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Centennial-Scale Land-Cover Change on Babeldaob Island, Palau

Author

Listed:
  • Julian Dendy

    (Coral Reef Research Foundation, P.O. Box 1765, Koror 96940, Palau)

  • Paul Collins

    (University of South Wales, Pontypridd CF37 1DL, Wales, UK)

  • Dino Mesubed

    (Palau Forestry, Bureau of Agriculture, Ngerelmud 96940, Palau)

  • Susan Cordell

    (USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station, Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry, Hilo, HI 96720, USA)

  • Christian P. Giardina

    (USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station, Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry, Hilo, HI 96720, USA)

  • Amanda Uowolo

    (USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station, Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry, Hilo, HI 96720, USA)

  • Akiko Iida

    (Department of Urban Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan)

Abstract

We used publicly available land-cover datasets (1921, 1947, 1976, 1992, 2001, 2006, 2014) to assess land-cover change on Babeldaob Island, Republic of Palau. Land-cover data were organized, classified, and summarized by area and percentage of island cover for forest, mangrove, non-forest vegetation, and non-vegetation. Japanese colonial administration of the island between 1921 and 1947 included industrial mining and agriculture, which reduced total non-mangrove forest cover by 16%. Temporal vegetation cover dynamics from 1947 through 2014 indicate unassisted forest regeneration of 12% with a concomitant decrease in non-forest vegetation including abandoned agriculture, the majority of which happened by 1976. Mangrove cover appears to have remained stable throughout the 93 year study period. Ground-truth observations showed the highest rates of vegetation cover change since 1976 for non-vegetated areas, followed by marsh and swamp forest. The proportion of non-vegetated cover increased at least twofold after WWII, with at least half comprising roads. Contrary to other tropical geographies, we saw forest expansion following completion of a major perimeter road. However, the larger landscape is permeated by dynamic forest edges subject to wildfire and other land-use disturbances.

Suggested Citation

  • Julian Dendy & Paul Collins & Dino Mesubed & Susan Cordell & Christian P. Giardina & Amanda Uowolo & Akiko Iida, 2022. "Centennial-Scale Land-Cover Change on Babeldaob Island, Palau," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(6), pages 1-21, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jlands:v:11:y:2022:i:6:p:830-:d:829827
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Xiao-Peng Song & Matthew C. Hansen & Stephen V. Stehman & Peter V. Potapov & Alexandra Tyukavina & Eric F. Vermote & John R. Townshend, 2018. "Global land change from 1982 to 2016," Nature, Nature, vol. 560(7720), pages 639-643, August.
    2. Xiao-Peng Song & Matthew C. Hansen & Stephen V. Stehman & Peter V. Potapov & Alexandra Tyukavina & Eric F. Vermote & John R. Townshend, 2018. "Author Correction: Global land change from 1982 to 2016," Nature, Nature, vol. 563(7732), pages 26-26, November.
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