Analysis of Socio-Ecological Impacts of Built Environment at Dar es Salaam Metropolitan Coastline, Tanzania

Abstract

This paper analyzed and mapped the impact of built environment (BE) on socio-ecological services along Dar es Salaam metropolitan coastline. In the period of 1995-2016, burgeoning population exacerbated high rate of construction processes and activities. Such anthropic initiatives affect the benefits and values delivered by landscape wetlands, estuaries, beach areas, open space and greenery patches in Dar es Salaam coastline. Motivated to understanding socio-ecological impacts (SEIs) of BE along the coastline; the study applied focus group discussions (FGDs) method to identify SEIs, and their category as either positive or negative. Using analytical hierarchy process (AHP) generated weight to each SEIs; thereafter combined that weight with landuse landcover (LULC) change statistics of each of the 67 wards involved in the study. Mapping results of geographically weighted regression and inverse distance weighting (IDW) interpolation (ArcMap v10.3) displayed the variables relationship magnitudes and distribution in positive and negative SEIs for year 1995, 2005 and 2016. logical and social systems [4]. Such intertwining feedbacks results in complex systemic relationship, termed as socio-ecological system (SES) [5] [6] [7].Existence of human desire for improved economic and social services in SES are external stimuli to coastline resources utilization hence degradation of ecological system [5]. Studies [8] explain that coastline, also referred to as coastal zone, ranges from 60 to 200 kilometre inland and 50 m depth of ocean water system. In between exists highly fertile areas like continental shelf, estuaries and wetlands at both low and high tide periods [9]; these fertile characters are a reason for dominant human perturbation in such areas [10] [11]. While [12] justified the relationship of anthropogenic activities and coastal zone, little has done to disclose the existing link of BE and its impact on SES.BE as a product of construction activities [13], in the search for suitable and comfortable places for recreation, residence and work; impacts the landscape by aggravating vegetation cover clearance, waste generation and permanent consumption of a piece of land [14] [15]. The habitat loss and fragmentation caused by such impacts account significantly for biodiversity loss. According to [16], the functioning of biodiversity species are greatly the determinant of the quality and quantity of services derived from SES. Thus, state of landscape loss or gain of such biological component is a socio-ecological impact (SEI) that alters SES functioning capacity [17]. Scholars such as [18] and [19] typify that some of the positive SEIs include cooling, shadow, air filtration, climate variability and flood prevention by trees; pollinations by avian and arthropods species as well as medicines and food from both fauna and flora.However, irreversible anthropic construction activities provoke landscape environmental challenges as result of megacities development processes and activities [20] [21]. In the search for quality prod...

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