Abstract

Landscape transformations in the rapidly urbanizing landscape are the most dynamic process affecting the local ecology and environment. The urbanized landscape do provide to its inhabitants the complex social and economic environment leading to further increase in population. Consequences of the unplanned urbanisation are enhanced pollution levels, lack of adequate infrastructure and basic amenities. This necessitates understanding of spatial patterns of the growth for an effective urban planning. This communication analyses the landscape dynamics of Belgaum City with 5 km buffer using Shannon’s entropy and explores landscape patterns through spatial metrics applied to the temporal land use dataRemote sensing data acquired at regular intervals through satellite borne sensors enables the synoptic monitoring of urban growth patterns and dynamics. Spatial metrics enables the quantification of urban footprint. Assessment of spatial and temporal dynamics of the landscape and quantification of patterns through metrics helps in the understanding of urbanisation process. . This communication focuses on the monitoring of land use and land cover  dynamics of  Belgaum City with a buffer of 5 km. Land cover analysis is done through the slope based vegetation indices show a decline of vegetation from 98.8% (1989) to 91.74% (in 2012). Temporal land use analysis reveal that the increase of urban pockets (built up and other paved surfaces) from 0.31% (in 1989) to 6.74% (2012), the tree cover has decreased from 4.62% (in 1989) to 2.44% (in 2006).  Direction wise gradient analysis through spatial metrics and the Shannon entropy highlight an increase of fragmented growth during post 2000 in all directions.

Keywords: Belgaum, Land Use, Land Cover, Urbanization, Urban Sprawl, Landscape Metrics, Remote Sensing, Geoinformatics.