Spatial-Temporal Changes in Land Use Land Cover and Impacts On Wildlife Conservation in Meru Conservation Area

Abstract

Habitat conversion is a major threat to biodiversity. Recent and current levels of human activities on landscapes appear to be overriding the natural changes to ecosystems brought about by climate variations in the past several thousand years. The impact of anthropogenic activities on wildlife habitat and species vary depending on the spatial and temporal scales considered and the persistence of the activities in the landscape. The study carried out in Meru Conservation Area (MCA) examined land use land cover changes (LULC) that have taken place within and around the Protected Area (PA) between 1985 and 2015 with an emphasis of anthropogenic activities that have altered wildlife habitat and species depending on spatial and temporal scales. The distribution of land use types within and around MCA has produced land use patterns which the study seeks to establish their extent and effects in relation to wildlife conservation. To establish the land use land cover changes (LULC), Landsat satellite images of medium resolution were acquired and interpretation done using ArchGIS as the basic tool for analysis. In this study, four satellite images with a span of 10 years from 1985 to 2015 were acquired for analysis as a post-classification comparison for change detection. The results revealed significant changes in MCA ecosystem over the 30 year study period, accounting for 9.9% and 6.1% increase in grassland and bareland respectively. This could be an indication that agricultural activities are encroaching towards the protected areas in the land that was formerly used as wildlife corridors and dispersal areas. It is also an indication that there is a significant change in the forestland and shrubland which has respectively reduced accounting to 2.3% and 15.7% decline resulting to bareland and grassland. The results of the study provide a threat to the future survival of wildlife in their ecosystems due to decline in ecosystems productivity as well as socioeconomic livelihood of communities living around MCA. This therefore calls for an integrated planning approach towards management of protected areas to meet wildlife and human needs in view of the changing climate regimes.