Optical depth changes of dust in connection with land use changes in Central Zagros

The aim of this study was to reveal the relationship between land cover changes and changes in aerosol optical depth index in the Middle Zagros. In this regard, two categories of MODIS sensor remote sensing products were used. First, land cover changes in the study area were performed using MODIS sensor land use classification derivative product. In the second part of the research, the trends of dust events were investigated based on the station data of the dust codes of 4 stations of Khorramabad, Shahrekord, Yasuj and Abadeh. In addition, the trend of Aerosol Optical Depth Index (AOD) was examined using MOD04-L2 Madis sensor product for the statistical period 2000 to 2020. The results showed that there were 6 layers of rangeland, forest, agricultural, urban, residential, barren and water areas in the Central Zagros, in which the forest floor has decreased by about 123 square kilometers per year. Rangeland cover, which is the main cover of the study area, has remained relatively stable, and agricultural land uses have increased significantly, from 7% in 2000 to 9.5% in 2020. Urban and residential lands had also increased. On the other hand, a review of the 21-year time series trend of the AOD index indicates an upward trend over the last 21 years. Among the land use classes, the two categories of pastures and forests, which in fact occupy more than 90% of the study area, have shown an inverse relationship with the AOD index. But the class of agricultural lands was directly related to the AOD index. Therefore, the decreasing trend of forest floor in the region has been significantly associated with the increasing trend of AOD in the region and on the other hand, the increasing trend of agricultural land has been associated with the increase of AOD in the region.