RUDN Journal of Ecology and Life SafetyRUDN Journal of Ecology and Life SafetyВестник Российского университета дружбы народов. Серия: Экология и безопасность жизнедеятельности2313-23102408-8919Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia named after Patrice Lumumba (RUDN University)5049110.22363/2313-2310-2026-34-2-205-222PKLJEWEcologyЭкологияResearch ArticleMulti-Scale landscape Responses of Vegetation to Urban growth in Makurdi, NigeriaМногомасштабные ландшафтные реакции растительности на рост городов в Макурди, НигерияShaibuOchocheШаибуОчочеPostgraduate student, Institute of Environmental Engineeringаспирант, институт экологииshuaibu.ochoche@rudn.ruhttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-5125-51169483-2011KirichukAnatoly A.КиричукАнатолий Александрович

Doctor of Biological Sciences, Associate Professor, Director of the Department of Human Ecology and Bioelementology, Institute of Environmental Engineering

доктор биологических наук, доцент, директор департамента экологии человека и биоэлементологии, институт экологии

kirichuk-aa@rudn.ruRUDN UniversityРоссийский университет дружбы народов05062026342VOL 34, NO2 (2026)ТОМ 34, №2 (2026)20522205062026Copyright ©; 2026, Shaibu O., Kirichuk A.A.Copyright ©; 2026, Шаибу О., Киричук А.А.2026Shaibu O., Kirichuk A.A.Шаибу О., Киричук А.А.https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0https://journals.rudn.ru/ecology/article/view/50491

Rapid urban expansion is reshaping landscapes across Sub-Saharan Africa, but its effects on vegetation structure remain underexplored. This study examines vegetation responses to urban growth in Makurdi, Nigeria, from 2000-2025, using land-use/land-cover analysis and landscape metrics. Urban intensity zones were delineated to account for spatial variability of anthropogenic impact, and vegetation structure was assessed at class and landscape levels with FRAGSTATS. The results show extensive growth in development accompanied by vegetation decline and fragmentation. Low-intensity zones retained cohesion, while moderateintensity zones experienced the greatest fragmentation and loss of dominance, indicating their high vulnerability. High-intensity zones remained degraded, with small, isolated remnants. The landscape metrics further reveal increasing fragmentation, edge complexity, and heterogeneity, alongside declining cohesion. These findings highlight scale-dependent vegetation responses and demonstrate the value of configuration-based metrics for ecological insight. The multiscale framework provides a robust basis for urban planning aimed at conserving vegetation integrity in rapidly growing African cities.

Быстрое расширение городов меняет ландшафты по всей Африке к югу от Сахары, однако его влияние на структуру растительности остается недостаточно изученным. Авторами изучены реакции растительности на рост городов в Макурди, Нигерия, в период с 2000 по 2025 г. с использованием анализа землепользования/землепокрытия и ландшафтных метрик. Выделены зоны интенсивности урбанизации для учета пространственной изменчивости антропогенного воздействия, а структура растительности оценивалась на уровне классов и ландшафтов с помощью FRAGSTATS. Результаты показывают обширный рост застройки, сопровождающийся сокращением и фрагментацией растительности. Зоны низкой интенсивности сохранили целостность, в то время как зоны средней интенсивности испытали наибольшую фрагментацию и потерю доминирования, что указывает на их высокую уязвимость. Зоны высокой интенсивности оставались деградированными, с небольшими изолированными остатками. Ландшафтные метрики дополнительно показывают усиление фрагментации, сложности границ и неоднородности наряду со снижением связности. Эти результаты подчеркивают зависимость реакции растительности от масштаба и демонстрируют ценность метрик, основанных на конфигурации, для экологического анализа. Многомасштабная структура обеспечивает надежную основу для городского планирования, направленного на сохранение целостности растительности в быстрорастущих африканских городах.

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