Spatiotemporal analysis of land use change in the Eastern Slopes of the Jerusalem Area

Abstract Urban expansion is one of the main drivers of land use changes in the Central Palestinian Mountains. It influences the basic environmental components, including water, soil, and specifically vegetation cover. In the present study, the study area has experienced noticeable land use changes over the past three decades, resulting in many adverse impacts on the environment. This study aims to examine land use changes and identify the main drivers and consequences of these changes on vegetation cover during the period 1997 and 2022. Spatiotemporal analysis is used to quantify land use changes using the GIS tool and fieldwork methods to study vegetation cover. Findings have revealed significant changes in the land use over the study period. The total area of rangeland and grassland has decreased 12.2%, while the total area of urban fabric has increased 7% due to Israeli activities and 5.2% due to the expansion of Palestinian built-up areas, at the expense of rangeland and grassland. Additionally, the environmental impact on vegetation cover has been evidenced by an increase in the number and density of unpalatable and invasive plants, in contrast to the degradation in the number, density, and diversity of palatable plants. Consequently, the conversion of land use reduces the area of land available for livestock grazing. The natural landscape has become highly converted to an urban landscape pattern as a result of the rapid increase in urban areas. In response to these results, more efforts must be imposed to enforce strict land use control and management to slow down environmental degradation.