Change Detection and Dynamics of Dom Palm (Hyphaene thebaica) Forests of Dryland in Northern Sudan

Change Detection and Dynamics of Dom Palm (Hyphaene thebaica) Forests of Dryland in Northern Sudan | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Change Detection and Dynamics of Dom Palm (Hyphaene thebaica) Forests of Dryland in Northern Sudan Hashim A. Abdelkarim, Emad H. E. Yasin, Yousif E. Yagoub, Adrienn Horvath, and 1 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-8961311/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted 10 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Dryland forests dominated by Dom palm ( Hyphaene thebaica ) in northern Sudan are increasingly threatened by human activities, climate variability, and invasive species. This study aimed to evaluate long-term forest dynamics, identify degradation drivers, and assess community-based management approaches in Umbashim, Helgi, and Gaili forest reserves. Multi-temporal satellite imagery from 1988 to 2025, combined with field observations and household surveys, was used to analyze land cover changes, species composition, and local perceptions. Results revealed clear differences in forests conditions among sites: Umbashim maintained high ecological stability, with over 68% of Dom palm cover retained through natural regeneration and community protection; In contrary, Gaili showed severe degradation, with Mesquite ( Prosopis spp.) replacing more than 40% of Dom palm cover due to weak governance and overharvesting; Helgi exhibited a transitional state, with native and invasive species coexisting under moderate recovery. Climate analysis indicated substantial interannual rainfall variability and sustained increases in minimum and maximum temperatures, intensifying stress on native vegetation and limiting regeneration. Communities highlighted livelihood-oriented strategies, including handicraft development, local associations, and participatory forest management, as essential for sustainable recovery. The study underscores the need for integrated ecological and socio-economic interventions to enhance resilience, control invasives, and ensure the long-term sustainability of Dom palm forests in Sudan’s dryland ecosystems. Dom palm (Hyphaene thebaica) Dryland Forest dynamics Land cover change Invasive species (Prosopis spp.) Climate variability Community-based forest management Forest restoration and resilience Google Earth Engine (GEE) Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted Reviews received at journal 07 Apr, 2026 Reviews received at journal 31 Mar, 2026 Reviews received at journal 30 Mar, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 21 Mar, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 19 Mar, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 18 Mar, 2026 Reviewers invited by journal 17 Mar, 2026 Editor assigned by journal 07 Mar, 2026 Submission checks completed at journal 05 Mar, 2026 First submitted to journal 05 Mar, 2026 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-8961311","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":615469159,"identity":"b7a814fc-955d-4c94-926b-7e0e4691a530","order_by":0,"name":"Hashim A. 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This study aimed to evaluate long-term forest dynamics, identify degradation drivers, and assess community-based management approaches in Umbashim, Helgi, and Gaili forest reserves. Multi-temporal satellite imagery from 1988 to 2025, combined with field observations and household surveys, was used to analyze land cover changes, species composition, and local perceptions. Results revealed clear differences in forests conditions among sites: Umbashim maintained high ecological stability, with over 68% of Dom palm cover retained through natural regeneration and community protection; In contrary, Gaili showed severe degradation, with Mesquite (\u003cem\u003eProsopis\u003c/em\u003e spp.) replacing more than 40% of Dom palm cover due to weak governance and overharvesting; Helgi exhibited a transitional state, with native and invasive species coexisting under moderate recovery. 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