;Matthan, 2022;Mutengwa et al, 2023;Parmesan et al, 2022;Pimbert, 2015). Insects face declining populations and shifting distributions due to climate change affecting agriculture (Sánchez-Guillén et al, 2016;Shrestha, 2019).…”