The environmental impacts of population change in South Africa : the use of shuttle photography to monitor land cover in Gazankulu / by Lynda G. White.
| Author/creator | White, Lynda G. author. |
| Other author | Bascom, Johnathan, degree supervisor. |
| Other author | Colby, Jeffrey, degree supervisor. |
| Other author | East Carolina University. Department of Geography. |
| Format | Theses and dissertations |
| Production | 2000. |
| Description | 80 leaves : illustrations (some color), color maps ; 29 cm |
| Supplemental Content | Access via ScholarShip |
| Subjects |
| Summary | The purpose of this thesis is to examine the applicability of using Space Shuttle Earth Observation Photography to assess human impact on the environment. The research focuses on one of the former South African homeland, Gazankulu, and attempts to quantify changes on the social and physical landscape resulting from population increase. The analysis assesses three important types of changes: 1) changes in the percent of land use for settlement and non-settlement areas; 2) changes in patterns of settlement as villages and towns developed via the implementation of local government policies; and 3) changes in the amount and distribution of vegetative cover as a result of individual settlement expansion and activity intensity. Preliminary data from three analogue shuttle photographs shows dramatic change in surface cover between 1983 and 1997. STS008-38-2330, taken over Gazankulu in August 1983, shows no evidence of individual settlement development within the homeland. However, by 1995, a pattern of so-called rural "ghetto" development is evident, manifest as prominent, roughly circular patches of higher albedo. The photographs also provide information on the stages of settlement development, in that some areas appear significantly enlarged, indicating major infrastructure development and substantial areas of activity intensity due to central place functions. The most recent photograph, taken in 1997, shows further rapid extension of these settlements, with continued growth in infrastructure development as well as in individual settlement size. Digitization of the photographs, along with color and contrast enhancement, allowed quantification of the settlement and infrastructure development. |
| General note | Submitted to the faculty of the Department of Geography. |
| General note | Advisor: Johnathan Bascom |
| General note | Advisor: Jeffrey Colby |
| Dissertation note | M.A. East Carolina University 2000 |
| Bibliography note | Includes bibliographical references (leaves 77-80). |
| Genre/form | Academic theses. |
| Genre/form | Academic theses. |
| Genre/form | Thèses et écrits académiques. |