Land Use Land Cover Analysis using Geospatial Techniques

Abstract

Abstract: Remote sensing and Geographic information system (GIS) techniques can be used for the changing pattern of landscape. The study was conducted in Dehradun, Haridwar and Pauri Garhwal Districts of Uttarakhand State, India. In order to understand dynamics of landscape and to examine changes in the land use/cover due to anthropogenic activities, two satellite images (Landsat 5 and Landsat 8) for 1998 and 2020 were used. Google Earth Engine was used to perform supervised classification. Spectral indices (NDVI, MNDWI, SAVI, NDBI) were calculated in order to identify land cover classes. Both 1998 and 2020 satellite images were classified broadly into six classes namely agriculture, built-up, dense forest, open forest, scrub and waterbody. Using high resolution google earth satellite images and visual interpretation, overall accuracy assessment was performed. For land cover/use change analysis, these images were imported to GIS platform. Landscape configuration was observed by calculating various landscape metrices Images. It was observed that scrub land area had increased from 11 % to 14 % but a decrease in agriculture by 4.65 %. The increased value of NP, PD, PLAND, LPI and decrease in AI landscape indices shows that land fragmentation had increased since 1998. The most fragmented classes were scrub (PD - 3.32 to 5.18) and open forest (PD - 3.57 to 5.07). Decrease in AI for open forest, agriculture, built-up indicated that more fragmented patches of these classes were present. The result confirmed increase in the fragmentation of landscape from 1998 onwards. Keywords: GIS, LULC, landscape metrics, Remote Sensing