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Land Use/Land Cover and Natural Hazards: Interactions, Changes, and Impacts...
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Land Use/Land Cover and Natural Hazards: Interactions, Changes, and Impacts II

A special issue of Land (ISSN 2073-445X).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (26 July 2024) | Viewed by 25462

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Matej Vojtek

E-Mail Website1 Website2
Guest Editor
1. Department of Geography, Geoinformatics and Regional Development, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Informatics, Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra, Trieda A. Hlinku 1, 949 01 Nitra, Slovakia
2. Institute of Geography, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Štefánikova 49, 814 73 Bratislava, Slovakia
Interests: flood mapping; flood hazard; flood risk; flood susceptibility; flood management; hydrologic-hydraulic modeling; surface runoff; landslide hazard; land use/land cover change; multi-criteria decision analysis; geographic information systems; remote sensing
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Andrea Petroselli

E-Mail Website1 Website2 Website3
Guest Editor
Department of Economics, Engineering, Society and Business Organization (DEIM), Tuscia University, 01100 Viterbo, Italy
Interests: rainfall-runoff modeling; flood prone area estimation; surface hydrology; GIS terrain analysis for hydrogeomorphic applications; hydrological processes monitoring and modelling
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Raffaele Pelorosso

E-Mail Website1 Website2
Guest Editor
Department of Agriculture and Forest Sciences (DAFNE), Italy, Tuscia University, 01100 Viterbo, VT, Italy
Interests: urban regeneration and performance-based planning; urban storm water and climate regulation by green and grey infrastructure; low-entropy systems; climate adaptation; nature-based solutions and ecosystem services; urban modeling
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Over the past few decades, the risks due to natural hazards have increased significantly due to changes in climate as well as land use/land cover (LULC), which are both triggered mainly by anthropic pressure on landscapes, i.e., urbanization, forest management practices, agricultural practices, and the like. Climate and LULC change contribute significantly to changes in the frequency, variability, or magnitude of natural hazards, such as floods, landslides, erosion, and so on.   

Constant progress in remote sensing (RS) allows for the rapid collection of information about the landscape, namely LULC, of adequate quality and accuracy. Geographic information system (GIS), in turn, represents a tool for processing, modeling, analyzing, and synthesizing spatial data. In addition, RS and GIS play an essential role in natural hazards mapping, monitoring, and assessment.

Therefore, the focus of this Special Issue is to gather and present the current knowledge on the interactions between LULC and natural hazards and to study the impacts of LULC changes/scenarios on the occurrence of natural hazards, as well as vice versa – the impacts of natural hazards on LULC and society at various spatial scales (from local to global). Tackling these issues has the potential to help risk managers and decision-makers to adopt appropriate mitigation/adaptation actions and resilient preparedness and response.

Authors are encouraged to submit innovative and original contributions in the following priority areas, but not exclusively:

  • Change in historical and present LULC and its impact on natural hazards,
  • LULC future scenario modeling and its impact on the occurrence of natural hazards,
  • Impact of natural hazards on LULC and society.

Dr. Matej Vojtek
Dr. Andrea Petroselli
Dr. Raffaele Pelorosso
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Land is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • land use/land cover (LULC)
  • historical LULC
  • present LULC
  • LULC scenarios
  • natural hazards mapping
  • floods
  • landslides
  • erosion
  • geographic information systems (GIS)
  • remote sensing (RS)
  • statistical modeling
  • numerical modeling
  • machine learning modeling
  • urban and environmental planning
  • green infrastructure
  • nature-based solutions (NbS)
  • ecosystem services

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (8 papers)

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Research

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24 pages, 10653 KiB  
Article
Leveraging Reed Bed Burnings as Indicators of Wetland Conversion in Modern Greece
by Cleo Maria Gaganis, Andreas Y. Troumbis and Themistoklis Kontos
Land 2024, 13(4), 538; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13040538 - 18 Apr 2024
Viewed by 1394
Abstract
This study explores the historical occurrence of wetland ecosystems in Greece by using recurring Phragmites australis (common reed) burnings as an indicator. Phragmites australis, a plant closely associated with wetlands, provides excellent insights into wetland distribution. We establish a substantial association between [...] Read more.
This study explores the historical occurrence of wetland ecosystems in Greece by using recurring Phragmites australis (common reed) burnings as an indicator. Phragmites australis, a plant closely associated with wetlands, provides excellent insights into wetland distribution. We establish a substantial association between reed fires and historical wetland existence in Greece using geographical and statistical analysis, with these fires exhibiting remarkable constancy across time. Using Corine land-cover (CLC) data, we extend our analysis into land-use dynamics, demonstrating that places with the highest reed-bed-fire rates were originally wetlands, particularly those converted into permanent irrigated land and areas with complex agriculture patterns. We find spatial commonalities between reed fires and past wetland existence by analyzing fire occurrence across three main categories: reed fires, agricultural land fires, and grassland fires. Historical records of wetland conversion into agricultural land (or land reclamation works) in locations such as Yianitsa and Kopaida give context to our findings. Visualizations confirm the clustering of reed fires around these converted agricultural regions. In summary, our study offers a unique indicator based on Phragmites australis burnings that can be used to identify previous wetland-type ecosystems, with Mediterranean-wide implications. Despite data constraints, this study adds to the conversation about wetland preservation and sustainable land-use management. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Land Use/Land Cover and Natural Hazards: Interactions, Changes, and Impacts II)
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25 pages, 14579 KiB  
Article
Multi-Sensor Satellite Images for Detecting the Effects of Land-Use Changes on the Archaeological Area of Giza Necropolis, Egypt
by Abdelaziz Elfadaly, Naglaa Zanaty, Wael Mostafa, Ehab Hendawy and Rosa Lasaponara
Land 2024, 13(4), 471; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13040471 - 7 Apr 2024
Viewed by 1625
Abstract
The World Heritage Committee has been meeting to discuss the arrangements of existing World Heritage Sites, and, on 22–26 October, the area from Giza to the Dahshur was included in the list of World Heritage Sites. According to the Egyptian Antiquities Authority (EAA), [...] Read more.
The World Heritage Committee has been meeting to discuss the arrangements of existing World Heritage Sites, and, on 22–26 October, the area from Giza to the Dahshur was included in the list of World Heritage Sites. According to the Egyptian Antiquities Authority (EAA), the groundwater levels at the Pyramids Plateau are too shallow, which threatens the ancient Sphinx and Pyramids in Giza, Egypt. In addition, many geophysical studies have been carried out in the archaeological area of Giza, which prove that the area is facing the risk of a high level of groundwater, specifically threatening the Sphinx. Recent developments in Earth observation have helped in the field of land monitoring such as land use changes, risk observation, and the creation of models for protecting cultural heritage sites. This study aimed to examine the impact of land use changes on on the archaeological sites of the Giza Necropolis area by integrating various data sources including optical satellite imagery and SRTM data during the period of 1965–2019. A historical database of Corona 1965 and Landsat 2009 data was investigated along with the new acquisitions of Sentinel-2 2016 and Sentinel-1 2016 and 2019. In addition, the radar Sentinel-1 SLC data were collected and analyzed for calculating the land subsidence value in the area of interest through two periods between 6–30 July 2016 and 30 July–15 December 2016. Various methods were implemented, including cluster outliers, the Moran index, and spatial autocorrelation to examine the changes in urban masses. Additionally, the relationship between groundwater leakage and land subsidence in the region was investigated. The analysis was carried out using Envi5.3, ArcMap10.6.1, and SNAP6.0 software to extract spatial data from the raw data. The results from our investigation highlighted rapid changes in urban areas between 1965 and 2019. The data obtained and analyzed from optical and radar satellite imagery showed that changes in land use can cause changes in the topographic situation by decreasing the level of groundwater, which adversely affects Egyptian monumental pyramids and the Sphinx. Land use analysis showed that the urban area represented 7.63% of the total area of the study area in 1965, however it reached 32.72% in 2009, approximately half of the total area in 2016, and in 2019, the urban mass area increased to nearly two-thirds of the total area. The annual growth rate between 1965 and 2019 was estimated by nearly 0.642 km2/year. These land-use changes possibly affected the land subsidence value (−0.0138 m), causing the rising groundwater level close to the Sphinx. Using the information obtained from our RS- and GIS-based analysis, mitigation strategies have also been identified to support archaeological area preservation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Land Use/Land Cover and Natural Hazards: Interactions, Changes, and Impacts II)
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15 pages, 3569 KiB  
Article
Comparative Effects of Wild Boar (Sus scrofa) Rooting on the Chemical Properties of Soils in Natural and Post-Fire Environments of the Edough Forest Massif (Northeastern Algeria)
by Kamelia Hesni Benotmane, Mehdi Boukheroufa, Rym Sakraoui, Feriel Sakraoui, Csaba Centeri, Ádám Fehér and Krisztián Katona
Land 2024, 13(3), 382; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13030382 - 17 Mar 2024
Viewed by 1468
Abstract
Wild boars use a wide range of habitats. Their invasive nature is gaining attention due to the complexity of its impact. The goal of this research is to analyze the impact of the wild boar on the chemical properties of soils in a [...] Read more.
Wild boars use a wide range of habitats. Their invasive nature is gaining attention due to the complexity of its impact. The goal of this research is to analyze the impact of the wild boar on the chemical properties of soils in a natural and a post-fire forest in the Edough Forest Massif in Algeria. This study compares the impact of wild boar rooting on soil parameters to determine the functional role of the wild boar. The research was conducted during the winter of 2022. The study sites included a natural forest and a post-fire area. Rooting tracks were geolocated and soil samples were collected. The results show significant differences between rooted and control patches in the chemical parameters measured in the two environments. However, in the natural environment, significant differences were only noted for the calcium content and electrical conductivity. But in the post-fire environment, strong significant differences were observed for all measured parameters, suggesting that wild boars do not exert a noticeable soil homogenization effect on the soil properties. This research highlights the importance of understanding and managing the impact of wild boars in natural and post-fire forests on soil formation processes, the diversity of soil properties, and their magnitude. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Land Use/Land Cover and Natural Hazards: Interactions, Changes, and Impacts II)
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29 pages, 20242 KiB  
Article
Estimating Stream Bank and Bed Erosion and Deposition with Innovative and Traditional Methods
by Paschalis Koutalakis, Georgios Gkiatas, Michael Xinogalos, Valasia Iakovoglou, Iordanis Kasapidis, Georgios Pagonis, Anastasia Savvopoulou, Konstantinos Krikopoulos, Theodoros Klepousniotis and George N. Zaimes
Land 2024, 13(2), 232; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13020232 - 13 Feb 2024
Viewed by 2296
Abstract
Understanding the contributions of stream bank and bed erosion will allow us to implement the most effective management practices. The objective of this study was to assess different methods to measure bank and bed erosion at different scales, specifically the watershed, reach and [...] Read more.
Understanding the contributions of stream bank and bed erosion will allow us to implement the most effective management practices. The objective of this study was to assess different methods to measure bank and bed erosion at different scales, specifically the watershed, reach and plot. Innovative and traditional methods were utilized. At the watershed scale, indices based on free satellite images were used. For the reach scale, indices were used, but the images with higher accuracy were purchased and captured by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). At the plot scale, erosion pins, cross-sections and laser scanning were applied. The watershed scale analysis showcased “hot spots”. These “hot spots” were reaches vulnerable to erosion and deposition. The indices of the purchased images were applied to these “hot spots” and allowed us to narrow the length of the reaches where UAV flights took place. These flight images located where erosion and deposition occurred. Finally, at the plot scale, laser scanning provided more detailed and accurate data at a greater scale compared to the traditional methods. The implementation of these methods allows us to find the areas vulnerable to erosion and deposition. These are the areas where nature-based solutions should be implemented to effectively mitigate erosion problems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Land Use/Land Cover and Natural Hazards: Interactions, Changes, and Impacts II)
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20 pages, 4643 KiB  
Article
Assessment of the Erosion and Outflow Intensity in the Rif Region under Different Land Use and Land Cover Scenarios
by Abdessalam Ouallali, Shuraik Kader, Youssef Bammou, Mourad Aqnouy, Said Courba, Mohamed Beroho, Hamza Briak, Velibor Spalevic, Alban Kuriqi and Artan Hysa
Land 2024, 13(2), 141; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13020141 - 26 Jan 2024
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 1970
Abstract
The port of Tangier Med is essential due to its strategic location, as it is an important trading center linking Europe, North America, and Africa. However, the increased rates of downstream sediment transportation put pressure on the sustainable future of the port. Thus, [...] Read more.
The port of Tangier Med is essential due to its strategic location, as it is an important trading center linking Europe, North America, and Africa. However, the increased rates of downstream sediment transportation put pressure on the sustainable future of the port. Thus, assessing the existing erosion rates and future improvement scenarios is imperative for planning sustainable management at the catchment level. We utilize the Erosion Potential Model (EPM) combined with the Intensity of Erosion and Outflow (IntErO) algorithm to assess the erosion and outflow intensity and to distinguish the sediment-producing areas in the R’mel watershed. The port’s proximity at the bottom of the slope opposite the R’mel Dam is relevant in this context. Initial results show an average erosion rate of 13 t/ha/year. Quarry operations were identified as the primary sediment source, as indicated by the factors contributing to erosion. The qualitative PAP/RAC (Priority Actions Program/Regional Activity Center) model was used to assess the development trends in the watershed, confirming a clear tendency toward irreversible degradation in the quarry areas. Considering that the mined carbonate lithology represents 23.77% of the total area of the catchment, the situation in the region could deteriorate if quarry operations continue. The simulation of quarry rehabilitation scenarios through land use and land cover change (LULC) with IntErO shows that reforestation of quarries can significantly reduce erosion rates (4.78 t/ha/year) compared to their conversion to agricultural land. This study underlines the effectiveness of IntErO, based on the EPM model, in quickly and effectively mapping and quantifying water erosion. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Land Use/Land Cover and Natural Hazards: Interactions, Changes, and Impacts II)
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20 pages, 8141 KiB  
Article
Landslide Susceptibility Assessment in Nepal’s Chure Region: A Geospatial Analysis
by Purna Bahadur Thapa, Saurav Lamichhane, Khagendra Prasad Joshi, Aayoush Raj Regmi, Divya Bhattarai and Hari Adhikari
Land 2023, 12(12), 2186; https://doi.org/10.3390/land12122186 - 18 Dec 2023
Viewed by 2742
Abstract
The Chure Hills, already vulnerable due to their fragile nature, face increased landslide risk, prompting the need for reliable susceptibility assessment. This study uses Poisson regression modeling to assess landslide susceptibility in two highly susceptible districts of the Chure region. Variance inflation factor [...] Read more.
The Chure Hills, already vulnerable due to their fragile nature, face increased landslide risk, prompting the need for reliable susceptibility assessment. This study uses Poisson regression modeling to assess landslide susceptibility in two highly susceptible districts of the Chure region. Variance inflation factor (VIF) tests were conducted to ensure robustness, indicating no multicollinearity among the variables. Subsequently, Poisson regression analysis identified eight significant variables, among which geology, lineament density, elevation, relief, slope, rainfall, solar radiance, and land cover types emerged as important factors associated with landslide count. The analysis revealed that higher lineament density and slope were associated with lower landslide counts, indicating potential stabilizing geological and topographical influences. The categorical variable, namely geology, revealed that middle Siwalik, upper Siwalik, and quaternary geological formations were associated with lower landslide counts than lower Siwalik. Land cover types, including areas under forest, shrubland, grassland, agricultural land, water bodies, and bare ground, had a substantial significant positive association with landslide count. The generated susceptibility map that exhibited a substantial portion (23.32% in Dang and 5.22% in Surkhet) of the study area fell within the very-high-susceptibility categories, indicating pronounced landslide susceptibility in the Dang and Surkhet districts of the Chure hills. This study offers valuable insights into landslide vulnerability in the Chure region, serving as a foundation for informed decision-making, disaster risk reduction strategies, and sustainable land-use and developmental policy planning. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Land Use/Land Cover and Natural Hazards: Interactions, Changes, and Impacts II)
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Review

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20 pages, 1417 KiB  
Review
Potential Interactions between Climate Change and Land Use for Forest Issues in the Eastern United States
by Brice B. Hanberry, Marc D. Abrams and Gregory J. Nowacki
Land 2024, 13(3), 398; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13030398 - 21 Mar 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1906
Abstract
Applying an interaction framework, we examined whether climate change and combined land use and disturbance changes were synergistic, antagonistic, or neutral for forest issues of wildfires, tree growth, tree species distributions, species invasions and outbreaks, and deer herbivory, focused on the eastern United [...] Read more.
Applying an interaction framework, we examined whether climate change and combined land use and disturbance changes were synergistic, antagonistic, or neutral for forest issues of wildfires, tree growth, tree species distributions, species invasions and outbreaks, and deer herbivory, focused on the eastern United States generally since the 1800s and the development of instrumental records (1895). Climate largely has not warmed during 1981–2020 compared to 1895–1980, but precipitation has increased. Increased precipitation and land use (encompassing fire exclusion and forestation, with coarse fuel accumulation due to increased tree densities) have interacted synergistically to dampen wildfire frequency in the humid eastern U.S. For overall tree growth, increased precipitation, carbon fertilization, and land use (i.e., young, fast-growing dense stands) likely have been positive, generating a synergistic interaction. Human activities created conditions for expanding native tree species distributions, non-native species invasions, and damaging native species outbreaks. No strong evidence appears to exist for recent climate change or land use influences on deer populations and associated herbivory levels. In the future, a warmer and effectively drier climate may reverse synergistic and neutral interactions with land use, although effects of climate interactions with land use will vary by species. Management can help correct non-climate stressors due to land use and support resilient structures and species against climate change. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Land Use/Land Cover and Natural Hazards: Interactions, Changes, and Impacts II)
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29 pages, 1865 KiB  
Review
Urban Flood Hazard Assessment and Management Practices in South Asia: A Review
by Bikram Manandhar, Shenghui Cui, Lihong Wang and Sabita Shrestha
Land 2023, 12(3), 627; https://doi.org/10.3390/land12030627 - 6 Mar 2023
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 10314
Abstract
Urban flooding is a frequent disaster in cities. With the increasing imperviousness caused by rapid urbanization and the rising frequency and severity of extreme events caused by climate change, the hydrological status of the urban area has changed, resulting in urban floods. This [...] Read more.
Urban flooding is a frequent disaster in cities. With the increasing imperviousness caused by rapid urbanization and the rising frequency and severity of extreme events caused by climate change, the hydrological status of the urban area has changed, resulting in urban floods. This study aims to identify trends and gaps and highlight potential research prospects in the field of urban flooding in South Asia. Based on an extensive literature review, this paper reviewed urban flood hazard assessment methods using hydraulic/hydrological models and urban flood management practices in South Asia. With the advancement of technology and high-resolution topographic data, hydrologic/hydraulic models such as HEC-RAS/HMS, MIKE, SWMM, etc., are increasingly used for urban flood hazard assessment. Urban flood management practices vary among countries based on existing technologies and infrastructures. In order to control urban flooding, both conventional physical structures, including drainage and embankments, as well as new innovative techniques, such as low-impact development, are implemented. Non-structural flood mitigation measures, such as improved flood warning systems, have been developed and implemented in a few cities. The major challenge in using process-based hydraulic models was the lack of high-resolution DEM and short-duration rainfall data in the region, significantly affecting the model’s simulation results and the implementation of flood management measures. Risk-informed management must be implemented immediately to reduce the adverse effects of climate change and unplanned urbanization on urban flooding. Therefore, it is crucial to encourage emergency managers and local planning authorities to consider a nature-based solution in an integrated urban planning approach to enhances urban flood resilience. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Land Use/Land Cover and Natural Hazards: Interactions, Changes, and Impacts II)
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