TITLE:
Integration of Remote Sensing and GIS in Studying Land Cover Trends and Conditions in the Middle Ziz Oasis, Morocco
AUTHORS:
Ali Essahlaoui, Abba Mohamed, Eddahby Lhou, Faouzi Mohamed, Larabi Abdelkader
KEYWORDS:
Morocco; Remote Sensing; GIS; Ziz Watershed; Dynamic of Land Use; NDVI
JOURNAL NAME:
International Journal of Geosciences,
Vol.4 No.7,
September
9,
2013
ABSTRACT:
A better understanding of the changing patterns of land
use and vegetation cover is a major concern for countries whose ecosystems are
under severe degradation. Indeed, the dynamics of land have direct implications
on the availability of natural resources. The palm grove, of oases of
Errachidia region, plays an important role in the environmental, social and
economic of this region. This research was conducted in the Ziz middle, which
is affected by changes in the conditions and composition of land cover change.
The application of remote sensing, geographic information systems and satellite
imagery analysis with multi-temporal and spatial land use provides, for
territorial managers, data updated and improved and a synopsis for effective
management of natural resources. This research explores the possibility of identifying,
monitoring and mapping land use change and land use on the dynamics of the palm
grove in the past 40 years. Satellite images used are Landsat images and
multi-temporal dates (MSS (1972), TM (1987), ETM + (2001, 2006 and 2011). These
images were georeferenced and radiometrically corrected. In our study, the use
of vegetation indices NDVI, SAVI and MASAVI, highlight the magnitude of changes
in vegetation cover between 1972 and 2011. A regressive pronounced canopy is
generally recognized in the Middle Ziz. This decline is explained by the combined
effect of anthropic action (urbanization) and climatic conditions.