Long-Term Monitoring of Vegetation Dynamics in the Rhodopi Mountain Range National Park-Greece
While deforestation is a major environmental issue in the tropics, with thousands of hectares converted to agricultural land every year, in Europe the opposite trend is observed, with land abandonment in mountainous and semi-mountainous areas allowing the afforestation of former agricultural and pas...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-02-01
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| Series: | Forests |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/13/3/377 |
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| author | Panteleimon Xofis John A. Spiliotis Stavros Chatzigiovanakis Anastasia S. Chrysomalidou |
| author_facet | Panteleimon Xofis John A. Spiliotis Stavros Chatzigiovanakis Anastasia S. Chrysomalidou |
| author_sort | Panteleimon Xofis |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | While deforestation is a major environmental issue in the tropics, with thousands of hectares converted to agricultural land every year, in Europe the opposite trend is observed, with land abandonment in mountainous and semi-mountainous areas allowing the afforestation of former agricultural and pastoral land. This trend allows semi-natural ecosystems to recover after a prolonged period of exploitation and often over-exploitation, but it may also lead to significant loss of landscape heterogeneity with potentially detrimental effects on biodiversity. The current study aims to monitor changes in the vegetation coverage across a period of 35 years (between 1984 and 2019) in the Rhodopi Mountains range National Park in northern Greece. A time series of LANDSAT TM (16 images), LANDSAT ETM + (1 image) and LANDSAT 8 OLI/TIRS (4 images) were employed. One data transformation method was applied (TCT), and five vegetation indices (NDVI, NDWI, SAVI, EVI2 and BSI) were calculated to capture the land cover transition during the study period. The obtained results and all used indices suggest that over the study period there was a continuous trend of vegetation cover increasing, with open areas decreasing. The observed trend was further confirmed using Object Oriented Image Analysis on two pairs of images sensed in 1984 and 2019, respectively. The results suggest that almost 22.000 ha of open habitats have been lost to broadleaved and conifer woodlands, while the former also appear to be advancing into conifer-covered areas. This trend has led to significant loss of landscape heterogeneity and to a broadleaf-dominated landscape. The results are discussed in relation to their driving forces, the potential implications on biodiversity and the risk of wildfires in the near future. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T19:50:19Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-95d06faa5e8342c18ff595368b3d5fbc |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1999-4907 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T19:50:19Z |
| publishDate | 2022-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Forests |
| spelling | doaj.art-95d06faa5e8342c18ff595368b3d5fbc2023-11-24T01:12:13ZengMDPI AGForests1999-49072022-02-0113337710.3390/f13030377Long-Term Monitoring of Vegetation Dynamics in the Rhodopi Mountain Range National Park-GreecePanteleimon Xofis0John A. Spiliotis1Stavros Chatzigiovanakis2Anastasia S. Chrysomalidou3Department of Forestry and Natural Environment, School of Geotechnical Sciences, International Hellenic University, GR66100 Drama, GreeceDepartment of Forestry and Natural Environment, School of Geotechnical Sciences, International Hellenic University, GR66100 Drama, GreeceDepartment of Forestry and Natural Environment, School of Geotechnical Sciences, International Hellenic University, GR66100 Drama, GreeceDepartment of Forestry and Natural Environment, School of Geotechnical Sciences, International Hellenic University, GR66100 Drama, GreeceWhile deforestation is a major environmental issue in the tropics, with thousands of hectares converted to agricultural land every year, in Europe the opposite trend is observed, with land abandonment in mountainous and semi-mountainous areas allowing the afforestation of former agricultural and pastoral land. This trend allows semi-natural ecosystems to recover after a prolonged period of exploitation and often over-exploitation, but it may also lead to significant loss of landscape heterogeneity with potentially detrimental effects on biodiversity. The current study aims to monitor changes in the vegetation coverage across a period of 35 years (between 1984 and 2019) in the Rhodopi Mountains range National Park in northern Greece. A time series of LANDSAT TM (16 images), LANDSAT ETM + (1 image) and LANDSAT 8 OLI/TIRS (4 images) were employed. One data transformation method was applied (TCT), and five vegetation indices (NDVI, NDWI, SAVI, EVI2 and BSI) were calculated to capture the land cover transition during the study period. The obtained results and all used indices suggest that over the study period there was a continuous trend of vegetation cover increasing, with open areas decreasing. The observed trend was further confirmed using Object Oriented Image Analysis on two pairs of images sensed in 1984 and 2019, respectively. The results suggest that almost 22.000 ha of open habitats have been lost to broadleaved and conifer woodlands, while the former also appear to be advancing into conifer-covered areas. This trend has led to significant loss of landscape heterogeneity and to a broadleaf-dominated landscape. The results are discussed in relation to their driving forces, the potential implications on biodiversity and the risk of wildfires in the near future.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/13/3/377landsatremote sensingland abandonmentlandscape heterogeneity |
| spellingShingle | Panteleimon Xofis John A. Spiliotis Stavros Chatzigiovanakis Anastasia S. Chrysomalidou Long-Term Monitoring of Vegetation Dynamics in the Rhodopi Mountain Range National Park-Greece Forests landsat remote sensing land abandonment landscape heterogeneity |
| title | Long-Term Monitoring of Vegetation Dynamics in the Rhodopi Mountain Range National Park-Greece |
| title_full | Long-Term Monitoring of Vegetation Dynamics in the Rhodopi Mountain Range National Park-Greece |
| title_fullStr | Long-Term Monitoring of Vegetation Dynamics in the Rhodopi Mountain Range National Park-Greece |
| title_full_unstemmed | Long-Term Monitoring of Vegetation Dynamics in the Rhodopi Mountain Range National Park-Greece |
| title_short | Long-Term Monitoring of Vegetation Dynamics in the Rhodopi Mountain Range National Park-Greece |
| title_sort | long term monitoring of vegetation dynamics in the rhodopi mountain range national park greece |
| topic | landsat remote sensing land abandonment landscape heterogeneity |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/13/3/377 |
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