Establishing the link between urban land cover change and the proliferation of aquatic hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) in Harare Metropolitan, Zimbabwe
Publication date: Available online 17 October 2018Source: Physics and Chemistry of the Earth, Parts A/B/CAuthor(s): Timothy Dube, Mbulisi Sibanda, Victor Bangamwabo, Cletah ShokoAbstractUrban growth is a key process affecting the functioning of natural ecosystems, and consequently the global land-surface process. This work aimed at establishing the link between land cover changes around Harare Metropolitan city and the proliferation of aquatic hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) in Lake Chivero. Remotely sensed Landsat series acquired in the year 1973, 1981, 1994, 1998, 2008, 2009 and 2014 was used. Image classification was implemented to map the associated changes over time using discriminant analysis algorithm. Derived thematic land cover maps showed that agricultural land increased from 2% in 1973 to a 5% in 1981 reaching up to 30% in 2014, whereas the city's land area significantly (p < 0.05) increased between 1973 and 1994. However, water hyacinth constantly increased over time. The spatial and temporal resolution of Landsat images detected land cover changes and the proliferation of aquatic hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) in the Lake Chivero over time.
Source: Physics and Chemistry of the Earth, Parts ABC - Category: Science Source Type: research