Temporal and Spatial Analysis of Vegetation Cover Distribution Patterns in Northern Basrah Governorate Using Geomatics Techniques

Abstract

The study conducted within the administrative boundaries of Basrah Governorate, Iraq extending from the southern borders of Al-Haritha district to the northern borders of Al-Qurna district along the Shatt al-Arab River and its adjacent areas with a total area of approximately 354,450 Km2 . Landsat8Satellite imagery data were acquired processed and analyzed for the study area for the year 2022 covering four time periods with a temporal interval of three months each. The data were obtained from the Earth-observing sensors, specifically the Operational Land Imager (OLI). Subsequently a vegetation cover index was derived for the purpose of temporal and spatial monitoring and analysis aiding in the acquisition study and interpretation of agricultural activity patterns. The results revealed a clear temporal variation as the vegetation cover index showed an increase in the months of October and April, while the lowest values were recorded in January and July across all study stages. Field of remote sensing and vegetation analysis helps reduce the effort and time required.