Characterizing the Intensity and Dynamics of Land-Use Change in the Mara River Basin, East Africa

Abstract

Abstract:The objective of this study was to analyze patterns, dynamics and processes of land-use/cover changes in the transboundary Mara River Basin in East Africa. We specifically focused on deforestation and expansion of agriculture in the watershed. The intensity analysis approach was used to analyze data from satellite imagery-derived land-use/cover maps. Results indicate that swap change accounted for more than 50% of the overall change, which shows a very dynamic landscape transformation. Transition from closed forest to open forest was found to be a dominant landscape change, as opposed to a random change. Similarly, transition from open forest to small-scale agriculture was also found to be a dominant transition. This suggests a trend (pathway) of deforestation from closed forest to small-scale agriculture, with open forest as a transitional land cover. The observed deforestation may be attributed to continuous encroachment and a series of excisions of the forest reserve. Transition from rangeland to mechanized agriculture was found to be a dominant land-use change, which was attributed to change in land tenure. These findings are crucial for designing strategies and integrated watershed management policies to arrest further deforestation in the forest reserves as well as to sustainably control expansion of agriculture.

Forest Landscape Change and Preliminary Study on Its Driving Forces in Ślęża Landscape Park (Southwestern Poland) in 1883–2013

“…Analyses of driving forces have concerned, in particular, landscapes in Switzerland [38], Germany [39], Slovakia [40,41], the Mediterranean landscapes [42,43], and across Europe [44]. In the context of forest areas, analyses of driving forces have usually also included entire countries or regions [45][46][47]. Smaller areas have rarely been analyzed [48].…”

Use of Intensity Analysis to Characterize Land Use/Cover Change in the Biggest Island of Persian Gulf, Qeshm Island, Iran

“…Then, any changes in gross loss/gain intensity among different categories are separately described by the category level during time intervals, the extent to which Sustainability 2019, 11, 4396 6 of 16 the level of changes is an indicator of how the intensity would change. Such change results from a specific category of changes among other categories during each time interval [13][14][15][16][17][18]. With regard to the study by Aldwaik and Pontius, our analysis is based on five equations as notated in Table 3.…”

“…A traditional land-use changes matrix is not adequate for achieving quantitative and systematic LUCC feedbacks, and there have been attempts to further clarify substantial causes and processes of land-use change using the transition matrix analysis method [8]. Intensity analysis is one of these methods, which in fact, provides a quantitative framework for calculation of similar class changes during different periods constituting the rows and columns of a square transition matrix [13][14][15]. As a quantitative approach, this method was developed by Clark University to assess land-use changes based on land-use classes in the following three levels: time interval, category, and transition.…”

“…This approach can identify the deviation in all of the mentioned areas in range of the observed changes and hypothesized uniform changes [13,17]. By applying the intensity analysis, the observed intensities of LUCC can be calculated and compared with a uniform intensity among different land use/land cover (LULC) classes [14].…”

Valuing Environmental Benefit Streams in the Dryland Ecosystems of Sub-Saharan Africa

“…Willingness to pay among the Nairobi public for securing the Kitengela wildlife dispersal area has been estimated at US$1.2 million which could provide a longer-term source of financing [120]. In the Simanjiro district of Tanzania, a similar scheme has been established where tour companies make an annual payment of US$4500 to communities to prevent agricultural encroachment onto a 23,000-acre wildlife corridor [121].…”