Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries 2015; 4(1): 18-23 Published online January 30, 2015 (http://www.sciencepublishinggroup.com/j/aff) doi: 10.11648/j.aff.20150401.14 ISSN: 2328-563X (Print); ISSN:2328-5648 (Online) Multitemporal land use changes in a region of Pindus mountain, central Greece Apostolos Ainalis 1, Ioannis Meliadis 2, Konstantinos Tsiouvaras 3, Katerina Ainali 4, Dimitrios Platis 5, Panagiotis Platis 6 1Directorate of Coordination and Inspection of Forests, Decentralised Administration Macedonia-Thrace, 46th Agriculture School St, Thessaloniki 2 Lab. of Remote sensing and GIS, Forest Research Institute, N.AG.RE.F., Vassilika, Thessaloniki 3Laboratory of Range Management (236), Dept. of Forest and Natural Environment, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki 4Lab. of Geoinformatics, Rural and Surveying Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, Zografou Campus, Iroon Polytechniou 9, Athens 5Lab. of Ecology, Dept. of Agriculture, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki 6Lab. of Range science, Forest Research Institute, N.AG.RE.F., Vassilika, Thessaloniki Email address: [email protected] (A. Ainalis), [email protected] (I. Meliadis), [email protected] (K. Tsiouvaras), [email protected] (K. Ainali), [email protected] (D. Platis), [email protected] (P. Platis) To cite this article: Apostolos Ainalis, Ioannis Meliadis, Konstantinos Tsiouvaras, Katerina Ainali, Dimitrios Platis, Panagiotis Platis. Multitemporal Land Use Changes in a Region of Pindus Mountain, Central Greece. Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. Vol. 4, No. 1, 2015, pp. 18-23. doi: 10.11648/j.aff.20150401.14 Abstract: Natural ecosystems are renewable resources with special environmental, social and economical attributes and characteristics. The increasing need of the human beings for a better environment leads to the use of new technologies that offer many advantages in detecting changes in the ecosystems. In this study the integration of remote sensing tools and technology and the spatial orientation analysis of Geographical Information Systems (G.I.S.) combined with in situ observations were used in determining any changes in land cover categories along an 18 year period. The study area of 9,287 ha extends to Pindus mountain, in the municipality of Plastira, central Greece. The results have shown that the current technologies can be used for the modelling of environmental parameters improving our knowledge on its attributes, characteristics, situation, trends and changes of natural ecosystems. The multitemporal changes that were observed are mostly due to vegetation evolution and less to socioeconomic reasons. The basic management strategy for the specific area should combine forest, pasture and livestock in such a way that each component produces usable products, while in the same time preserves sustainability. Keywords: G.I.S., Image Processing, Multitemporal Analysis, Range Management, Land Use, Livestock Fluctuation the vegetation classes and the land use at the reference time. 1. Introduction Moreover, an important element in the temporal classification The internal observation of vegetation changes requires a of vegetation is the livestock fluctuation. The reduction or series of parameters which can be met not only with terrestrial increase of grazing animal number differentiates succession of methods of the landscape observation, but also with the use of vegetation, bringing about positive or negative results remote sensing and digital image processing. All these, offer (Noitsakis et al. 1992, Milchunas 2006). the possibility of developing and applying methods and A wide range of remote sensing and G.I.S. applications in techniques for studying environmental problems and geotechnical sciences refers to multitemporal studies phenomena of monitoring changes in vegetation cover classes, (Richards 1993, Lillesand and Kiefer 1994). Examples of specifically in areas with significant importance to nature applications in environmental studies refer to land cover conservation. The changes in these characteristics can be changes (Chavez and MacKinnon 1994, Mas 1999, recorded over time in order to understand the multitemporal Houvardas et al. 2001, Ainalis et al. 2006, Ainalis et al. 2007, dynamics. To perceive this objective, we must first identify Platis et al. 2009), forest fires and deforestation (Kuntz and Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries 2015; 4(1): 18-23 19 Karteris 1993), coastal changes in the prefecture of Magnesia, several times snowy winters and hot, dry summers Greece (Perakis et al. 1997), habitat changes of protected (Mavrommatis 1980). areas (Meliadis et al. 2004, Platis et al. 2004) and rangelands Information concerning the annual rainfall for the period inventory (Platis et al. 2001). Various evaluation methods 1989 – 2007 were taken from the nearest meteorological have been proposed by researchers on the assessment of land station of Kalambaka region situated at an altitude of 450 cover changes (Sunar 1998, Mas 1999, Wrbka et al. 1999). meters (60 km NW of the municipality of Plastira) (H.N.M.S. The purpose of this study was the recording of 2013). The region belongs to the Mediterranean mountain multitemporal land use changes, especially vegetation ecological zone (Quercetalia pubescentis ) (Dafis 1973). changes, in the area of the municipality of Plastira and specifically in Pindus mountain, central Greece, using satellite images and in situ observations. 2. Materials and Methods The study was conducted in an area of Pindus mountain, located in the municipality of Plastira, central Greece (Fig. 1). It extends from 200 m to 1,200 m above sea level and its largest part is covered with grasslands, shrublands and broadleaf forests. The survey has covered an area of 9,287 ha in the west – southwestern part of Karditsa prefecture, located at the north side of Lake Plastiras. Part of the study area is designated as a Special Protection Area (SPA). The prevailing parent rocks in the study area are colluvium shale located around the lake. These are deposits of the Tertiary period in the lowland areas and flysch in the other regions (Barntovas and Rantogianni - Tsiampaou 1983). The soil is sandy-clay and clay with moderate organic matter (Nakos 1977). The climate is continental with cold, rainy and Figure 1. General map of the study area in Pindus mountain, central Greece. Figure 2. Annual rainfall in the period 1989 – 2007 from the meteorological station of Kalambaka in central Greece. The data sources used are from satellite images that were recording was at an average scale (1:50,000) detailing the taken at three different times, during an 18 year period: in corresponding pixel size of the satellite images used 1989, 2000 and 2007. The images of 1989 were obtained from (30x30m). the satellite LANDSAT 5 TM (Thematic Mapper) with code The methodology was distinguished in four separate stages: 184 – 033 and date July16, 1989, while the images of 2000 a) the preliminary processing of satellite data (corrections, were obtained from the newest satellite LANDSAT 7 ETM+ georeference, etc), b) the classification of satellite data, c) the (Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus) with code 184 - 032 and detection of temporal changes and d) the use of a Geographic date May 02, 2000. Finally, images of 2007 were obtained Information System (G.I.S.), namely ArcGis 9.3 for the from the satellite LANDSAT 7 ETM with code 184 - 033 and processing of the maps. In the final stage of the investigation, date June 24, 2007 (Fig. 3). the thematic maps generated by the second stage combined The following vector and point data such as: roads, with the results of temporal changes in a common geographic hydrographical network, contour lines, boundaries settlement, database. and local names were used as auxiliary elements. The 20 Apostolos Ainalis et al. : Multitemporal Land Use Changes Landsat imageries were subjected to a classification of zones. Supervised classification was utilized to classify the images to different land use categories. The classification of the 1989 image was collated with the images of 2000 and 2007 and then the classification - application of the majority filter was followed (Meliadis et al. 2009). Finally, the maps of the three years (1989, 2000 and 2007) were compared, using as reference year the 2007. Ground-based observations were taken in situ during 2007. Livestock numbers, animal species, grazing period, grazing system, shed position, site quality and range condition were recorded and then marked on maps. Range condition was classified following the criteria on table (1) (Papanastasis 1989). The sheep and goats were the main livestock species grazing in the study area. A few cattle were also grazing in this area, but cattle farming were mostly limited. Grazing was Figure 3. Satellite image processing for the year 2007 showing vegetation performed for seven months per year, following a traditional changes in the study area of Pindus mountain, central Greece (a: continuous grazing system. The average stocking rate in the rangelands, b: agricultural lands, c: lake surface, d: forests, e:urban areas , f: study area was estimated as the number of small ruminants per flooded lands). ha. One cattle was assumed equal to five small ruminants The images were geometrically rectified and registered to (Holechek et al. 1989). Grazing capacity was evaluated taking the same projection namely GGRS87 (Greek Grid Reference into account the dry matter production of the rangelands, the System) to lay them over each