Monitoring of Vegetation Disturbance around Protected Areas in Central Tanzania Using Landsat Time-Series Data

• Main Authors: Atupelye W. Komba, Teiji Watanabe, Masami Kaneko, Mohan Bahadur Chand
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-05-01
• Series: Remote Sensing
• Subjects: vegetation disturbance; LandTrendr algorithm; Landsat time-series data; conservation; savannah; anthropogenic activity
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/13/9/1800

Understanding vegetation disturbance around protected areas (PAs) is critical as it significantly affects the sustainable conservation of wildlife. However, there is a lack of analyses of consistent long-term data on vegetation disturbance. In this study, the LandTrendr algorithm and Google Earth Engine were used to access satellite data and explore the vegetation dynamics history across the Ruaha–Rungwa landscape, Tanzania. We characterized vegetation disturbance patterns and change attributes, including disturbance occurrence trends, rate, and severity, by using each pixel’s normalized burn ratio index time series. Between 2000 and 2019, 36% of the vegetation was significantly disturbed by anthropogenic activities. The results of this study show that the disturbance trends, severity, and patterns are highly variable and strongly depend on the management approaches implemented in the heterogeneous landscape: Ruaha National Park (RNP), Rungwa–Kizigo–Muhesi Game Reserves (RKMGR), and the surrounding zones. The disturbance rates and severity were pronounced and increased toward the edges of the western RKMGR. However, the disturbance in the areas surrounding the RNP was lower. The characterization of the vegetation disturbance over time provides spatial information that is necessary for policy makers, managers, and conservationists to understand the ongoing long-term changes in large PAs.