Using remote sensing and GIS to monitor of land cover change in the Middle Volga region during 1985-2014

Abstract

Study of land cover change is one of the most significant fields in sustainable development in forestry and prevention of ecological degradation in the Middle Volga region. Land use change can directly transform wide landscapes, impact on the biodiversity and eco-productivity. Due to these remote sensing technologies, take an important place in such research. GIS techniques are widely used for land cover change monitoring under climate change and human impact but the lack of reliable information on land use changes remains a major challenge of today. The research covers the assessment of land cover change caused by different types of natural and human disturbance in the Middle Volga region of the Russian Federation. This paper argues the method of monitoring of land cover change using satellite information and assessing land cover that can be beneficial for the further research affecting changes over different space and time scales.