Monitoring land cover changes in the direction of land degradation (MODIS land cover product 2001-2001) (Case study: Golestan province)
Subject Areas : Climatologyصالح آرخی 1 * , Abdol hafez penahi 2 , Roghiyeh eslmi 3
1 - استادیار گروه جغرافیا، دانشگاه گلستان، گرگان، ایران
2 - 2. Ph.D. in Hydrology and Meteorology, General Meteorology Department of Golestan Province,
3 - 3. MS.c Student, Geography Department, Human Sciences College, Golestan University, Gorgan, Iran
Keywords: Golestan Province, Land Cover, Land Degradation, MODIS Sensor,
Abstract :
Land degradation is one of the most important environmental problems worldwide. The study method is based on field studies and product analysis (MODIS landcover-500MCD12Q) from 2001 to 2019 with the aim of monitoring changes in land cover in the direction of land degradation in Golestan province. The results show that the urban and built-up land areas in the study area have not changed from 2001 to 2007, but have been increasing since 2008. By comparing land uses, it can be seen that in this time period, agricultural land has been constantly increasing and has shown an increase of about 15.92% from 2001 to 2019, but grasslands and mixed forests have been decreasing during these years. Permanent wetlands have experienced severe declines, which indicates successive droughts and the construction of dams along the rivers entering these wetlands. In addition, the drying of wetlands will have negative consequences such as the creation of severe dust. Water areas in the province have increased from 177.31 square kilometers in 2001 to 187.61 square kilometers in 2019, and this increasing trend may indicate the construction of numerous dams in the province during these years, such as the Daneshmand Dam and the dams in the village of Kerand in the north of the province. The barren lands of the province have shown a decline during this period, and it is clear that these lands have changed their use and in some cases have been converted into industrial units in the province.