Use of Satellite Imagery as Environmental Impact Assessment Tool: A case Study from the Nw Egyptian Red Sea Coastal Zone

Abstract

Knowledge and detecting impacts of human activities on the coastal ecosystem is an essential management requirement and also very important for future and proper planning of coastal areas. Moreover, documentation of these impacts can help in increasing public awareness about side effects of unsustainable practices. Analysis of multidate remote sensing data can be used as an effective tool in environmental impact assessment (EIA). Being synoptic and frequent in coverage, multidate data from Landsat and other satellites provide a reference record and bird's eye viewing to the environmental situation of the coastal ecosystem and the associated habitats. Furthermore, integration of satellite data with field observations and background information can help in decision if a certain activity has caused deterioration to a specific habitat or not. The present paper is an attempt to utilize remote sensing data for assessment impacts of some human activities on the major sensitive habitats of the NW Egyptian Red Sea coastal zone, definitely between Ras Gemsha and Safaga. Through multidate change analysis of Landsat data (TM & ETM+ sensors), it was possible to depict some of the human infringements in the area and to provide, in some cases, exclusive evidences for the damaging effect of some developmental activities.

Using a citizen science program to monitor coral reef biodiversity through space and time

“…Besides a few environmental assessments in restricted areas (e.g. Sharm el-Sheikh; Borhan et al 2003;Hurghada and Safaga;Moufaddal 2005;Jameson et al 2007 and Dahab;Hasler and Ott 2008) or specific sites (e.g. Sharm el-Loli and Tobia Kebir in Marsa Alam; Ammar and Mahmoud 2006), the present study represents the first large-scale and long-term environmental monitoring performed in the Red Sea.…”

“…A complementary explanation could be the absence of buildings in the Ras Mohammed peninsula and Tiran Island, respectively, due to park regulations and the presence of a military post on the island. Dredging and land infilling of the backshore and fringing reef areas are one of the most devastating activities to the coastal environment, and, unfortunately, these activities have always been widespread along the coastal zone of the Hurghada sector (Moufaddal 2005). Marsa Alam (MA) and Local reefs of Sharm elSheikh (SSH-L) didn't show significant differences compared to Ras Mohammed peninsula (SSH-RM) and Tiran Island (SSH-T), in spite of their anthropogenic use, which is similar to that of Hurghada area.…”

Evaluating urban land cover change in the Hurghada area, Egypt, by using GIS and remote sensing

“…The advantages of these procedures include the relatively rapid means of displaying areas of change and being direct and straightforward (Moufaddal 2005). Disadvantages include outlining the area of changes without giving any figures or estimates on the type and volume of the change (Mundia and Aniya 2005).…”

“…The average temperature varies between 38 • C and 23 • C in summer and between 29 • C and 7 • C in winter (Mohamed 1999). Rainfall is scarce and sparse (5 mm to a maximum of 25 mm per annum), but this rate does not reflect the real influence of Downloaded by [Duke University Libraries] at 21:36 01 October 2012 running water on the coastal area, where occasional torrential floods take place and contribute huge quantities of water and sediments to the near shore area (Moufaddal 2005).…”

Natural Forest Change in Hainan, China, 1991-2008 and Conservation Suggestions

“…Geographic Information System (GIS) and Remote Sensing (RS) images have proved to be effective in land cover mapping, habitat evaluation and environmental risk assessment (Osborne, 2001;Mumby and Edwards, 2002;Moufaddal, 2005). This study aims to analyze the changes in natural forest and plantations on Hainan Island between 1991-2008 by using GIS and RS and trying to explore the driving factors of changes based on local policies, and give suggestions for future conservation plan.…”