Image Processing Reference
In-Depth Information
15.1
Introduction
Land use changes are potentially the most significant driver of environmental
changes, causing both the transformation and modification of the Earth's surface
(Turner et al.
1994
). Considering that human population pressure, hence resource
demands, are continually increasing due to demographic and economic changes in
human societies, land use is likely to further change, intensify, and ultimately
threaten the sustainable development and management of our natural resources
(Mander and Jongman
2000
). To facilitate sustainable development and manage-
ment, analyses of land use changes and their effects on the environment are indis-
pensable. Remote sensing is an important tool that is now
frequently employed to assist in such analyses. In this con-
text, it should be noted that the remote sensing data and
techniques used to assess land use changes in both devel-
oped vs. developing countries are identical, but that the
causes and effects of land use changes in developed vs.
developing countries are frequently different. This chapter
focuses on developing countries, where urban-rural land
use changes are primarily the result of rapid natural popula-
tion growth, migration from rural areas to mega cities, and
fast industrialization. An application of remote sensing is
demonstrated to show the impact of urban growth on land
use changes, especially on the agricultural land based on a
case study in the Büyükçekmece in a suburban of Istanbul
in Turkey. The study is based on the 1984-1997 population
database, ground data, multi-temporal satellite data and
remote sensing methods.
remote sensing
data and
techniques used
to assess land
use changes in
both developed
and developing
countries are
identical, but the
causes and
effects of land
use changes in
these two
contexts are
quite different
15.2
Rural-Urban Land Use Changes
A differentiation between the concepts “land cover” and “land use” is imperative if
planning and management activities are to be successful. The term land cover describes
the type of biophysical cover observed on the surface of the earth, and includes fea-
tures such as water, vegetation, or bare soil. The term land use refers to the manner in
which certain land cover types are employed or managed by humans, and includes
uses such as rangeland, agriculture, or transportation. Land cover and land use are
intrinsically linked, for example, an area with forest cover may be used for recreational
or logging purposes. Urban land use and land cover information is required for a great
variety of applications including residential, industrial, and commercial site selection;
population estimation; tax assessment; or the development of zoning regulations
(Jensen
2000
; Lillesand et al.
2004
; Green et al.
1994
; Cullingworth
1997
).
The United Nations (UN) simply defines “urban areas” as “localities with 20,000
or more inhabitants.” However, other factors such as the level and type of economic
