Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
FRESENIUS ENVIRONMENTAL BULLETIN, cilt.21, sa.11, ss.3243-3248, 2012 (SCI-Expanded)
Remotely sensed data have been widely used to record any land cover/use change. In this study, the spatial distribution of land cover/use, and its corresponding temporal changes that have occurred in the megacity of Istanbul were analyzed by utilizing Landsat 5 TM images belonging to years 1987 and 2007. The land-use/cover distribution is realized through the application of V-I-S model that is based on 3 landform classes: Vegetation (forest, green areas, parks, etc.), Impervious land (settlements and transportation), and Soil (V-I-S model). The analyses of especially urbanized areas of the megacity were conducted using the VI-S component model for both of the examined years. Besides, the urbanized area boundary obtained for 2007 was overlaid on the classified image of 1987 to recalculate V-IS components and to represent the changes that have occurred during the years. The past and present land-use status of the suburban residential area, Sultanbeyli, representing one of the areas under severe threat of illegal and rapid population increase since 1987, and the highly urbanized district of Kadikoy representing a district with high population density, were thoroughly investigated by utilizing the V-I-S model. The findings point out the drastic land-use changes in the suburban district, and a highly stable situation in the old residential urban district of the megacity. It is expected that such results are achieved in quite shorter periods of time by application of simple models with fewer components providing valuable information to decision and policy makers who are responsible for the sustainable management of administrative areas.