The dynamics of the Algiers periurbanization: geomatic tools for multi-temporal study

Abstract

Periurbanization dynamics phenomenon causes significant damages to Mitidja plain, which is the agricultural land around Algiers (capital of Algeria). Hence, a cover land monitoring is performed on this paper to delineate, follow, and draw the changes. The proposed methodology is based, on one hand, on the multi-temporal supervised Landsat satellite images classification (1987 to 2017), in order to map soil occupation. On the other hand, a two-dimensional simulation (space time) is developed using cellular automata, which represents landscape mutation process from rural to urban. This simulation allows the implementation of qualitative rules of space evolution. It mainly identifies process changes as well as their rates. The delineation of a such complex periurban space of a large city like Algiers can be expressed in terms of fairly “natural” spatial transition rules. The results of this study are interesting and show that more than 80% of urbanization, during the period 1987–2017, was done on agricultural land.