RECENT trends in the land surface phenology of africa observed at a fine spatial scale

This research describes the seasonal phenological pattern of Africa's vegetation and its recent trends using MODIS EVI time-series data with a relatively fine spatial resolution of 500 m and a long temporal range of 15 years (2001–2015). The objectives were to measure the vegetation phenology of the major land cover types and determine the temporal trends across the geographical sub-regions of Africa. An improved representation of the land surface phenology (LSP) of Africa is provided, revealing which land cover types and regions have undergone significant changes in phenology over the period 2001–2015. Recommendations are given for future studies needed to determine and distinguish all the drivers of vegetation phenology.

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