Relationship between vegetation cover and land surface temperature in Basra, Iraq

This study aims to assess the changes in vegetation cover and its relationship with land surface temperature from 1990 to 2024 in Basra Governorate, southern Iraq. Satellite images from Landsat 5 and 8, in addition to remote sensing and GIS tools, were used to analyze the changes in vegetation cover and their effects on land surface temperature (LST). Non-supervisory classification based on normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) threshold values was used to classify vegetation cover into four classes. The results showed a significant decrease in dense vegetation cover from 4.8% in 1990 to 1.0% in 2024. It was also noted that non-vegetation areas increased, rising from 67.4% in 1990 to 79.3% in 2024. In winter, dense vegetation decreased from 4.5% in 1990 to 0.8% ​​in 2024, and non-vegetation areas increased from 67.5% to 79.7%. In addition, the coefficient of determination decreased from 0.11 in 1990 to 0.06 in 2024, indicating a decline in the effect of vegetation cover on the surface temperature of the earth due to rapid urban expansion, which contributes to climate change. The study emphasizes the need to develop strategies to preserve the environment and reduce the effects of desertification and climate change in Basra.