Multi-decadal Land Use and Land Cover Change Detection Using Landsat Time Series in the Wadi Rdat Basin, Morocco
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.22456/1807-9806.153402Keywords:
Land use and land cover, Spatio-temporal, GIS, Wadi Rdat BasinAbstract
Land use and land cover (LULC) changes represent a key indicator of environmental dynamics, particularly in semi-arid regions where natural resources are highly sensitive to anthropogenic pressure and climatic conditions. Understanding the spatio-temporal evolution of LULC is essential for sustainable land and water management. This study examines long-term LULC changes in the Wadi Rdat Basin, central Morocco, using multi-temporal Landsat satellite imagery and GIS-based techniques. A diachronic analysis was conducted over a 30-year period from 1990 to 2020, based on Landsat TM and OLI data. Supervised classification using the Maximum Likelihood algorithm was employed to generate LULC maps for four representative years. Six major LULC classes were identified: forest, agricultural land, fallow land and rangelands, built-up areas, bare land, and water bodies. The results indicate significant transformations, characterized by a continuous decline in forest cover, dynamic changes in agricultural land, a marked expansion of bare land, and gradual urban growth. These findings highlight ongoing land degradation processes and provide valuable insights for future land-use planning and environmental management in the basin.
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