Land use changes using multi-layer perception and change modeler

Developing countries display strong tendency towards urbanism. Therefore, cities are increasingly threaded by irregular development. An unplanned rapid growth of cities exert devastating impacts upon environment as well as socioeconomic properties, including a reduction of natural spaces, a swarm of vehicles, a reduction of agricultural lands, influences on natural drainage, and a reduction of water quality. All these cases are indications of relationship between human activities and land use changes. Accordingly, an understanding should be gained about land use change and land covers. The present study evaluates land use change and land covers in Hamedan. In order to accomplish this objective, the data were gathered from landsat thematic mapper images of 2002 and 2009. By employing multi-layer perception, the researchers could determine 5 use classes: 1) plant cover, 2) water, 3) type 1 soil, 4) type 2 soil, and 5) urban areas. Next, the classes’ changes of the classified images (2002-2009) were surveyed by using Land Change Modeler (LCM) and land use change figures and maps were prepared. The findings reveal the greatest extensions in cases of type 2 soil and then urban areas. Other classes were primarily limited. Nearly 800 hectares of Hamedan’s agricultural lands and plant covers were destroyed from 2002 to 2009