Author(s): Murat KARABULUT
Deltas are important to both human activities and wildlife because they normally provide very fertile soil as well as a large amount biodiversity. These areas support particularly rich wetlands systems. In this study, historical process of natural and unnatural changes in Göksu Delta lake areas was examined by using satellite data. Speed, direction, locations and future trends of these changes analyzed and made some inferences about trends within TUB?TAK project (110Y295). To achieve the objectives of the study several digital image processing techniques such as unsupervised classifications, NNDWI and NDWI were used. The six-year period between the years of 1984-1990 and 10-year period between the years of 1990-2000-2010 were analyzed to reveal temporal changes in the delta by using Landsat TM and ETM satellite images. According to the results, during the study period of 1984-2011, lake surface areas were represented with significant variations and changes. It can be concluded, Akgöl surface area represented more variation due to the natural and human factors. Aquatic plants significantly fluctuated in the vicinity of large lakes between years. The study also revealed that the NNDW is useful technique in such analyzes beside other water detection indices.
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