IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jlands/v10y2021i9p994-d639862.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

A Synthesis of Land Use/Land Cover Studies: Definitions, Classification Systems, Meta-Studies, Challenges and Knowledge Gaps on a Global Landscape

Author

Listed:
  • Ryan Nedd

    (School of Environment, Florida A&M University, FSH Science Research Center, 1515 S. MLK Jr. BLVD, Tallahassee, FL 32307, USA)

  • Katie Light

    (Biological Systems Engineering Program, College of Agriculture and Food Science, Florida A&M University, Benjamin Bannekar Tech C, 1409 Wahnish Way, Tallahassee, FL 32307, USA)

  • Marcia Owens

    (School of Environment, Florida A&M University, 308L Humphries Science Research Center, Tallahassee, FL 32307, USA)

  • Neil James

    (College of Agriculture and Food Sciences, Florida A&M University, 204 South Perry Paige, Tallahassee, FL 32307, USA)

  • Elijah Johnson

    (School of Environment, Florida A&M University, FSH Science Research Center, 1515 S. MLK Jr. BLVD, Tallahassee, FL 32307, USA)

  • Aavudai Anandhi

    (Biological Systems Engineering Program, College of Agriculture and Food Science, Florida A&M University, Benjamin Bannekar Tech C, 1409 Wahnish Way, Tallahassee, FL 32307, USA)

Abstract

Land is a natural resource that humans have utilized for life and various activities. Land use/land cover change (LULCC) has been of great concern to many countries over the years. Some of the main reasons behind LULCC are rapid population growth, migration, and the conversion of rural to urban areas. LULC has a considerable impact on the land-atmosphere/climate interactions. Over the past two decades, numerous studies conducted in LULC have investigated various areas of the field of LULC. However, the assemblage of information is missing for some aspects. Therefore, to provide coherent guidance, a literature review to scrutinize and evaluate many studies in particular topical areas is employed. This research study collected approximately four hundred research articles and investigated five (5) areas of interest, including (1) LULC definitions; (2) classification systems used to classify LULC globally; (3) direct and indirect changes of meta-studies associated with LULC; (4) challenges associated with LULC; and (5) LULC knowledge gaps. The synthesis revealed that LULC definitions carried vital terms, and classification systems for LULC are at the national, regional, and global scales. Most meta-studies for LULC were in the categories of direct and indirect land changes. Additionally, the analysis showed significant areas of LULC challenges were data consistency and quality. The knowledge gaps highlighted a fall in the categories of ecosystem services, forestry, and data/image modeling in LULC. Core findings exhibit common patterns, discrepancies, and relationships from the multiple studies. While literature review as a tool showed similarities among various research studies, our results recommend researchers endeavor to perform further synthesis in the field of LULC to promote our overall understanding, since research investigations will continue in LULC.

Suggested Citation

  • Ryan Nedd & Katie Light & Marcia Owens & Neil James & Elijah Johnson & Aavudai Anandhi, 2021. "A Synthesis of Land Use/Land Cover Studies: Definitions, Classification Systems, Meta-Studies, Challenges and Knowledge Gaps on a Global Landscape," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(9), pages 1-30, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jlands:v:10:y:2021:i:9:p:994-:d:639862
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/10/9/994/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/10/9/994/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Jacobs, Sander & Burkhard, Benjamin & Van Daele, Toon & Staes, Jan & Schneiders, Anik, 2015. "‘The Matrix Reloaded’: A review of expert knowledge use for mapping ecosystem services," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 295(C), pages 21-30.
    2. Troy, Austin & Wilson, Matthew A., 2006. "Mapping ecosystem services: Practical challenges and opportunities in linking GIS and value transfer," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 60(2), pages 435-449, December.
    3. Chengzhang Liao & Yiqi Luo & Changming Fang & Bo Li, 2010. "Ecosystem Carbon Stock Influenced by Plantation Practice: Implications for Planting Forests as a Measure of Climate Change Mitigation," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 5(5), pages 1-6, May.
    4. Raju Rai & Yili Zhang & Basanta Paudel & Shicheng Li & Narendra Raj Khanal, 2017. "A Synthesis of Studies on Land Use and Land Cover Dynamics during 1930–2015 in Bangladesh," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(10), pages 1-20, October.
    5. van Kooten, G. Cornelis & Eagle, Alison J. & Manley, James G. & Smolak, Tara M., 2004. "How Costly Are Carbon Offsets? A Meta-Analysis Of Carbon Forest Sinks," Working Papers 18166, University of Victoria, Resource Economics and Policy.
    6. G. Cornelis van Kooten & Alison Eagle & James Manley & Tara Smolak, 2004. "How Costly are Carbon Offsets? A Meta-Analysis of Forest Carbon Sinks," Working Papers 2004-01, University of Victoria, Department of Economics, Resource Economics and Policy Analysis Research Group.
    7. Jonah Busch & Kalifi Ferretti-Gallon, 2017. "What Drives Deforestation and What Stops It? A Meta-Analysis," Review of Environmental Economics and Policy, Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 11(1), pages 3-23.
    8. Tobias Plieninger & Cang Hui & Mirijam Gaertner & Lynn Huntsinger, 2014. "The Impact of Land Abandonment on Species Richness and Abundance in the Mediterranean Basin: A Meta-Analysis," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 9(5), pages 1-12, May.
    9. Renato Crouzeilles & Michael Curran & Mariana S. Ferreira & David B. Lindenmayer & Carlos E. V. Grelle & José M. Rey Benayas, 2016. "A global meta-analysis on the ecological drivers of forest restoration success," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 7(1), pages 1-8, September.
    10. Oltmer, Katrin & Florax, Raymond J.G.M., 2001. "Impacts Of Agricultural Policy Reform On Land Prices: A Quantitative Analysis Of The Literature," 2001 Annual meeting, August 5-8, Chicago, IL 20507, American Agricultural Economics Association (New Name 2008: Agricultural and Applied Economics Association).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Monge, Juan J. & Bryant, Henry L. & Gan, Jianbang & Richardson, James W., 2016. "Land use and general equilibrium implications of a forest-based carbon sequestration policy in the United States," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 127(C), pages 102-120.
    2. Sabina Shaikh & Pavel Suchánek & Lili Sun & G. Cornelis van Kooten, 2003. "Does Inclusion of Landowners’ Non-Market Values Lower Costs of Creating Carbon Forest Sinks?," Working Papers 2003-03, University of Victoria, Department of Economics, Resource Economics and Policy Analysis Research Group.
    3. Mason, Charles F. & Plantinga, Andrew J., 2011. "Contracting for Impure Public Goods: Carbon Offsets and Additionality," Sustainable Development Papers 101290, Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei (FEEM).
    4. David Walker, 2014. "The Economic Potential for Forest-Based Carbon Sequestration under Different Emissions Targets and Accounting Schemes," Working Papers 2014.02, School of Economics, La Trobe University.
    5. van Kooten, G. Cornelis, 2004. "Economics of Forest and Agricultural Carbon Sinks," Working Papers 18160, University of Victoria, Resource Economics and Policy.
    6. Caetano, Marco Antonio Leonel & Gherardi, Douglas Francisco Marcolino & Yoneyama, Takashi, 2013. "A constraint satisfaction method applied to the problem of controlling the CO2 emission in the Legal Brazilian Amazon," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 392(21), pages 5322-5329.
    7. Nijnik, Maria & Pajot, Guillaume & Moffat, Andy J. & Slee, Bill, 2013. "An economic analysis of the establishment of forest plantations in the United Kingdom to mitigate climatic change," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 26(C), pages 34-42.
    8. Rosenberger, Randall S. & Stanley, Tom D., 2006. "Measurement, generalization, and publication: Sources of error in benefit transfers and their management," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 60(2), pages 372-378, December.
    9. Zandersen, Marianne & Tol, Richard S.J., 2009. "A meta-analysis of forest recreation values in Europe," Journal of Forest Economics, Elsevier, vol. 15(1-2), pages 109-130, January.
    10. Sebri, Maamar, 2015. "Use renewables to be cleaner: Meta-analysis of the renewable energy consumption–economic growth nexus," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 657-665.
    11. Shaikh, Sabina L. & Sun, Lili & van Kooten, G. Cornelis, 2005. "Are Agricultural Values a Reliable Guide in Determining Landowners’ Decisions to Create Carbon Forest Sinks?," Working Papers 37017, University of Victoria, Resource Economics and Policy.
    12. Strand, Jon, 2016. "Mitigation incentives with climate finance and treaty options," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 57(C), pages 166-174.
    13. van Kooten, G. Cornelis & Sohngen, Brent, 2007. "Economics of Forest Ecosystem Carbon Sinks: A Review," International Review of Environmental and Resource Economics, now publishers, vol. 1(3), pages 237-269, September.
    14. Buongiorno, Joseph & Zhu, Shushuai, 2013. "Consequences of carbon offset payments for the global forest sector," Journal of Forest Economics, Elsevier, vol. 19(4), pages 384-401.
    15. Povellato, Andrea & Bosello, Francesco & Giupponi, Carlo, 2007. "A Review of Recent Studies on Cost Effectiveness of GHG Mitigation Measures in the European Agro-Forestry Sector," Natural Resources Management Working Papers 10268, Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei (FEEM).
    16. Latta, Gregory S. & Adams, Darius M. & Bell, Kathleen P. & Kline, Jeffrey D., 2016. "Evaluating land-use and private forest management responses to a potential forest carbon offset sales program in western Oregon (USA)," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 65(C), pages 1-8.
    17. Kovacs, Kent F. & Haight, Robert G. & Jung, Suhyun & Locke, Dexter H. & O'Neil-Dunne, Jarlath, 2013. "The marginal cost of carbon abatement from planting street trees in New York City," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 1-10.
    18. Nijnik, Maria & Bizikova, Livia, 2008. "Responding to the Kyoto Protocol through forestry: A comparison of opportunities for several countries in Europe," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 10(4), pages 257-269, February.
    19. Baranzini, Andrea & Borzykowski, Nicolas & Carattini, Stefano, 2018. "Carbon offsets out of the woods? Acceptability of domestic vs. international reforestation programmes in the lab," Journal of Forest Economics, Elsevier, vol. 32(C), pages 1-12.
    20. Ross Kingwell, 2021. "Agriculture’s carbon‐neutral challenge: The case of Western Australia," Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, vol. 65(3), pages 566-595, July.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jlands:v:10:y:2021:i:9:p:994-:d:639862. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.