An Analysis of Land Use and Land Cover Changes, and Implications for Conservation in Mukumbura (Ward 2), Mt Darwin, Zimbabwe, 2002-2022  

作　　者：Musekiwa Innocent Maruza Edson Gandiwa Never Muboko Ishmael Sango Tawanda Tarakini Nobert Tafadzwa Mukomberanwa Musekiwa Innocent Maruza;Edson Gandiwa;Never Muboko;Ishmael Sango;Tawanda Tarakini;Nobert Tafadzwa Mukomberanwa(Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, Chinhoyi University of Technology, Chinhoyi, Zimbabwe;Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority, Harare, Zimbabwe;Department of Geoinformatics and Environmental Conservation, Chinhoyi University of Technology, Chinhoyi, Zimbabwe)

机构地区：[1]Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, Chinhoyi University of Technology, Chinhoyi, Zimbabwe [2]Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority, Harare, Zimbabwe [3]Department of Geoinformatics and Environmental Conservation, Chinhoyi University of Technology, Chinhoyi, Zimbabwe

出　　处：《Open Journal of Ecology》2024年第9期706-730,共25页生态学期刊（英文）

摘　　要：Understanding trends of land use land cover (LULC) changes is important for biodiversity monitoring and conservation planning, and identifying the areas affected by change and designing sustainable solutions to reduce the changes. The study aims to evaluate and quantify the historical changes in land use and land cover in Mukumbura (Ward 2), Mt Darwin, Zimbabwe, from 2002 to 2022. The objective of the study was to analyse the LULC changes in Ward 2 (Mukumbura), Mt Darwin, Northern Zimbabwe, for a period of 20 years using geospatial techniques. Landsat satellite images were processed using Google Earth Engine (GEE) and the supervised classification with maximum likelihood algorithm was employed to generate LULC maps between 2002 and 2022 with a five (5) year interval, investigating the following variables, forest cover, barren land, water cover and the fields. Findings revealed a substantial reduction in forest cover by 38.8%, water bodies (wetlands, ponds, and rivers) declined by 55.6%, whilst fields (crop/agricultural fields) increased by 93.3% and the barren land cover increased by 26.3% from 2002 to 2022. These findings point to substantial changes in LULC over the observed years. LULC changes have resulted in habitat fragmentation, reduced biodiversity, and the disruption of ecosystem functions. The study concludes that if these deforestation trends, cultivation, and settlement land expansion continue, the ward will have limited indigenous fruit trees. Therefore, the causes for LULC changes must be controlled, sustainable forest resources use practiced, hence the need to domesticate the indigenous fruit trees in arborloo toilets.Understanding trends of land use land cover (LULC) changes is important for biodiversity monitoring and conservation planning, and identifying the areas affected by change and designing sustainable solutions to reduce the changes. The study aims to evaluate and quantify the historical changes in land use and land cover in Mukumbura (Ward 2), Mt Darwin, Zimbabwe, from 2002 to 2022. The objective of the study was to analyse the LULC changes in Ward 2 (Mukumbura), Mt Darwin, Northern Zimbabwe, for a period of 20 years using geospatial techniques. Landsat satellite images were processed using Google Earth Engine (GEE) and the supervised classification with maximum likelihood algorithm was employed to generate LULC maps between 2002 and 2022 with a five (5) year interval, investigating the following variables, forest cover, barren land, water cover and the fields. Findings revealed a substantial reduction in forest cover by 38.8%, water bodies (wetlands, ponds, and rivers) declined by 55.6%, whilst fields (crop/agricultural fields) increased by 93.3% and the barren land cover increased by 26.3% from 2002 to 2022. These findings point to substantial changes in LULC over the observed years. LULC changes have resulted in habitat fragmentation, reduced biodiversity, and the disruption of ecosystem functions. The study concludes that if these deforestation trends, cultivation, and settlement land expansion continue, the ward will have limited indigenous fruit trees. Therefore, the causes for LULC changes must be controlled, sustainable forest resources use practiced, hence the need to domesticate the indigenous fruit trees in arborloo toilets.

关 键 词：Anthropogenic Activities DEFORESTATION Geospatial Analysis Land Use/Land Cover Supervised Classification 

分 类 号：P23[天文地球—摄影测量与遥感]