Spatial analysis of vegetation using GIS and remote sensing data

Abstract

The agricultural sector is one of the most important sectors in Iraq, as it supports the Iraqi economy and provides food security for people in Baghdad. Nevertheless, this sector is suffering from a remarkable decrease in agricultural production. Therefore, there is a high need for the assessment of the agricultural cover in the last decades to provide a comprehensive view of the changes in this sector. The research focuses on the spatial analysis of spatial and urban cover using GIS, remote sensing data, and the NDVI indicator in three periods of time (2001, 2011, and 2021). The results of the study showed a decrease in the area of vegetation cover for the year 2011 for most of the counties while the area of vegetation cover increased in the study area in 2021 in comparison with 2011 due to the impact of the water resources factor and the share of each county. In 2001, the percentage of vegetation cover was 37% of the study area while it was 23% in 2011 and increased to 32% in 2021. This research supports the decision-makers and planners by providing the amount and spatial distribution of the vegetation cover.