Soil artificialization assessment by using time series remote sensing data (case El Jadida)

Abstract

Urban and peri-urban development is one of the most underestimated causes of soil destruction. Therefore, the general aim of this study was to evaluate urban sprawl in the great EL Jadida. The methodology adopted is based on a diachronic study of multispectral satellite images (TM, ETM, and OLI) using two classification methods (maximum likelihood and spectral indices). This methodology allowed the reconstruction of trajectories of changes in land occupation and land use, highlighting the artificialisation of the territory and the privileged extension zones of urban and peri-urban sprawl between 1985 and 2019. This study reveals that the artificialization of the great El Jadida from 1986 to 2019 confirms solid urban growth. The area of land invaded by urbanization was approximately 5899 ha. Thus, the evolution of urban space from 1985 to 2019 revealed an average progression of approximately 174 ha per year. There is also a substantial regression of agricultural land around 6976 ha.