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Agricultural Land Abandonment in Bulgaria: A Long-Term Remote Sensing Perspective, 1950–1980

Author

Listed:
  • Mustafa Erdem Kabadayı

    (Department of History, Koç University, Istanbul 34450, Turkey
    School of Geographical and Earth Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK)

  • Paria Ettehadi Osgouei

    (Department of History, Koç University, Istanbul 34450, Turkey
    Institute of Informatics, Department of Communication Systems, Istanbul Technical University, Istanbul 34469, Turkey)

  • Elif Sertel

    (Department of History, Koç University, Istanbul 34450, Turkey
    Faculty of Civil Engineering, Geomatics Engineering Department, Istanbul Technical University, Istanbul 34469, Turkey)

Abstract

Agricultural land abandonment is a globally significant threat to the sustenance of economic, ecological, and social balance. Although the driving forces behind it can be multifold and versatile, rural depopulation and urbanization are significant contributors to agricultural land abandonment. In our chosen case study, focusing on two locations, Ruen and Stamboliyski, within the Plovdiv region of Bulgaria, we use aerial photographs and satellite imagery dating from the 1950s until 1980, in connection with official population census data, to assess the magnitude of agricultural abandonment for the first time from a remote sensing perspective. We use multi-modal data obtained from historical aerial and satellite images to accurately identify Land Use Land Cover changes. We suggest using the rubber sheeting method for the geometric correction of multi-modal data obtained from aerial photos and Key Hole missions. Our approach helps with precise sub-pixel alignment of related datasets. We implemented an iterative object-based classification approach to accurately map LULC distribution and quantify spatio-temporal changes from historical panchromatic images, which could be applied to similar images of different geographical regions.

Suggested Citation

  • Mustafa Erdem Kabadayı & Paria Ettehadi Osgouei & Elif Sertel, 2022. "Agricultural Land Abandonment in Bulgaria: A Long-Term Remote Sensing Perspective, 1950–1980," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-24, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jlands:v:11:y:2022:i:10:p:1855-:d:948287
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. V. T. Mihaylov, 2021. "Ethnic and Regional Aspects of the Demographic Crisis in Bulgaria," Regional Research of Russia, Springer, vol. 11(2), pages 254-262, April.
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    3. Mark A. Drummond & Michael P. Stier & James (Jay) E. Diffendorfer, 2019. "Historical land use and land cover for assessing the northern Colorado Front Range urban landscape," Journal of Maps, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 15(2), pages 89-93, July.
    4. Tsvetelina Marinova & Nikolay Nenovsky, 2019. "Cooperative Agricultural Farms in Bulgaria during Communism (1944-1989): an Institutional Reconstruction," Romanian Economic Journal, Department of International Business and Economics from the Academy of Economic Studies Bucharest, vol. 22(74), pages 40-73, December.
    5. Bruno, Daniel & Sorando, Ricardo & Álvarez-Farizo, Begoña & Castellano, Clara & Céspedes, Vanessa & Gallardo, Belinda & Jiménez, Juan J. & López, M. Victoria & López-Flores, Rocío & Moret-Fernández, D, 2021. "Depopulation impacts on ecosystem services in Mediterranean rural areas," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 52(C).
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