Assessment of Land use and Land Cover Change in Shallabugh Wetland of Kashmir Himalaya using Landsat Tm and Liss Iv Satellite Datasets

Abstract

The increase in human activities has highlighted the need to assess land use and land cover in the Shallabugh wetland using LANDSAT TM and LISS IV satellite datasets over a 28-year period from 1990 to 2018. After ground truthing, the images were visually evaluated on screen and seven land use and land cover classes, viz. macrophytic vegetation, mixed plantation, open water, grazing land, agriculture field, built-up area, and vegetable field, were demarcated using Arc-GIS software. Out of a total area of 2552.62 ha, the maximum area was covered by macrophytic vegetation (33.87% and 32.36%) and the minimum area by vegetable field (0.77% and 1.51%) in both the years 1990 and 2018. Over the 28 year time period, land use land cover pattern showed increase in mixed plantation (2.28%), built-up (86.8%) and vegetable field (96.1%), whereas decrease was observed in macrophytic vegetation (4.4%), open water (10.3%), grazing land (28.6%), and agriculture field (2.6%). These remarkable changes were largely attributed to natural and human activities, viz., siltation, plantation and crop cultivation by local people and the construction of residential houses. Shallabugh wetland plays a role as breeding ground for a variety of waterfowl and serves as an important staging and wintering location for migratory avifauna. Land use and land cover change pose a severe threat to the Shallabugh wetland which is one of the most economically important wetland of Kashmir valley.