Links between Land Use Change, Land Surface Temperature and Partridge Distribution – An Analysis of Environmental Factors

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to investigate the intricate connections among land use change, land surface temperature, and the distribution of partridges (Alectoris barbara), employing a comprehensive analysis of various environmental factors. Indeed, a variety of geospatial techniques have been used to analyze the spatio-temporal trends in temperature as a function of different classes of vegetation cover, and the geographic distribution of ecological niches for this species in Meknes province was modeled using Maxent 3.2 (Maximum Entropy) software. The study spanned a 22-year timeframe, from 2000 to 2021, during which alterations in each land use category were identified through the utilization of various sensors, incorporating Landsat 7 ETM+ and Landsat 8 OLI/ TIRS in the analysis. The results induced a significant change in the land surface temperature (LST) with a range of 15. 85-36.20°C, 12.76-38.24°C and 25.73-47.79°C for the years 2000, 2010 and 2020, respectively. However, this change was negatively correlated with the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI). This decline in vegetation, in turn, manifests as a significant factor contributing to the diminution of partridge distribution. By empirically establishing these connections, the research not only underscores the impact of temperature-induced vegetation changes on partridge habitat but also enhances comprehension of the intricate ecological dynamics governing species distribution in the context of evolving land use patterns.