Geospatial analysis of land-use change processes in a densely populated coastal city: the case of Port Harcourt, south-east Nigeria

Abstract

This study examines the pattern and processes of land-use change in a densely populated coastal city in the oil-rich Niger Delta region of Nigeria for 27 years using remote sensing and Geographic Information Systems. The results indicate that between 1986 and 2013, settlement/bare surface, mangrove forest/wetland and water body increased at 0.84% per year, 0.05% per year and 0.10% per year, respectively, while arable land/secondary vegetation and natural forest loss at 0.47% per year and 0.52% per year, respectively. This implies that intensity of change varies temporally. The implications of these changes include loss of valuable environmental goods and services, alteration of the food chain and increased impacts of climate change–related disasters. It is recommended that steps be taken to slow down the rate of land-use change in the study area to reduce its impact on the environment and social well-being.

Keywords:

• coastal ecosystem
• remote sensing
• deforestation
• urban growth
• Nigeria