Remote sensing of Land Use and Land Cover changes in semi-arid regions: a Google Earth Engine approach for urban planning in Djebel Ouahch (Constantine, Algeria)

Rapid urbanization primarily converts naturally vegetated areas and pervious surfaces into impervious built-up areas, significantly transforming microclimates and ecological dynamics. The impervious surfaces, marked by their higher thermal conductivity, disrupt surface energy balance and accumulate solar heat, subsequently elevating the land surface temperatures (LSTs). This study investigates the impact of land use and land cover changes on summer and winter LSTs in Doha and Al Dayeen municipalities of Qatar, spanning from the years 2000 to 2023, using remote sensing techniques and Geographic Information Systems (GIS). The analysis of land use and land cover changes reveals a remarkable 343.16 % increase in the built-up area from 2000 to 2023, at the expense of previously existing desert lands and water bodies. While Qatar's desert land has high land surface temperature, substituting such areas with built-up exhibits a notable rise in temperatures. Additionally, land reclamation also results in elevated LSTs. The LST data derived from remote sensing sources demonstrates an upward trend for summer and a contrasting trend for winter. Specifically, the mean summer LST increases by 7.64 °C (0.34 °C annually), and the mean winter LST decreases by 4.87 °C (0.22 °C annually). Notably, built-up areas and desert lands consistently recorded the highest mean LST in both seasons in all observed years. A strong correlation was observed between summer and winter LST with land use and land cover patterns using Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI), Normalized Difference Built-up index (NDBI) and Normalized Difference Barrenness Index (NDBal). The results imply the negative influence of climate change and the urgent need for urban planning mitigation measures to counteract the adverse effects of increasing LSTs, particularly in summer months, to ensure the human well-being and resilience of the urban environments.

Introduction: Landscape changes can be monitored using geotechnologies through land use and land cover management over time, which helps identify and understand transformations in the landscape and supports decision-making processes. This study aims to analyze land use and cover change in the Portal do Sertão Identity Territory, Bahia, and to relate the possible causes that have currently induced such changes. This territory, located in the Caatinga biome, has its economic activities mainly concentrated in the primary and tertiary sectors. Remote Sensing (RS) and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) were employed to monitor changes in land use and cover in this territory from 1985 to 2022, using images from the MapBiomas Collection 8.0. During the study period, there was a reduction in the area used for agriculture and livestock and a significant increase in urbanization, with an urban area growth of more than 380%. Additionally, water bodies also expanded, mainly due to the construction of the Pedra do Cavalo Hydroelectric Plant in 1985, which resulted in a larger flooded area. Forest formations, although fluctuating over the years, were negatively impacted by agricultural expansion and urbanization. Therefore, the use of geotechnologies such as RS and GIS proves to be an effective tool for environmental monitoring, enabling the identification and management of land use changes and contributing to the mitigation of environmental impacts. Objective: The aim of this study is to investigate land use and land cover changes in the Portal do Sertão Identity Territory, in order to identify the possible causes currently driving these transformations. . Theoretical Framework: Remote Sensing (RS) is a science that maps Earth’s surface targets using sensors without direct contact. It is an essential tool for understanding and monitoring land use and land cover changes, providing critical information for decision-making from multiple perspectives. Its integration with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) enhances the spatiotemporal analysis of processes such as environmental and territorial degradation. The concept of "Identity Territory," developed by SEPLAN-BA, considers sociocultural, economic, and geographic factors for territorial organization. Institutionalized by state decrees, it divides Bahia into 27 territories to promote regional public policies. The articulation of RS, GIS, and the Identity Territory framework offers an effective approach to understanding and managing land use changes in the Portal do Sertão. Method: This study analyzed land use and land cover changes in the Portal do Sertão Identity Territory, composed of 27 municipalities in Bahia, aiming to understand the possible driving forces behind these changes. Satellite images from the MapBiomas Brazil Collection 8.0 were used for the years 1985, 1990, 1995, 2000, 2005, 2010, 2015, 2020, and 2022. A GIS environment was used to reclassify the images into four classes based on the MapBiomas classification: Forest Formation, Agriculture, Urban Area, and Water Bodies. The total area per class was quantified for each year, and land use transition maps were generated for spatial analysis. Results and Discussion: The analysis revealed that between 1985 and 2022, the Portal do Sertão Identity Territory experienced significant transformations in land use and cover. There was a notable reduction in agricultural and livestock areas and a sharp increase in urban development, particularly in Feira de Santana and neighboring municipalities, driven by industrialization, public policies, and real estate expansion. Forest cover fluctuated, while water bodies increased following the construction of the Pedra do Cavalo Hydroelectric Plant in 1985. These changes reflect processes of urbanization, rural exodus, and territorial reconfiguration influenced by economic, social, and infrastructural factors. Research Implications: This research provides essential technical and spatial support for territorial planning in the region, assisting local governments and institutions in making more informed decisions based on historical land use patterns. The findings highlight the importance of integrated public policies focused on territorial planning, environmental preservation, and housing, especially in light of rapid population growth. Originality/Value: This study contributes to the literature by analyzing the drivers of land use change using open-access data from MapBiomas. Its significance lies in the integration of Remote Sensing and GIS to investigate land use trends in the Portal do Sertão over the past decades, providing strategic insights to support public policy development and more effective territorial planning.

Land use and land cover changes (LULCC) as a part of ecosystems has a significant impact on carbon budget. According to IPCC, approximately 23% of carbon was emitted from the human activities in agriculture, forestry and other land use (AFOLU) from 2007 to 2016. However, land cover includes crucial sector for carbon stock, as well. The land cover consists of five categories which are used area, agricultural land, forest, grass, wet land, and barren. Among these categories, forest counts because of its capacity of carbon sequestration. It is essential to manage the land use and land cover changes effectively since it has lots of influences on carbon cycles. Also, the sustainable management of land use and land cover changes could contribute to reducing the carbon emissions such as preventing deforestation and revegetation. Therefore, this study aims at analyzing the frequent land use change region using hot spot analysis in South Korea and North Korea and estimating the carbon emission and removals from land cover changes. First of all, we tracked the land cover changes at 10 years interval from 1980s to 2010s and identified the general trends. The changed area and ratio of each land cover were varied in both countries, but they had similar characteristics which is land cover changes from forest to cropland and from cropland to forest. It occurred for last four decades. To define the which region has been changed, the hot spot analysis was utilized. The change from forest to cropland appeared in southwest region of North Korea, major agriculture land. On the other hand, the transition from agriculture land to forest seemed to be minor, but the distinguished figure was created during the 2000s to 2010s change. The carbon emission was estimated at the hot spot area and these repeated changes led to additional carbon emission. This study would contribute to preventing the land cover changes frequent by defining the region to be managed.

The Rizal Province was subjected to a series of natural and human-induced disturbances throughout the years. Currently, the area is undergoing urbanization which in turn results in shifts in the extent of impervious surfaces that can intensify heat-related health concerns, increase energy consumption for cooling, and alter local weather patterns. This study uses remote sensing images from to quantify the various environmental considerations that remain undocumented and unmapped for areas caused by changes in land use and land cover from Landsat Collection 1- Level 1 (Landsat 4-5 ™ C1- Level 1 & Landsat 8 OLI/ TIRS C1 Level 1) and calculated three parameters namely, (i) Land surface temperature (LST), (ii) Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), and (iii) the Normalized Difference Built-up Index (NDBI). The results showed the following: (i) an increase in the vegetation cover from 1993-2020 showed a decrease in LST from 29.34°C to 24.03°C, (ii) the relationship between LST and NDBI is directly proportional, whereas an inversely proportional relationship can be observed between LST and NDVI, and (iii) there is a fluctuating LST due to the changes in the land cover of the study site for almost three decades. This implicates the extensive shift in the ambient temperature of Rizal which further emphasizes the effects of the modification in certain land use land cover classifications, especially in vegetation cover and urban development. This highlights how human-induced and natural factors significantly contribute to the release of heat and ambient temperature, thus, accentuating the need for sustainable urban planning.

Spatio-temporal analysis of land use and land cover changes in the Hunza Valley: assessing anthropogenic impacts and climate change from 2000 to 2022

This study presents an in-depth analysis of land use and land cover change on the Kerch Peninsula over a period spanning three decades. Convolutional neural networks were employed in conjunction with satellite imagery analysis to map and quantify the changes in land use and cover. This revealed significant trends and transformations within the peninsula’s landscape. The analysis revealed a notable increase in urban expansion, particularly at the expense of natural ecosystems. Furthermore, there was a notable reversion of agricultural lands to grasslands, driven by economic downturns and reduced agricultural activity. These land cover changes underscore the urgency of implementing sustainable land management policies. The study recommends the establishment of conservation easements to protect remaining natural ecosystems, the initiation of reforestation programs to restore degraded lands, and the development of comprehensive water management strategies to address the peninsula’s hydrological challenges. Furthermore, the study underscores the pivotal importance of integrating change analysis and predictive modeling to anticipate future land cover scenarios and inform effective land management strategies. The model developed through this research, which employs advanced remote sensing and GIS technologies, provides a robust framework for understanding and managing land use and land cover change. This model can serve as a reference for similar regions globally, offering insights that can inform sustainable land use practices and policy decisions. The findings of this study have implications that extend beyond the Kerch Peninsula. They provide insights that can inform the management of land use changes and the conservation of natural landscapes in regions facing comparable socio-economic and environmental challenges.

Variability in land surface temperature concerning escalating urban development using thermal data of Landsat sensor: A case study of Lower Kharun Catchment, Chhattisgarh, India

Forest loss, unbridled urbanisation, and the loss of arable lands have become contentious issues for the sustainable management of land. Landsat satellite images for 1986, 2003, 2013, and 2022, covering the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly and its adjoining municipalities, were used to analyse the Land Use Land Cover (LULC) changes. The machine learning algorithm, Support Vector Machine (SVM), was used for the satellite image classification that led to the generation of the LULC maps. The Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and Normalised Difference Built-up Index (NDBI) were analysed to assess the correlations between the indices. The image overlays of the forest and urban extents and the calculation of the annual deforestation rates were evaluated. The study revealed decreasing trends in forestlands, increased urban/built-up areas (similar to the image overlays), and a decline in agricultural lands. However, there was a negative relationship between the NDVI and NDBI. The results corroborate the pressing need for the assessment of LULC utilising satellite sensors. This paper contributes to the existing outlines for evolving land design for the promotion of sustainable land use.

Anthropogenic land use and land cover (LULC) change was the most serious problem in worldwide. This study attempted to investigate spatiotemporal LULC changes in the Upper Anger watershed, Western Ethiopia. In the present study, Landsat TM of 1990, Landsat ETM+ of 2003, and Landsat OLI/TIRS of 2020 were used to analyze the LULC change and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). The supervised classification with maximum likelihood algorithm was employed for classification of the LULC. The result shows that the agricultural land was increased by 707.4 km2, whereas forest land was decreased by 179.9 km2. Consequently, agricultural land and bare land were increased with rate of 23.6 km2/year and 0.5 km2/year, while grassland and forest cover decreased by rate of 18.2 km2/year and 6 km2/year, respectively, from 1990 to 2020. The maximum NDVI value was declined with 0.19 from 1990 to 2020 due to expansion of agricultural land, bare land, and settlement in the study area. About 530 km2 of grassland and 241.5 km2 of forest cover were converted into other land cover classes between 1990 and 2020. Thus, appropriate land use planning and environmental education should be promoted to minimize the rapid loss of forests and grasslands in the study area.

The surging increase of the urban population has been accompanied by a sharp increase in urban built-up areas. The growth of population contributing to rapid expansion of built-up area in recent decades has caused a substantial Land Use Land Cover (LULC) change across Nepal and in particular Kathmandu Valley (KV). In this study, a Normalized Difference Vegetative Index (NDVI) and Normalized Difference Built-up Index (NDBI) was applied to three Landsat imagery collected over time (2002, 2013, and 2022) and one Sentinel-2 imagery that provided recent and historical LULC conditions for, Shankharapur municipality that lies in the eastern part of Kathmandu. The three-land use land cover categories were identified and mapped from the value of NDBI and NDBI. We found that over a period of 20 years (from 2002 to 2022), the Shankharapur municipality has lost 14.64% and 25.97% of its forests and sparse vegetation, and increase in the settlement/open land by 5.48% and 226.73% as indicated by NDVI and NDBI for Landsat imagery respectively. The increase in settlement/open land can be summed to the augmented activities like constructing new building and increase forest and land defragmentation including construction of road and land planning to fulfill the demand of influx of people after the earthquake of 2015. The results of NDVI and NDBI from Sentinel-2 imagery also support the increase in settlement/open land and decrease in forest and sparse vegetation. Also, agriculture cover increased by 4.25 sq.km between 2002 to 2013 and increased by 4.85 sq.km. from 2013 to 2022 as indicated by NDVI derived from Landsat imagery. However, the significant amounts of losses of forest and sparse vegetation during 20 years have been absorbed by the expanding urbanized areas and agriculture land as more land is subjected to the built-up and land planning along with the wood-logging as a result of aftermath of the earthquake, 2015, where population has increased by 19.4 % in the span of 10 years from 2011 to 2021 and is never retreating in terms of changing land cover. Therefore, such trends if unchecked can result in loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services associated with deteriorating conditions for human well-being.

This study aims to analyze temporal changes in land use and land cover change (LUCC) as well as identify areas for natural regeneration and potential areas for forest restoration in the Huasteca region for the period from 1976 to 2007. Changes were quantified in numbers and, additionally, cartography was used to identify and map the main affected areas. Different models based on Geographic Information Systems (GIS) demonstrated that LUCC have occurred on an area of 11718.82 km2, representing 17.84% of the region’s surface. Agriculture and the growth of pasture could be identified as the main human-induced activities that have led to landscape modification. In addition, forest cover is affected by a deforestation rate which is higher than the national average. Further important changes include a change from natural land cover to non-original land cover, affecting an area of 4911.88 km2 in the period from 1976-1993, and an area of 1892.5 km2 in the period from 1993-2002. Smaller changes could be observed for the period from 1993-2002 with an affected area of 1029.78 km2. At the same time, a natural regeneration from nonoriginal to original land cover took place from 1976-1993 on an area of 1318.68 km2, and also on an area of 974.18 km2 between 1993 an 2002. The surface that underwent a natural regeneration of forest cover made up 1932.07 km2. At the same time, an area of 5739.29 km2 for potential forest restoration was identified. Drawing on GIS methods and techniques, the development of thematic maps for land use, land use and land cover changes for the years of analysis (1976-1993-2002-2007) proved to be very adequate for the evaluation and analysis of the land cover and land use change, in particular with regard to the decrease of natural vegetation cover.

Time series analysis of land use and land cover changes related to urban heat island intensity: Case of Bangkok Metropolitan Area in Thailand

The study aimed to assess the changes that have occurred in land use and land cover within the Maasai Mara landscape using remote sensed data from 1997 to 2017; examine the elephant distribution in relation to land use and land cover changes within the Mara landscape and to determine changes in elephant home ranges in relation to Land use and cover changes in the Mara landscape. In examining the land use and land cover changes on the elephant ranges and distribution, an integrated methodological approach was employed in which the changes that have taken place within the study area over a period of 20 years was determined by analysis involving a 10-year changes in land use and land cover using three epochs from 1997, 2007 and 2017 to generate six land use classes. The Maasai Mara Landscape (MML) supports one of the richest wildlife populations remaining on earth but over the last century, has experienced transformation notably through conversion of former rangelands into croplands. Elephants have both temporal and spatial requirements, which if not provided, render them vulnerable to the land-use practices. The study assessed land use and vegetation cover changes that have occurred and their effects on the elephant movements and distribution within the MML using an integrated methodological approach. The analysis revealed changes in land use and land cover classes over a period of 20 years for the three epochs, from 1997, 2007 and 2017. Elephant’s distribution has been restricted to areas of high vegetation densities within specific habitats hence accelerating the rate of habitat destruction and degradation due to their high densities. These changes have drastically reduced forage for elephants necessitating them to travel longer distances out of their home range in search for food. Human beings have caused land use and cover changes which have detrimental impacts on the ecosystem and ecosystem services. The Maasai Mara landscape supports one of the richest wildlife populations remaining on earth but over the last century, it has experienced land transformation notably through conversion of former rangelands used mainly for tourism and production of grains such as wheat. Land outside the national parks and the reserve is important to the future of elephant existence in Kenya. Little is known about how human occupation on these landscapes negatively affects elephants (Loxodonta africana) habitats, movement and ranges. This has been confirmed by the current continuous demarcation/fencing of land in most areas in Narok County. Elephants like other landscape species, have both temporal and spatial requirements, which if not provided, will render them vulnerable to the land use practices of people. The study aimed to assess the changes that have occurred in land use and land cover within the Maasai Mara landscape using remote sensed data from 1997 to 2017; examine the elephant distribution in relation to land use and land cover changes within the Mara landscape and to determine changes in elephant home ranges in relation to Land use and cover changes in the Mara landscape. The paper describes the different changes that have taken place within the MML and how these changes have affected elephant populations, their trend and distribution within the MML. In examining the land use and land cover changes on the elephant ranges and distribution, an integrated methodological approach was employed in which the changes that have taken place within the study area over a period of 20 years was determined by analysis involving a 10-year changes in land use and land cover using three epochs from 1997, 2007 and 2017 to generate six land use classes. The study found out that there were significant changes of various classes across the years. Forest, water and open shrubs coverages decreased from 1997 to 2017. Classification noted a serious problem within the study area of continuous increase of bare ground coverage across the study years. Elephant populations have been increasing within the area .at an annual rate of 2.69%. The animals are distributed all over the landscape. Distribution of elephants has been restricted to high densities within a specific habitat hence accelerating rate of habitat destruction and degradation due to their high densities within a specific habitat. These changes have reduced drastically foliage for elephants thus necessitating them to travel longer distances in search and as a result increases elephant home ranges.

This study provides a detailed analysis of land use and land cover (LULC) changes at the district level within the Delhi–Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC) from 2001 to 2021. Using the Indian Meteorological Department’s sub-divisional framework and MODIS data across seven primary LULC classes, the analysis is instrumental in informing infrastructure planning for existing and future smart cities and industrial clusters within the DMIC. The key findings reveal a yearly increase of 3031.40 sq. km. per year in agricultural land, with decreases in shrubland, grassland, and bareland of −1774.72 sq. km. per year, −1119.62 sq. km. per year, and −203.76 sq. km. per year, respectively. On the other hand, forests grew by a modest 148.14 sq. km. per year, while waterbodies and built-up lands saw minor increases of 55.73 sq. km. and 21.48 sq. km. per year. Ecologically Sensitive Areas (ESAs) were evaluated for LULC changes. The smart cities of Pune and Thane serve as excellent examples of balanced urban development and natural growth management. However, the study also highlights the need for further research to investigate LULC impacts on climatic variables, advocating for a regional planning approach in the DMIC.

The Tibetan Plateau (TP) is an important ecological security barrier for China and, indeed, for all Asia. Land use and land cover changes in the plateau not only affect the ecological environment and regional development of the plateau itself but also affect the stability and economic development of ecosystems in eastern China and other parts of Asia. This paper is based on an examination of the achievements of land use and cover change in the TP and a reanalysis of data including that of Climate Change Initiative Land Cover from 1992 to 2015; land use data provided by the Resource and Environmental Science Data Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences for 1995, 2000, 2010 and 2015; and statistical data from Qinghai and Tibet. The paper analyzes the overall characteristics of land use and land cover changes in the TP and the spatial and temporal processes and their driving forces of land use and land cover change in typical regions and land types. This research is important not only for land change science and global change research but also for the promotion of the plateau and its adjacent areas. In recent decades, research has shown that the land use and land cover structure of the TP is stable, and the proportion of first-level land use type change was less than 7% from 1992 to 2015. Most of these changes are single time changes, with multiple land change occurring only in 1.85% of the total change area. The quality of land cover has been improved in areas where no land type change occurred. The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) showed an increasing trend in 24.45% of the area and a decreasing trend in only 1.31% of the area. The area of cultivated land, forest, grassland, wetland, and construction land on the plateau has increased, whereas bare land, glacier, and snow cover area has decreased. In most parts of the TP, the quality of alpine grassland has improved; however, in some areas, it has degraded at a local scale. Most of the woodland has recovered well after phased changes. Prior to 1980, there was a rapid increase in cultivated land area, but this has since become stable with only minor increases. However, the utilization intensity of cultivated land has increased significantly in recent years. Construction land has expanded significantly, and the recent growth rate has accelerated since 2010. Both the increasing speed of change and the construction land area in Qinghai Province are higher than in Tibet. There has been a general trend of a slight decrease in bare land change. In densely populated areas in the Yellow River-Huangshui River Valley and the One-River-Two-Tributaries area, land types that are closely related to human utilization such as construction land, cultivated land, and artificial woodland have undergone obvious changes. In pastoral areas, such as the Northern Tibetan Plateau and the Source Regions of The Three Rivers, overgrazing and ecological construction have significantly affected land cover. In the Qomolangma National Nature Preserve, land use types are diverse; changes are complex; and land cover is more sensitive to both climate change and human activity. There are limitations to the study of land change in the plateau, such as the difficulty of meeting the needs of ecological construction with existing data and the lack of in-depth understanding of the process of land use change and its environmental effects. Field monitoring and remote sensing techniques must be strengthened in order to clarify the process of land use intensity change and its impact on the ecological environment of the TP. These improvements will better serve the construction of an ecological security barrier and the sustainable development of the region.