Wetland fragmentation associated with large populations across Africa.
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 40449993.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1038/s41467-025-59373-2 and PMC identifier 12126586.
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Abstract
Wetlands provide essential ecosystem services in Africa, yet their extent and fragmentation remain poorly understood. Here we classify African wetlands at 10 m resolution, using seasonal composite imagery and a random forest algorithm. We estimate a total wetland area of 947,750 km² (10% of global wetlands), comprising 46% marshes, 25% swamps, 22% peatlands, 5% seasonal wetlands, and 2% mangroves. Wetland fragmentation is strongly associated with high population densities in countries such as Nigeria, Liberia, Guinea, Egypt, Algeria, and Kenya. African wetlands store an estimated 54 ± 11 Gt of carbon, surpassing Europe's 12-31 Gt. If drained, they could release 260 MtC yr<sup>-</sup>¹, nearly ten times the carbon sequestration of pristine wetlands (27 MtC yr<sup>-</sup>¹). These findings provide a crucial foundation for sustainable wetland management and policy development.
Medical subject headings
- Wetlands
- Conservation of Natural Resources