Land cover transition and fragmentation of River Ogba catchment in Benin City, Nigeria

This study examined variation in the intensity of land cover transition and the pattern of habitat fragmentation of River Ogba catchment. Landsat images of 1988, 2002 and 2016 were classified into five categories: low density urban, high density urban, mixed vegetation, agriculture and dense forest using maximum likelihood classifier. Intensity analysis approach and landscape metrics were used to analyze the changes and fragmentation of the land cover. Number of patches, largest patch Index, area-weighted shape index and Euclidean nearest neighbour were computed. The results show that although mixed vegetation accounted for the largest land cover category in 1988 and 2002, low density urban dominated the study area in 2016. Intensity analysis of land cover change in the study area indicates a rising trend. The urban fringe is observed to be highly dynamic zone and this is primarily driven by changes in agriculture, low density urban and mixed vegetation. The implications of rapid land cover transition and fragmentation in River Ogba catchment, and especially in the urban fringe, include threat to biodiversity, food supply and deteriorating environmental conditions. This study provides necessary insights for developing sustainable strategies for urban landscape planning, administration and governance.