Monitoring Long-term Wetland Area and Vegetation Cover Change using RS and GIS

摘要

Generally, wetland Inventory and mapping are not only requisite for analyzing practical problems, such as wetland function assessment, but are also highly necessary for resolving scientific issues, including quantifying the potential related impacts of wetlands and water resource management. To this end, we investigated the changes in area and vegetation cover of Kaftar wetland, Iran using satellite imagery and GIS over a period of 30 years (1986-2015). Results showed significantly decreasing trends in area and vegetation cover of wetland during 30 years period. Based on obtained results, mean annual rates of change in wetland area and vegetation cover were gains of -241.15 ha yr -1 and - 88.39 hayr -1 during 30-years period. Figure 2 shows that the area of wetland was increased from 1986 to 1998 and mean annual rate of change in wetland area was positive in this period (105.98 hayr -1 ) which changed to negative value after 1998 (-422.24 hayr -1 ). The mean annual rate of vegetation cover was equal to 2.98 hayr 1 and -134.18 ha yr -1 pre- and post- 1998, respectively, resulting in a significant difference between the two periods. Finally, the result of this study can be used as an efficient tool in the planning, management, and conservation of wetlands in Iran.