Assessing land use and land cover changes in the buffer zone of Nambor Wildlife Sanctuary (WLS), Assam
Abstract This study examines Land Use and Land Cover (LU/LC) changes in the buffer zone of the Nambor Wildlife Sanctuary in Assam, India, from 1989 to 2021 using satellite imagery. The objective is to evaluate how these changes affect conservation and land management in the area. LU/LC was classifie...
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| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Springer
2025-08-01
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| Series: | Discover Geoscience |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1007/s44288-025-00217-3 |
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| Summary: | Abstract This study examines Land Use and Land Cover (LU/LC) changes in the buffer zone of the Nambor Wildlife Sanctuary in Assam, India, from 1989 to 2021 using satellite imagery. The objective is to evaluate how these changes affect conservation and land management in the area. LU/LC was classified into five categories: vegetation cover, agricultural land, barren land, water bodies, and built-up areas. Landsat 4–5 TM and Landsat 8 OLI/TIRS images (30-meter resolution) for the years 1989, 2001, 2011, and 2021 were obtained from the USGS Earth Explorer. The images, in TIFF format, were processed using ArcGIS 10.7 to generate LU/LC maps. All images were standardized to the WGS84 coordinate system with a UTM Zone 46 North projection. The analysis shows a steady decrease in vegetation cover and an increase in barren land. Vegetation cover declined from 47.57% in 1989 to 36.45% in 2021. Barren land increased from 25.97 to 32.22% over the same period. Agricultural land showed variations across the years but had a net increase of 1,737.27 acres. Water bodies and built-up areas also expanded slightly. The change detection results confirm a growing trend of land being converted to different uses, while land losses varied by period. These changes pose potential threats to biodiversity and ecological stability. The study calls for immediate conservation actions and improved land use planning to protect the buffer zone of the Nambor Wildlife Sanctuary. |
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| ISSN: | 2948-1589 |