Assessment of human impacts on landuse and vegetation cover changes in Mubi region, Adamawa state, Nigeria; remote sensing and GIS approach

Abstract

This paper is an assessment of the impact of man’s activities on the landuse and vegetation cover of Mubi region. Landsat MSS Landuse/vegetation image of 1978 and Spot XS landuse/vegetation
image of 1995 were used to study the landuse/vegetation cover changes of the region between 1978 and 1995 – a period of 17 years. Ilwis 3.2a, Arcview 3.1 and Idrisi 32 were used for georeferencing, digitizing and map analysis respectively. The methods used for change detection include area calculations (trends, rates and proportion), and overlay for the nature and the location of the changes. The study revealed that 68.08% of the region’s land areas were put under man’s use in 1978, the percentage increased to 74.82% in 1995.Woodlands, the only natural vegetation cover was also found to decrease from 31.12% in 1978 to 21.60% in 1995. Land degradation was evidenced within the period because 3.58% of the land area has turned into rock outcrops as a result of natural and human activities. For instance 21.27% of the extensive/grazing agriculture land area in 1978 has turned into rock outcrop in 1995. Extensive agriculture, animal grazing, intensive agriculture and irrigation farming collectively reduced 34.10% of the woodlands area between 1978 and 1995. Finally, extensive agriculture, animal grazing, intensive agriculture, tree crop farming and irrigation agriculture were found to be the direct human activities affecting landuse and vegetal changes in the region, while woodcutting, bush burning and road construction were also found to be other possible factors.

KEYWORDS: Remote Sensing, GIS, Landuse/Vegetation Cover, Human Impact, and Land degradation