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AUTHOR(S): Titilope Onaolapo, Abel Ramoelo, Philemon Tsele, Emma Acher, Mcebisi Qabaqaba, Owen Manyanye
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ABSTRACT The benefits of well-conserved biodiversity are directly related to the management practices a particular land is subject to. South Africa ranks high among nations with the most significant biodiversity, and the Waterberg district is one of the critical areas of biodiversity in the country. Mountain areas are usually rich in biodiversity and sustain the livelihood of 12% of people on Earth. The change in land use, land cover (LULC), and natural resources are reasons for degradation, habitat loss, and extinction of species, and Waterberg biospheres are affected by these activities. Land use activities in Waterberg, such as intense cultivation, producing livestock for commercial purposes, plantations, urbanization, and mining, are some of the primary factors influencing the alteration of LULC. This study assesses the change in land use and land cover over three decades (1990 – 2022) in Waterberg district, Limpopo Province, South Africa. It identifies the interaction between land use, land cover changes, and climate variability, which causes habitat loss for species. The study uses the South African National Land Cover Data Set from Landsat 5 and Sentinel-2 images. The land cover map, which was 72 classes, was reclassified into 11 classes based on the study's objectives. Eight classes were focused on biodiversity: natural woodland, thicket/dense bush, planted forest, shrublands, grasslands, waterbodies, wetlands, and agricultural land (cultivated land). These land classes underwent different transformations. The most significant changes from 1990 to 2022 were with the losses of grassland and thicket/dense bush, which reduced from 21.39% to 3.65% and 10.87% to 0.03%, and consistent increase in natural woodland from 45.96% to67.89% and planted forest from 0.07% to 4.62%. Agricultural land use reduced slightly in the first period but grew, with the usual increase in agricultural-based districts. The study illustrated using a remote sensing approach to measure changes in biodiversity and probably reverse habitat loss in the Waterberg mountainous region. |
KEYWORDS biodiversity, LULCC, climate change, habitat, remote sensing, Waterberg district |
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Cite this paper Titilope Onaolapo, Abel Ramoelo, Philemon Tsele, Emma Acher, Mcebisi Qabaqaba, Owen Manyanye. (2025) Evaluating the Implications of Land Use Land Cover Change and Climate Variability on the Waterberg District’s Biodiversity. International Journal of Environmental Science, 10, 73-95 |
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