AN ANALYSIS OF THE EFFECTS OF LANDUSE/LANDCOVER CHANGES IN ASHAKA AREA, GOMBE STATE
AN ANALYSIS OF THE EFFECTS OF LANDUSE/LANDCOVER CHANGES IN ASHAKA AREA, GOMBE STATE
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Date
2009-12
Authors
BAMINDA, AMOS BITRUS
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Abstract
This study was conducted to assess the effects of Landuse/Landcover changes in
Ashaka area of Gombe State. Remote Sensing and GIS techniques and groundtruthing
involving field observations using HandGPS Garmin 72 were employed for
the data collection. Landsat imageries and Spot Xs for four epochs i.e Landsat
MSS, 1970, Landsat TM, 1987, Spot Xs 1994, and Landsat ETM, 2005 were used
for digital data analysis and interpretation of the Landuse/Landcover of the area.
Results of the analysis show that the most extensive landuse was agriculture which
covered 65.18% of the area, in 1970, 68.36% in 1987 and 71.16% in 2005.
Forestland recorded a decline in both spatial and temporal coverage from
46.06Km in 1970 to 26.18Km in 2005. The coverage of baresurfaces/gullies
increased, partly because of decreased grassland and partly due to mining
activities and deforestation. Grassland which covered 37.7KM2
constituting 12.17%
of the Landuse/Landcover classes in 1970 was decreased to 9.59KM constituting
only 3.33% of the landuse/landcover classes in 2005. Mineland which was the focus
of this study occupied 1.14Km indicating 0.38% of the classes in 1987 and slight
increase of 0.14% in 2005 covering an area of 1.84KM2
was revealed.
Demographic pressures due to increasing population, poverty, industrial activities
and intensification of agriculture was identified as the major causes of
Landuse/Landcover changes in the area. Hence, overgrazing, overcultivation,
increasing baresurfaces/gullies and deforestation were the environmental problems
deduced from the results of the analysis of Landsat and SpotXs Imageries.
Recommendations were therefore made to maximize the benefits of landuse
activities and sustained economy and minimize the harmful effects of industrial
activities and landuse/landcover changes. Suggestions for further study were also
made.
Description
A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL,
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA
NIGERIA
IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT FOR THE AWARD OF MASTERS IN GEOGRAPHY
DEPARTMENT OF GEOGRAPHY
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA
NIGERIA
DECEMBER, 2009
Keywords
ANALYSIS,, EFFECTS,, LANDUSE/LANDCOVER,, ASHAKA,, GOMBE STATE.