Urban Influence on Landscape Transformation and Land Cover Interactions During Urban Expansion (1972–2022): A Remote Sensing and GIS-Based Analysis

Abstract This study investigates how urban expansion influences land cover dynamics. An interactive analytical approach was adopted to examine the transitions among built-up areas, cropland, and bare land throughout the urbanization process. Remote Sensing and GIS techniques, in conjunction with the Land Transfer Matrix (LTM), Landscape Metrics (LM), Multi-buffer Ring (MBR) and complementary spatial tools, were employed to analyze the city of Tiaret in Algeria over the past half century (1972-2022). The results reveal a marked intensification of urbanization, with an Overall Average Annual Urban Expansion Rate (OA-AUER) of 28.3 ha and a concurrent rise in bare land driven by cropland conversion under urban pressure. Notably, 89.4 % of cropland loss initially transitions into bare land, while subsequent urban development originates from cropland (52 %) and bare land (47 %). The observed density patterns in peripheral areas confirm the significant influence of the urban core on surrounding land-cover transformations. These findings elucidate the urbanization process while considering the transitional role of bare land and further explain diffusion coalescence process. Further empirical research is recommended to refine theoretical frameworks on landscape transformation dynamics and to inform policies aimed at mitigating bare-land expansion in peri-urban areas, controlling cropland urbanization, and planning sustainable urban growth.