Land cover transformations in northern Algeria from 2001 to 2021: A MODIS-based spatiotemporal analysis

Abstract

Land use/land cover (LULC) changes in northern Algeria from 2001 to 2021 were investigated in this research. The assessment utilized the MODIS MCD12Q1 dataset combined with Geographic Information System (GIS) techniques. Substantial landscape transformations were highlighted by the findings. Forests (+47.52%), shrublands (+17.65%), wetlands (+58.64%), and natural vegetation (+465.72%) experienced notable growth, whereas a drop of −14.13% was documented for barren lands by the end of study period. Moderate overall growth was displayed by agricultural lands, despite various fluctuations throughout the timeline. Concurrently, a continuous expansion (+3.90%) driven by escalating anthropogenic pressure was recorded in urban and built-up areas. Regional landscape evolution is clearly shaped by a combination of factors. Climatic variability, ecological succession, land management practices, and human activities collectively drive these observed dynamics. Partial alignment with previously documented vegetation recovery and urban expansion trends in Algeria was demonstrated by comparative literature reviews. However, the moderate spatial resolution (500 m) of the MODIS MCD12Q1 product likely caused several identified data discrepancies. Ultimately, the immense value of remote sensing and GIS approaches for regional environmental monitoring is proven by this project. Achieving better classification accuracy in heterogeneous Mediterranean environments, however, strictly necessitates the use of higher-resolution datasets.