title: Dynamics of land use and land cover change (LULCC) using geospatial techniques: a case study of Islamabad Pakistan.
abstract: One of the detailed and useful ways to develop land use classification maps is use of geospatial techniques such as remote sensing and Geographic Information System (GIS). It vastly improves the selection of areas designated as agricultural, industrial and/or urban sector of a region. In Islamabad city and its surroundings, change in land use has been observed and new developments (agriculture, commercial, industrial and urban) are emerging every day. Thus, the rationale of this study was to evaluate land use/cover changes in Islamabad from 1992 to 2012. Quantification of spatial and temporal dynamics of land use/cover changes was accomplished by using two satellite images, and classifying them via supervised classification algorithm and finally applying post-classification change detection technique in GIS. The increase was observed in agricultural area, built-up area and water body from 1992 to 2012. On the other hand forest and barren area followed a declining trend. The driving force behind this change was economic development, climate change and population growth. Rapid urbanization and deforestation resulted in a wide range of environmental impacts, including degraded habitat quality.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Sciences, Fatima Jinnah Women University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Zahra
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Hassan
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Sciences, Fatima Jinnah Women University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Rabia
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Shabbir
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Sciences, Fatima Jinnah Women University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Sheikh Saeed
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Ahmad
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Sciences, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Abbottabad, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Amir Haider
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Malik
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Sciences, Fatima Jinnah Women University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Neelam
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Aziz
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Sciences, Fatima Jinnah Women University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Amna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Butt
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Sciences, Fatima Jinnah Women University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Summra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Erum
keywords: Change detection; GIS; Islamabad; Land use/land cover; Remote sensing