Long-Term Assessment of Deforestation and Its Impacts on Aerosol Optical Properties and Climate Variables over Mau Forest Complex Using Multisensory Data

The deforestation has profound implications on aerosol properties and climatic variables. Deforestation disrupts local climate by altering temperature, aerosol optical properties and impacting air quality and modifies precipitation patterns; and degrades vegetation health. However, the long-term impacts of deforestation on aerosol optical properties and climate variables over Mau remain not very well investigated, especially considering the context of altered anthropogenic and natural emission sources. This study bridges this gap through a comprehensive assessment of deforestation impacts on aerosol optical properties and climate variables over Mau Forest complex bounded by (0.2S, 35.2E) and (0.8S, 35.8E) using multisensory data from 2001-2024. The findings by the present study reveal predominantly negative trends of NDVI, recorded by season JF, JJAS and OND of value −6.63032E−4 ± 0.00137, −1.356E−4 ± 0.00101 and −1.31586E−4 ± 7.59717E−4, respectively, indicating a decrease in vegetation health and density over the year often linked to rainfall patterns. Decline in NDVI is influenced by deforestation, which further exacerbates the impacts of natural reduction in vegetation cover. Conversely, during the season of MAM, the trend of NDVI is generally weak positive trend of value 4.70595E−4 ± 0.00193 year−1 indicating an increase in vegetation health and density. Furthermore, the spatial trends over domain region is characterized by Aerosol optical depth (1) and moderate value >0.7, is attributed by 1) deforestation for example anthropogenic activities and human activities hence released significant amounts of aerosols particles into the atmosphere 2) climate change occasioned by meteorological parameters such as temperature inversions accompanied by reduced precipitation which are favorable conditions for increased aerosol emissions leading to the enhanced AOD. Correlation between NDVI and AOD is negative, attributed to increase in deforestation rate that results in reduced NDVI values. The statistically significant impacts of deforestation on aerosols optical properties and NDVI prove the modulating role of aerosol optical properties in regional climate processes. Policymakers must prioritize emission control actions targeted at biomass burning and scientists must keep investigating high-resolution aerosol optical properties, climate interactions using integrated ground and satellite observations to advance climate impact assessment over Mau Forest complex in Kenya.