DETERMINING LAND USE AND LAND COVER CHANGE AND ITS EFFECT ON LAND SURFACE TEMPERATURE IN NAINITAL DISTRICT

Abstract

Landscape keeps changing due to modifications in the natural environment. The principal factor that drives the landscape change is the anthropogenic resource utilisation system. Anthropogenic pressure is escalating; as a result, alteration of natural ecosystems into humanised landscapes can be observed globally. Built-up areas, largely the settlements and especially encroachment of urban agglomeration and working areas, extensively alter the natural environmental setting. The current pattern of landscape changes is the result of a modified anthropogenic resource utilisation system. This paper aims to investigate the association between land use land cover types and the corresponding land surface temperatures in Nainital District. Remote sensing, as well as GIS data, provides a reliable outcome. It has been widely used for this purpose as multi-temporal data provides a prospect to study any prevailing phenomena of geographical trends. The paper finds out the changes in the region in the last 25 years, from 1992 to 2017. The area has experienced growth in land surface temperature as land-use changes have taken place. The surge in land surface temperature may further induce changes in the land use patterns directly or indirectly. Keywords: Landscape changes, land surface temperature (LST), heat spot regions, built-up areas, anthropogenic influence, Land use Land cover (LULC), spatial analysis.