Theses and Dissertation

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Browsing Theses and Dissertation by Author "Majula, Atugonza"

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    Impacts Of Land Use And Land Cover Change On Urban Heat Islands: A Case Study Of Babati Municipality - Tanzania
    (NM-AIST, 2025-06) Majula, Atugonza
    To improve living conditions, human development alters natural landscapes, impacting Land Surface Temperature (LST) and contributing to global climate change. Investigating how Land Use Land Cover (LULC) changes influence the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect is crucial as cities expand and LULC transformations intensify.With urban populations projected to double by 2050, cities are expected to contribute to global warming, trap pollutants, and consume vast energy for cooling. This study assessed LULC changes in Babati from 2002 to 2022 and analyzed their impact on LST using remote sensing techniques. The LULC classification was performed using a maximum likelihood algorithm, while LST retrieval applied computational formulas based on Red (R), Near Infrared (NIR), and Thermal Infrared (TIR) bands. Results showed a rise in built-up areas from 1.2% to 3.8% over 20 years, leading to suburbanization at the expense of farmland and bare land. The conversion of natural areas into urban and agricultural land increased average LST by 0.7°C, with some agricultural hotspots reaching up to 20°C higher than vegetated areas due to exposed dark loam soils during the dry season. While vegetation and water bodies played a crucial role in cooling, agricultural lands emerged as significant contributors to UHI. Given the positive correlation between agricultural lands and UHI, there is a need to adopt sustainable farming practices and improve urban planning strategies. These insights can guide the sustainable development of Babati Municipality and other rapidly growing towns with similar environmental settings.