Land Use and Cover Change

This book examines the impacts of land use and land cover change between 2001 and 2010 in Aba metropolis using Remote Sensing and GIS. The datasets were obtained from classified Landsat imageries of 2001 and 2010. Eight dominant land use classes in the study area were identified to include: urban built-up, urban open space, rural built-up, farmland, forest, waterbody, urban land cover, and rural land cover. The computations of the spatial difference in areal extent of the land cover in the initial and final time points were carried out to the urban spatial changes and the spatial difference to determine the rate and pattern of land use and land cover changes and the impacts of urban spatial changes on urban land use activities. The spatial analysis techniques ( area overlay and analysis) were applied in determining the spatial difference and the paired Sample T-test and Eta- Squared, Erdas Imagine and ArcGIS were engaged as analytical tools for the study. Further data for the study was obtained via questionnaire structured to cover all target population selected from 22 localities through systematic sampling techniques.