The invasive tree Prosopis spread by approximately 31,127 hectares annually in Ethiopia between 1986 and 2017, according to a study published in Science of the Total Environment.
Researchers estimated that land changes driven by the invasion reduced ecosystem-service value by about $602 million over the 31-year period.
Grassland areas decreased by 599,000 hectares during the study period, with roughly 50% of the lost grassland now dominated by the invasive tree species.