Uses of Satellite Remote Sensing to Map and Monitor the Impacts of Climate and Land Use Changes on Surface Water Availability on the Slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro

Daphne Jackson Fellowship for Dr Ehsan Khalefa. Note funding has since been obtained to extend the project to the end of 2025.

The work in this project is to use various sources of remote sensing data to investigate changes in the vegetation health of Kilimanjaro's mountain ecosystems over the 21st century. In particular the focus is on changing land cover and its impacts on the surface hydrology and water availability.

Changes in vegetation health have been systematic over the last 20 years and although overall there has been a long term increase in NDVI there are changes according to season. In the wet seasons NDVI has declined overall and there has been some upward shifts in vegetation bands on the mountain. Changes in climate have been partly responsible (warming and changes in relative humidity).