The Effects of Land Cover Change on Natural Ecosystems: The Case of İzmir, Turkey

Abstract

Land cover (LU) change is one of the main cause of degradation of ecological systems and landscape fragmentation at local to global scales. LU change directly impacts biotic diversity, contributes to climate change, and affects the ability of biological systems to support human needs. Especially in the urbanized regions, LU types have been converted rapidly from one to another due to urban sprawl. In other words, urbanization is the most important factor which foster LU changes. LU have been changed rapidly in the city of İzmir and its surrounding region depending on the population increase and growing economic activities, especially during the past three decades. This situation mainly resulted with the loss of natural ecosystems. Within this research, it is aimed to analyse the LU change in the city of İzmir and its effects on natural ecosystems for the past 25 years. The analysis were performed by using 30 m resolution Landsat images acquired in 1984 and 2009. Satellite images were classified considering 8 LU types: artificial surface, agricultural areas, forests, scrub and/or herbaceous vegetation, salines, salt marshes, water bodies, and others. The results showed that artificial surface was increased nearly four times while the amount of almost all other LU types were decreased, between the years 1984 and 2009. In addition to data given above, LU conversions from one to another were analysed by using cross tabulation matrix. Land use pattern figures for each year, and conversion figure were also produced. Then, the effects of LU changes on natural ecosystems were assessed in the light of conversion matrix and figures.