Volume 59, Issue 332, August 2023

Spatio-Temporal analysis of Land-Use and Land-Cover dynamics in Oghara, Delta State, Nigeria

Jomata Lucky Igben^♦

Department of Environmental Management and Toxicology, Western Delta University, PMB 10, Oghara, Delta State, Nigeria

^♦Corresponding author
Department of Environmental Management and Toxicology, Western Delta University, PMB 10, Oghara, Delta State, Nigeria

ABSTRACT

This study investigates the spatio-temporal dynamics in land use and land cover (LULC) in Oghara, Delta State, Nigeria between 1991 and 2019 using GIS and remote sensing technology. The study used Landsat 5 TM images for 1991 and Landsat 7 ETM+ images for 2002 and 2019. Land-use and land-cover change detection were done with the aid of ENVI software version 5.3 for image pre-processing, image classification, accuracy assessment, post-classification process, thematic change detection and statistical results and ArcGIS desktop version 10.3 (ESRI) for editing boundary of the study area, post-classification processes, map layout and visualization. The study revealed that continuous increase in human population and consequent spatio-physical development impact on land-use patterns and land-cover characteristics of the area between 1991 and 2019. The study covered 264.15Km². Built-up areas increased from 12.10 km² (4.585%) to 22.72 km² (8.60%), forested areas decreased from 142.49 km² (53.94%) to 81.30 km² (30.78%) and mangrove areas decreased from 51.27 km² (19.41%) to 48.56 km² (18.38%). Also, cultivated/grassland areas increased from 50.77 km² (19.22%) to 102.66 km² (38.86%) and areas covered by water bodies increased from 7.52 km² (2.85%) to 8.80 km² (3.33%), thus, indicating a high rate of deforestation and general land surface cover dynamics. The study recommends the establishment of forest reserves, enactment and enforcement of laws on forest protection and education of population on the importance of forests and sustainable use of forest resources.

Keywords: Delta State, Geographic Information System, land-cover, land-use, remote sensing

Discovery, 2023, 59, e97d1299

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Published: 1 August 2023