Assessment of Decline in Forests of Indus Basin Using Landsat Imagery Data: A Case Study of Larkana, Dadu and Khair-Pur

Abstract

Forests are life line of biodiversity, livestock, rural population, economic, environment and regional climate; nowadays modernization and economical loss; natural disaster has brought change of decline in a natural resource that is an eye opener. Many research studies and scientists focus on working solution and minimization of affect on natural cycle and economy. This scientific study work has been focused on calculation of forests cover and its impacts on living organisms such as animals, plants and environment such as increase in temperature and concentration of carbon dioxide and change in regional climate. Similarly modernization gives the powerful tool to monitor, assess physical impact on minimum cost, time saving and accurate assessment with Remote Sensing technologies. Larkana, Dadu and Khair-Pur Riverine forests are disappearing rapidly due to the construction of dams and barrages on higher flow to make hydroelectricity and utilization of irrigation installations which get smaller the release of fresh water into the downstream of Indus basin. In addition, anthropogenic behavior, illegal tree cutting, land used for agriculture purpose; with the results The Riverine forests have been turning into barren land and most of the land used for agriculture. These changes are not easy to monitor and control without using RS technology; the result finds temporal changes in the forests cover from April, 1979 to April, 2009, last 30 years period assesses deforestation in sub-tropical forests cover is 6.12%.