Journal Article

An Evaluation of the Effects of Land–Use Pattern on Land Cover Change in Paikoro Local Government Area

Abstract

This study applied the integrated remote sensing and geographical information system in analyzing the land use /Land cover dynamism in Paikoro Local Government area, Niger State for a period of twenty years (1986 to 2011). Land sat (TM) images of 1996, 2006, and Nigeria sat x image of 2011 were used. The study employed supervised digital image classification method using Erdas images 2014 and Arc GIS 10.2 software which classified the land use into bare surface, Built-up, Farmland, Vegetation and water body. The imageries were made to pass through processes of geo-referencing, image enhancement, resampling and classification. The result obtains shows that the built-up area increased rapidly for the period between 1996- 2011 by 5.4%. This is the evidence that land consumption rate (LCR) is at the increase between 1996 and 2006 respectively, while also Bare surface is the second lowest with the rate of 4.9% in 2006 and increased in 2011 with the rate of 7.9%. Also farmland seems to be practiced moderately occupying 9.0% in 2006 and increased at the rate of 10.9% in 2011 all these Landuse activities affect land cover. It is recommended that land use should be based on effective master plan of the community.

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