ABSTRACT
Changes in land use and land cover (LU/LC) are among the most important socioeconomic driving forces of global as well as local environmental change. The urban pattern of Khamis-Mushyet city, Aseer province, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, is an outcome of natural and socioeconomic factors and their utilization by humans in time and space. Land is becoming a scarce resource due to immense economic activities and demographic pressure. Hence, information on LU/LC and possibilities for their optimal use is essential for the selection, planning, and implementation of land use schemes to meet the increasing demands for basic human needs, basically housing. The main objective of this study was to analyze relevant remote sensing data from 1990 and 2014 and identify the locations, types, and trends of the main land cover changes in Khamis-Mushyet during the last 24 years of Khamis-Mushyet city. Therefore, an attempt was made to map the status of LU/LC of Khamis-Mushyet city between 1990, 2002, and 2014 with a view to detect the land transformation and the changes that took place, particularly the built-up land. Land use affects land cover, and changes in land cover affect land use.
From this study it is noticed that there were significant losses in categories of scrublands, and exposed rock and as well as gains in built-up areas. During 1990 to 2014, mainly the scrubland, exposed rock, and scrubland, became built-up areas, especially in the northwest, 12eastern, and south eastern parts of the study site. The city has witnessed faster decrease in scrublands, exposed rock, and bare soil, between 1990 and 2014. Between the period of 2002 to 2014, there has been more spatial expansion of Khamis-Mushyet city occurred than in comparison to the period between 1990 and 2002. There is a possibility of opportunity of economic base of the city center. This may therefore suggest that the city has reduced in producing functions that attracted migration into the area. The general need is to check it, or else there will be a food crisis apart from the change in micro-climate change over Khamis-Mushyet city.
