Land use and land cover change dynamics in the Niger Delta region from 1986 to 2024

Land use and land cover change dynamics in the Niger Delta region from 1986 to 2024

Abstract

Understanding the effects of land use and land cover change (LULCC) is crucial for developing land management strategies that can reduce adverse effects on the hydrological cycle and the environment. This study examines the dynamics of LULCC in the Niger Delta of Nigeria, considering its implications for hydrological hazards. The study documents how the LULCC in the Niger Delta has changed from 1986 to 2024. A supervised maximum likelihood classification was applied to five land use classes (water bodies, rainforest, built-up, agriculture, and mangrove) derived from Landsat 5 TM and 8 OLI images from 1986, 2015, and 2024. The built-up and agriculture land classes record the greatest increase, about 8,229 and 6,727 sq. km (561.54% and 79.38%) respectively, while mangroves and rainforests showed the biggest decrease - 14,350 and 10,844 sq. km (-54.51 and -42.88%) respectively. Delta, Cross River, and Rivers States experienced the highest decrease in rainforest compared to other states, 64.0%, 49.49%, and 38.26% (5,711.0 sq km, 3,554.0 sq km and 1,297.0 sq km) respectively. The decreasing mangrove and rainforest cover impact on the hydrological functioning of the NDR resulting in flooding and increased risks and impacts associated with hydrological hazards. The study shows that multiple stakeholders, including the Nigerian government, need to manage LULCC and support forest and mangrove restoration and protection, particularly in Delta, Cross River, and Rivers States, to address rapid changes in the land use with impacts of hydrological functioning of the Niger Delta

 Obroma O Agumagu

 PhD
 Department of Environment and Geography
  University of York

 obroma4u@yahoo.com, oa824@york.ac.uk