Assessment of urbanization, vegetation degradation and groundwater storage
Student name: Mr Abdulhakim Ahmed
Guide: Dr P K Joshi
Year of completion: 2015
Host Organisation: TERI University
Abstract: Urbanization is a complicated phenomenon involving increasing populations, escalated
socioeconomic activity and spatially expanded built up area and infrastructures. This result in
wide spread vegetation degradation and groundwater depletion. However the connection
between urbanization, vegetation degradation and groundwater depletion is complex and
nonlinear which needs time series observation. Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI),
DMSP OLS NTL, GRACE and GLDAS are used to delineate the spatiotemporal relation using
ordinary least square (OLS) regression method. The results clear Indicates that noticeable
spatiotemporal differences. On spatial relations, highly urbanized cities were found to have a
high probability of vegetation degradation and no clear indication of groundwater loss, but in
reality, not all of them experience sharp vegetation degradation. On temporal characteristics,
the degree of degradation was found to vary during different periods, which may depend on
different stages of urbanization and climate history. The results indicates that under the situation
of a vegetation restoration effort combined with increasing demand for a high-quality urban
environment, the urbanization process will not necessarily result in vegetation degradation on a
large scale. The positive effects of urban vegetation restoration should be emphasized since there
has been an increase in demand for improved urban environmental quality. It is worthwhile to
pay attention to landscape sustainability and reduce the negative urbanization effects by urban
landscape planning.
Keywords: Urbanization, Vegetation degradation, Groundwater, NDVI, DMSP OLS NTL,
GRACE and GLDAS, OLS.
