Assessment of Land Use Land Cover Change Impacts on Land Surface Temperature Using Geospatial Techniques: a Case of Bekoji Town, Oromia Region, Ethiopia.

Abstract

Rapid Urbanization And Land Use And Land Cover (Lulc) Changes Have Emerged As Critical? Environmental Challenges, Particularly In Rapidly Growing Urban Centers Such As Bekoji Town? In The Oromia Region Of Ethiopia. This Study Investigates The Impact Of Lulc Dynamics On? Land Surface Temperature (Lst) Over A 30-Year Period, Utilizing Multi-Temporal Landsat Satellite Imagery From 1994, 2004, 2014, And 2024. A Supervised Classification Technique Employing The Maximum Likelihood Algorithm (Mla) Was Used To Categorize Lulc Into Five Classes: Built-Up Areas, Agricultural Land, Vegetation, Grassland, And Bare Land. Lst Was Extracted Using The Split-Window Algorithm, And Normalized Indices Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (Ndvi) And Normalized Difference Built-Up Index (Ndbi)Were Calculated To Assess The Relationship Between Surface Temperature And Land Cover Types.The Findings Reveal A Significant Transformation Of Land Use, With Built-Up Areas Expanding From 9.4% In 1994 To 22.5% In 2024 And Vegeatation Land Decreased From 36.4% To 18.8%. These Changes Were Accompanied By A Marked Increase In Lst, With Minimum Surface Temperatures Rising By 2.84??C And Maximum Temperatures By 2.97??C. Statistical Analyses Demonstrated A Strong Negative Correlation Between Ndvi And Lst, Indicating The Cooling Effect Of Vegetation, And A Positive Correlation Between Ndbi And Lst, Reflecting The Contribution Of Impervious Surfaces To Heat Accumulation. This Study Underscores The Environmental Implications Of Unplanned Urban Expansion Highlights The Need For Sustainable Land Use Policies. The Integration Of Geospatial Techniques For Analyzing Urban Heat Dynamics And Provides Valuable Insights For Urban Planners, Environmental Managers, And Policymakers Aiming To Enhance Climate Resilience And Sustainable Development. As A Whole, Geospatial Analysis Clearly Indicates That Changes In Land Cover Significantly Influence Lst In Bekoji Town. Built-Up Areas Consistently Recorded Higher Temperatures, While Vegetated Areas Showed Cooler Surface Conditions. This Relationship Underscores The Importance Of Sustainable Urban Planning And The Integration Of Green Infrastructure To Mitigate Adverse Thermal And Environmental Effects. The Study Advocates For Reforestation, Green Buffer Zones, And Policy Interventions To Balance Urban Growth With Environmental Health.