Monitoring changes in vegetation cover and its relationship with surface temperature and land use in Khodaafrin and Kalibar cities using Remote sensing technology

Investigating changes in vegetation density and land use is one of the most important aspects of natural resource management and reviewing environmental changes. In this research, using remote sensing technique, the monitoring of changes in vegetation cover and its relationship with surface temperature and land use in Khoda Afarin and Kalibar cities were investigated using remote sensing technology during a period of 22 years (2000-2022). To perform statistical and visual analysis on satellite images, Envi 5.6 and Arc GIS 10.8 software were used. NDVI index was used to investigate changes in vegetation area and quality. Also, in order to investigate qualitative changes in vegetation, the numerical values of this index were classified into three classes: dense, semi-dense, weak or no vegetation, and the temperature changes of the earth's surface during the study period using It was calculated from Landsat satellite images and then the land use maps were extracted based on the supervised classification method and through the maximum similarity algorithm. Based on the analysis, it was determined that in the studied period, 58,196 hectares, about 15.6% of dense vegetation density, and 38,415 hectares, about 10.2% of semi-dense vegetation density, have been lost. In fact, 96,611 hectares, about 25.8% of the density of dense and semi-dense vegetation, have been converted to other uses in 22 years. The study of land use in the region showed that the changes in vegetation density are mostly related to the use of agricultural and garden lands and pastures, and during the study period, the most destruction is related to dense vegetation density. Finally, investigating the relationship between vegetation cover and land surface temperature (LST) showed that the vegetation cover index (NDVI) has a negative and inverse correlation with the land surface temperature and in most areas that have denser vegetation cover; shows a lower temperature. The results of the research show that the most important factor in the changes in vegetation density in the region is human activities such as agriculture, construction and road construction, which have caused many changes in the land surface, the analysis of the area of these land uses shows He said that the level of agricultural lands and pastures has increased significantly, which is mainly the result of the conversion of dense vegetation, especially forests, to agriculture. The results of this research can be used by the organizations of agricultural jihad, natural resources and the Ministry of Interior.