IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v14y2022i13p7859-d849484.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Nature, Causes and Extent of Land cover Changes in Gamtoos River Estuary, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa: 1991–2017

Author

Listed:
  • Mhlanganisi Africa Ndude

    (Department of GIS & Remote Sensing, University of Fort Hare, Private Bag X314, Alice 5700, South Africa)

  • Kudzanai Rosebud Gwena

    (Department of GIS & Remote Sensing, University of Fort Hare, Private Bag X314, Alice 5700, South Africa)

  • Hamisai Hamandawana

    (Risk and Vulnerability Science Centre, University of the Free State, Private Bag X13, Phuthaditjhaba 9866, South Africa)

Abstract

Multi-date remotely sensed SPOT images of 1991, 2000, 2009 and 2017 were used to reconstruct changes in land cover in the Gamtoos River Estuary, Eastern Cape province, South Africa. These images were complemented by near-anniversary aerial photographs and Google Earth images that were used as ancillary sources of ground truth. The long-term trend direction of change was determined by calculating percentage changes and performing linear trend analysis. The magnitude of change was established by calculating Sen Slope estimates (SSE) and the influence of climate change on changes in land cover tested by correlating changes in rainfall and different cover types. The greatest and lowest changes were for noncultivated land and surface water (−7.94%, y = −1.2032x + 21.275, SSE = −0.292, and 0.44%, y = −0.4261x + 9.657, SSE = 0.007, respectively). Correlations between rainfall and all cover types were weak and ranged between 0.453816 and −0.643962. Rainfall exhibited a significant decrease ( p = 0.0411, σ 0.05; y = −7.175x + 734.55, SSE = −11.130) that was highly correlated with changes in surface water distribution (0.813709, Critical R = 0.805). Overall, the results of this investigation point to the combined influence of climate change and human agency, with the latter tending to play a more prominent role by exerting increasing pressure on the environment’s natural supporting potentials. We therefore urge the scientific community to continue exploring actionable interventions that can be used to enhance the sustainability of this ecosystem and others elsewhere.

Suggested Citation

  • Mhlanganisi Africa Ndude & Kudzanai Rosebud Gwena & Hamisai Hamandawana, 2022. "The Nature, Causes and Extent of Land cover Changes in Gamtoos River Estuary, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa: 1991–2017," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(13), pages 1-17, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:13:p:7859-:d:849484
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/13/7859/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/13/7859/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. de Groot, Rudolf S. & Wilson, Matthew A. & Boumans, Roelof M. J., 2002. "A typology for the classification, description and valuation of ecosystem functions, goods and services," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 41(3), pages 393-408, June.
    2. Clark, Barry M., 2006. "Climate change: A looming challenge for fisheries management in southern Africa," Marine Policy, Elsevier, vol. 30(1), pages 84-95, January.
    3. Christine C Shepard & Caitlin M Crain & Michael W Beck, 2011. "The Protective Role of Coastal Marshes: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 6(11), pages 1-11, November.
    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. Valencia Torres, Angélica & Tiwari, Chetan & Atkinson, Samuel F., 2021. "Progress in ecosystem services research: A guide for scholars and practitioners," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 49(C).
    2. Cornelis Leeuwen & Jos Frijns & Annemarie Wezel & Frans Ven, 2012. "City Blueprints: 24 Indicators to Assess the Sustainability of the Urban Water Cycle," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 26(8), pages 2177-2197, June.
    3. Stefan Liehr & Julia Röhrig & Marion Mehring & Thomas Kluge, 2017. "How the Social-Ecological Systems Concept Can Guide Transdisciplinary Research and Implementation: Addressing Water Challenges in Central Northern Namibia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(7), pages 1-19, June.
    4. Yanzi Wang & Chunming Wu & Yongfeng Gong & Zhen Zhu, 2021. "Can Adaptive Governance Promote Coupling Social-Ecological Systems? Evidence from the Vulnerable Ecological Region of Northwestern China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(20), pages 1-19, October.
    5. Breffle, William S. & Muralidharan, Daya & Donovan, Richard P. & Liu, Fangming & Mukherjee, Amlan & Jin, Yongliang, 2013. "Socioeconomic evaluation of the impact of natural resource stressors on human-use services in the Great Lakes environment: A Lake Michigan case study," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 38(2), pages 152-161.
    6. Comino, E. & Ferretti, V., 2016. "Indicators-based spatial SWOT analysis: supporting the strategic planning and management of complex territorial systems," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 64142, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    7. Samira F. Oliveira & Rachel B. Prado & Elaine C. C. Fidalgo & Ana P. D. Turetta & Joyce M. G. Monteiro & Bernadete da C. C. G. Pedreira & Gerson J. Y. Antonio & Renato L. de Assis & Sandro R. A. Oitav, 2024. "Climate Change and Ecosystem Services: A Participatory Approach in a Brazilian Mountainous Region," Journal of Sustainable Development, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 17(5), pages 1-1, September.
    8. Jansson, Åsa, 2013. "Reaching for a sustainable, resilient urban future using the lens of ecosystem services," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 86(C), pages 285-291.
    9. P. Hlaváčková & D. Šafařík, 2016. "Quantification of the utility value of the recreational function of forests from the aspect of valuation practice," Journal of Forest Science, Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences, vol. 62(8), pages 345-356.
    10. Bolaños-Valencia, Ingrid & Villegas-Palacio, Clara & López-Gómez, Connie Paola & Berrouet, Lina & Ruiz, Aura, 2019. "Social perception of risk in socio-ecological systems. A qualitative and quantitative analysis," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 38(C), pages 1-1.
    11. Bordt, Michael, 2018. "Discourses in Ecosystem Accounting: A Survey of the Expert Community," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 144(C), pages 82-99.
    12. Hackbart, Vivian C.S. & de Lima, Guilherme T.N.P. & dos Santos, Rozely F., 2017. "Theory and practice of water ecosystem services valuation: Where are we going?," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 23(C), pages 218-227.
    13. Meixler, Marcia S., 2017. "Assessment of Hurricane Sandy damage and resulting loss in ecosystem services in a coastal-urban setting," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 24(C), pages 28-46.
    14. Juliana Hurtado Rassi, 2020. "Gestión conjunta de ecosistemas transfronterizos: la importancia del trabajo articulado entre los Estados para la conservación de los recursos naturales. Análisis del caso particular de la “Reserva de," Books, Universidad Externado de Colombia, Facultad de Derecho, number 1241, October.
    15. Alessio D’Auria & Pasquale De Toro & Nicola Fierro & Elisa Montone, 2018. "Integration between GIS and Multi-Criteria Analysis for Ecosystem Services Assessment: A Methodological Proposal for the National Park of Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni (Italy)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(9), pages 1-25, September.
    16. Rode, Julian & Le Menestrel, Marc & Cornelissen, Gert, 2017. "Ecosystem Service Arguments Enhance Public Support for Environmental Protection - But Beware of the Numbers!," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 141(C), pages 213-221.
    17. Johann Audrain & Mateo Cordier & Sylvie Faucheux & Martin O’Connor, 2013. "Écologie territoriale et indicateurs pour un développement durable de la métropole parisienne," Revue d'économie régionale et urbaine, Armand Colin, vol. 0(3), pages 523-559.
    18. Stenger, Anne & Harou, Patrice & Navrud, Ståle, 2009. "Valuing environmental goods and services derived from the forests," Journal of Forest Economics, Elsevier, vol. 15(1-2), pages 1-14, January.
    19. Benjamin Leard, 2011. "Joan Martinez-Alier and Ingo Ropke (eds.): Recent developments in ecological economics (2 vols.)," Journal of Bioeconomics, Springer, vol. 13(2), pages 161-178, July.
    20. Luyanda Mafumbu & Leocadia Zhou & Ahmed Mukalazi Kalumba, 2022. "Assessing Public Perceptions on Coastal Access -Community Profile: A Case Study of Ngqushwa Local Municipality, South Africa," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-20, October.

    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:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:13:p:7859-:d:849484. 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.