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Land Use Change Impacts over the Indus Delta: A Case Study of Sindh Province, Pakistan

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  • Maira Masood

    (State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, School of Environment, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China)

  • Chunguang He

    (State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, School of Environment, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China)

  • Shoukat Ali Shah

    (State Key Laboratory of Information Engineering in Surveying, Mapping, and Remote Sensing, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430079, China
    Chinese Antarctic Center of Surveying and Mapping, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430079, China)

  • Syed Aziz Ur Rehman

    (Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore 54000, Pakistan)

Abstract

Land use and land cover changes (LULCCs) are vital indicators for assessing the dynamic relationship between humans and nature, particularly in diverse and evolving landscapes. This study employs remote sensing (RS) data and machine learning algorithms (MLAs) to investigate LULCC dynamics within the Indus River Delta region of Sindh, Pakistan. The focus is on tracking the trajectories of land use changes within mangrove forests and associated ecosystem services over twenty years. Our findings reveal a modest improvement in mangrove forest cover in specific areas, with an increase from 0.28% to 0.4%, alongside a slight expansion of wetland areas from 2.95% to 3.19%. However, significant increases in cropland, increasing from 22.76% to 28.14%, and built-up areas, increasing from 0.71% to 1.66%, pose risks such as altered sedimentation and runoff patterns as well as habitat degradation. Additionally, decreases in barren land from 57.10% to 52.7% and a reduction in rangeland from 16.16% to 13.92% indicate intensified land use conversion and logging activities. This study highlights the vulnerability of mangrove ecosystems in the Indus Delta to agricultural expansion, urbanization, resource exploitation, and land mismanagement. Recommendations include harmonizing developmental ambitions with ecological conservation, prioritizing integrated coastal area management, reinforcing mangrove protection measures, and implementing sustainable land use planning practices. These actions are essential for ensuring the long-term sustainability of the region’s ecosystems and human communities.

Suggested Citation

  • Maira Masood & Chunguang He & Shoukat Ali Shah & Syed Aziz Ur Rehman, 2024. "Land Use Change Impacts over the Indus Delta: A Case Study of Sindh Province, Pakistan," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(7), pages 1-25, July.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jlands:v:13:y:2024:i:7:p:1080-:d:1437381
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Motuma Shiferaw Regasa & Michael Nones & Dereje Adeba, 2021. "A Review on Land Use and Land Cover Change in Ethiopian Basins," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(6), pages 1-18, June.
    3. Mitsch, William J. & Gosselink, James G., 2000. "The value of wetlands: importance of scale and landscape setting," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 35(1), pages 25-33, October.
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