Linking large-scale domestic land acquisitions and biodiversity outcomes: survey and remote sensing evidence from Ghana

This study investigates the ecological impacts of land preparation methods associated with large-scale land acquisitions by domestic entities (LSLADE) in Ghana, focusing on their effects on biodiversity. Using two rounds of panel survey data combined with geospatial indicators (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, NDVI, and Green NDVI, GNDVI), and applying correlated random effects with Mundlak adjustment and mediation analysis, we examine how LSLADE concentration, investments in tractors, bulldozers, and agrochemicals, as well as smallholder adoption of these methods, influence species richness, evenness, diversity, and vegetation health. The results show that LSLADE concentration significantly reduces biodiversity, with particularly strong negative elasticities for vegetation indices, reflecting ecosystem degradation from mechanized land preparation and agrochemical use. Heterogeneity analysis reveals that private and government-backed LSLADEs are linked to biodiversity decline, while communal LSLADEs show comparatively neutral or positive effects, highlighting the role of governance structures. Mediation analysis indicates that biodiversity loss operates primarily through pathways of mechanical land clearing, expansion into previously uncultivated land, and intensified agrochemical use. While our use of medium-resolution datasets enables robust multi-year and multi-district analysis, we acknowledge limitations in capturing fine-scale dynamics due to data resolution and cloud contamination. The findings underscore the urgent need for integrating biodiversity safeguards into LSLADE planning, including restrictions on bulldozer clearing, promotion of agroecological practices, and context-specific governance mechanisms. By combining traditional biodiversity measures with spatial indicators, this paper contributes new evidence on how domestic land investments shape ecological sustainability in sub-Saharan Africa.