Keywords
remote sensing
Landsat
SAVI
land use
Naâma
Algeria
pastoralism
steppe
How to Cite
Number of views: 96
Number of downloads: 42
Abstract
Remote sensing has allowed us to analyse changes in land use over 42 years in a steppe zone located in south-western Algeria, covering most of Naâma Province (wilaya) and the western part of El Bayadh Province. The main economic activity is pastoralism there. The society faces many challenges, including complex social and environmental interactions, climatic factors, and anthropogenic actions that cause major degradation of the natural ecosystems, leading to desertification and erosion. Our spatio-temporal study of plant cover dynamics was conducted using 4-period Landsat scenes (1977-1987, 1987-1998, 1998-2008, and 2008-2019). The soil-adjusted vegetation index (SAVI) images were classified into 3 classes to detect changes in land cover. The results show varying degradation of steppe vegetation, as the plant cover decreased from 4.37% in 1977 to only 0.20% in 1987, followed by an increase to 8.80% in 1998, a decline to 1.05% in 2008, and a rise to 3.89% in 2019. Restoration measures should be taken in the areas classified as sensitive to desertification by using remote sensing.
References
Adeel Z., Janos B., Christopher B., Chasek P. S., NiamirFuller M., Gabriels D., King C., Knabe F., Kowsar S., Salem B., Schaaf Th., Shepherd G. & Thomas R. 2007. Overcoming one of the greatest environmental challenges of our times: Re-thinking policies to cope with desertification. United Nations: Algiers, Algeria.
Aidoud A. 1994. Pâturage et désertification des steppes arides en Algérie. Cas de la steppe d'alfa (Stipa tenacissima L.). Paralelo 37: 33-42 (in French).
Aidoud A. & Touffet J. 1996. La régression de l’alfa (Stipa tenacissima L.), graminée pérenne, un indicateur de désertification des steppes algériennes. Science et changements planétaires/Sécheresse 7(3): 187-193 (in French).
Alados C. L, Juan P. & Jesús M-F. 2011. Ecological and socio-economical thresholds of land and plantcommunity degradation in semi-arid Mediterranean areas of southeastern Spain. Journal of Arid Environments 75(12): 1368-1376. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaridenv.2010.12.004
Alphan H. 2003. Land-use change and urbanization of Adana, Turkey. Land Degradation & Development 14(6): 575-686. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.581
Bakr N., David C., Mohamed H-B. & Mohamed M. 2012. Multi-temporal assessment of land sensitivity to desertification in a fragile agro-ecosystem: Environmental indicators. Ecological Indicators 15(1): 271-80. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2011.09.034
Benabdeli K. 1996. Physionomico-structural aspects of woody vegetation in relation to the anthropozoic pressure in the Dhaya Mountains and the Tlemcen Mountains (Western Algeria). PhD thesis. University of Sidi Bel Abbes.
Bensaïd A. 2007. SIG et télédétection pour l ’ étude de l ’ensablementdans une zone aride : le cas de la wilaya de Naâma (Algérie). PhD thesis. Université Joseph Fourier-Grenoble 1: 62 (in French).
Chander G. & Markham B. 2003. Revised Landsat-5 TM radiometric calibration procedures and postcalibration dynamic ranges. IEEE Translations on Geoscience and Remote Sensing 41(11): 4. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1109/TGRS.2003.818464
Chen W., Sakai T., Moriya K., Koyama L. & Cao C. 2013. Estimation of vegetation coverage in semi-arid sandy land based on multivariate statistical modeling using remote sensing data. Environmental Modeling & Assessment 18(5): 547-558. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10666-013-9359-1
Coppin P. & Jonckheere I. 2004. Digital change detection methods in ecosystem monitoring: A review. International Journal of Remote Sensing 25(9): 1565. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/0143116031000101675
Favier C. 2003. Hommes, Savanes, Forêts: Modélisation de Systèmes Dynamiques Liant l’homme à Son Environnement. PhD thesis. Université Paris XI.
Fernandez R-J., Archer E. R. M., Ash A. J., Dowlatabadi H., Hiernaux P. H. Y, Reynolds J. F., Vogel C. H., Walker B. H. & Wiegand T. 2002. Degradation and recovery in socio-ecological systems: A view from the household/farm level. Global desertification: do humans cause deserts: 297-323.
Haddouche I. 2009. La télédétection et la dynamique de paysage en milieu arid et semi-arid en Algérie. Cas de la région de Naâma. PhD thesis, University of Tlemcen (in French).
[HCDS] Haut Commissariat au Développement de la Steppe. 2005. Problématique des zones steppiques et perspectives de développement. Ministère de l'agriculture, Algeria. 10 p. (in French).
Higginbottom T. P. & Symeonakis E. 2014. Assessing land degradation and desertification using vegetation index data: Current frameworks and future directions. Remote Sensing 6(10): 9552-9575. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/rs6109552
Hirche A., Boughani A. & Salamani M. 2007. Évolution de la pluviosité annuelle dans quelques stations arides algériennes. Sécheresse 18(4): 314-320 (in French).
Howarth P-J. & Gregory M-W. 1981. Procedures for change detection using Landsat digital data. International Journal of Remote Sensing 2(3): 277-291. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/01431168108948362
Huete A. R. 1989. Soil influences in remotely sensed vegetation-canopy spectra. Theory and Applications of Optical Remote Sensing: 107-141.
Javzandulam T., Tateishi R. & Sanjaa T. 2005. Analysis of vegetation indices for monitoring vegetation degradation in semi-arid and arid areas of Mongolia. International Journal of Environmental Studies 62(2): 215-225. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00207230500034123
Jensen R. 1996. Introductory digital image processing: A remote sensing perspective. Prentice-Hall Inc.
Jiang Z., Alfredo R-H., Kamel D. & Tomoaki M. 2008. Development of a two-band enhanced vegetation index without a blue band. Remote Sensing of Environment 112(10): 3833-3845. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rse.2008.06.006
Khalid F., Benabdeli K. & Morsli B. 2015. Impact de la mise en défens sur la lutte contre la désertification dans les parcours steppiques: cas de la région de Naâma (sudouest algérien). Revue d'Écologie 70(1): 16-31. Lambin E. F. & Marc L. 2006. Time series of remote sensing data for land change science. IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing 44(7): 1926-1928. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3406/revec.2015.1766
Le Houérou H-N. 1993. Changements Climatiques et Désertisation. Science et changements planétaires/Sécheresse4(2): 95-111.
Le Houérou H-N. 1996. Climate change, drought and desertification. Journal of Arid Environments 34(2): 133-185. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1006/jare.1996.0099
Le Houérou H-N. 2005. Problèmes Écologiques Du Développement de l’élevage En Région Sèche. Science et changements planétaires/Sécheresse 16(2): 89-96.
Ludwig J., Bastin G., Chewings V., Eager R. & Liedloff A. 2007. Leakiness: A new index for monitoring the health of arid and semiarid landscapes using remotely sensed vegetation cover and elevation data. Ecological Indicators 7(2): 442-454. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2006.05.001
Lundholm B. 1976. Adaptations in arid ecosystems. Ecological Bulletins, pp. 19-27.
ManièreR. & Christel C. 1986. Cartographie de l’occupation Des Terres En Zone Aride Méditerranéenne Par Télédétection Spatiale. Exemple d’application Sur Les Hauts-Plateaux Sud Oranais: Méchéria Au 1/200000e. Ecologia Mediterranea 12(1): 159-185. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3406/ecmed.1986.1123
Markham B. L. & Barker J. L. 2006. Landsat MSS and TM post-calibration dynamic ranges, exoatmospheric reflectance and at-satellite temperature. EOSAT Landsat Technical Notes. 1: 3-8.
Mundia C-N. & Aniya M. 2006. Dynamics of landuse/cover changes and degradation of Nairobi City, Kenya. Land Degradation & Development 17(1): 97-108. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.702
Nahal I. 2004. La Désertification Dans Le Monde: CausesProcessus-Conséquences-Lutte. Editions L’Harmattan. Nedjraoui D. & Bédrani S. 2008. La Désertification Dans Les Steppes Algériennes: Causes, Impacts et Actions de Lutte. VertigO 8(1): 1-15. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4000/vertigo.5375
Nefzaoui A. & Mohamed M. 2008. Rangeland improvement and management in arid and semi-arid environments of West Asia and North Africa. The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the International Development Research Centre (IDRC). 20 p.
Othman A., Younus S., Ahmed K. & Richard G. 2014. Environmental change detection in the central part of Iraq using remote sensing data and GIS. Arabian Journal of Geosciences 7(3): 1017-1028. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-013-0870-0
Pu R., Kelly M., Anderson G. L. & Gong P. 2008. Using CASI hyperspectral imagery to detect mortality and vegetation stress associated with a new hardwood forest disease. Photogrammetric Engineering & Remote Sensing 74(1): 65-75.
Rapp A., Le Houérou H-N. & Bengt L. 1976. Can desert encroachment be stopped? Swedish Natural Science Research Council.
Reynolds J. F., Stafford Smith D. M., Lambin E. F., Turner II B. L., Mortimore M., Batterbury S. P. J., Downing T. E., Dowlatabadi H., Fernández R. J., Herrick J. E, Huber-Sannwald E., Jiang H., Leemans R., Lynam T., Maestre F. T., Ayarza M. & Walker B. 2007a. Global desertification: Building a science for dryland development. Science 316(5826): 847-851. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1131634
Reynolds R. W., Smith T. M., Liu C., Chelton D. B., Casey K. S., & Schlax M. G. 2007. Daily high-resolutionblended analyses for sea surface temperature. Journal of Climate 20(22): 5473-5496. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1175/2007JCLI1824.1
Ruiliang P., Maggi K., Gerald L. & Peng G. 2008. Using CASI hyperspectral imagery to detect mortality and vegetation stress associated with a new hardwood forest disease. Photogrammetric Engineering & Remote Sensing 74(1): 65-75. DOI: https://doi.org/10.14358/PERS.74.1.65
Saïdi S. & Gustave G. 2013. A spatial desertification indicator for Mediterranean arid rangelands: a case study in Algeria. Rangeland Journal 35(1): 47-62. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1071/RJ12021
Si Tayeb T. 2016. Impact of climate change and anthropogenic activities in the dynamics of land cover in Mediterranean Steppe West Algeria. In Living planet symposium, Vol. 740, p. 157.
Sitayeb T. & Belabbes I. 2018. Landscape change in the steppe of Algeria south-west using remote sensing. Annals of Valahia University of Targoviste, Geographical Series 18(1): 41-52. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/avutgs-2018-0005
Sitayeb T. & Benabdeli K. 2008. Contribution to the study of land-use dynamics in the plains of Macta (Algeria) with the aid of remote sensing and GIS. Comptes Rendus Biologies 331(6): 466-474.
Sitayeb T. & Khéloufi B. 2008. Contribution à l’étude de La Dynamique de l’occupation Des Sols de La Plaine de La Macta (Algérie) à l’aide de La Télédétection et Des Systèmes d’information Géographique. Comptes Rendus Biologies 331(6): 466-474. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crvi.2008.03.010
Sitayeb T. & Kheloufi B. 2019. Spatio-temporal dynamics of vegetation cover in North-West Algeria using remote sensing data. Polish Cartographical Review, 51.
Sobrino J. A. & Raissouni N. 2000. Toward remote sensing methods for land cover dynamic monitoring: Application to Morocco. International Journal of Remote Sensing 21(2): 353-366. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/014311600210876
Stefanov W-L., Michael S. & Philip R. 2001. Monitoring urban land cover change: An expert system approach to land cover classification of semiarid to arid urban centers. Remote Sensing of Environment 77(2): 173-185. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0034-4257(01)00204-8
Tayeb T. S. & Kheloufi B. 2019. Spatio-temporal dynamics of vegetation cover in North-West Algeria using remote sensing data. Polish Cartographical Review 51(3): 117-127. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/pcr-2019-0009
Teillet P. M., Barker J. L., Markham B. L., Irish R. R., Fedosejevs G. & Store J. 2001. Radiometric cross-calibration of the Landsat-7 ETM+ and Landsat-5 TM sensors based on tandem data sets. Remote Sensing of Environment 78: 39-54. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0034-4257(01)00248-6
Thome K., Markham B., Barker J., Slater P. & Biggar S. 1997. Radiometric calibration of Landsat. Photogrammetric Engineering and Remote Sensing 63: 853-858. Veste M. 2005. The importance of biological soil crusts for rehabilitation of degraded arid and semi-arid ecosystems. Science of Soil and Water Conservation 3(4): 42-47.
Vicente-Serrano S., Zouber A., Lasanta T. & Pueyo Y. 2012. Dryness is accelerating degradation of vulnerable shrublands in semiarid Mediterranean environments. Ecological Monographs 82(4): 407-428. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1890/11-2164.1
Viña A., Anatoly A., Anthony L., Nguy R. & Yi P. 2011. Comparison of different vegetation indices for the remote assessment of green leaf area index of crops. Remote Sensing of Environment 115(12): 3468-3478. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rse.2011.08.010
Williams D., Samuel G. & Terry A. 2006. Landsat. Photogrammetric Engineering & Remote Sensing 72(10): 1171-1178. DOI: https://doi.org/10.14358/PERS.72.10.1171
Yuan F., Kali E., Brian C. & Marvin E. 2005. Land cover classification and change analysis of the Twin Cities (Minnesota) Metropolitan Area by multitemporal Landsat remote sensing. Remote Sensing of Environment 98(2-3): 317-328. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rse.2005.08.006
Zhou W., Gang C., Zhou F., Li J., Dong X. & Zhao C. 2015. Quantitative assessment of the individual contribution of climate and human factors to desertification in Northwest China using net primary productivity as an indicator. Ecological Indicators 48: 560-569. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2014.08.043
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.