Spatial modelling for natural and environmental vulnerability through remote sensing and GIS in Astrakhan, Russia

This research work presents vulnerability mapping with land use/cover change detection in Astrakhan city Russia. This study identifies, assess and classify vulnerability using landscape pattern from multidisciplinary approach based on remote sensing (RS) and geographical information system (GIS) approach. To identify vulnerability we used following thematic layers: land use/cover, vegetation, soil, geology and geomorphology in ArcGIS software. According to numerical results vulnerability classified into five levels: low, reasonable, moderate, high and extreme vulnerability by mean of cluster principal. The results indicated a large presence of area with moderate vulnerability (54.62%). All potentially polluted lands showed more than half of their areas as moderate (54.62%) and reasonable vulnerability (33.56%) regions. In the study area encroachment, population growth, industrialization and governmental polices for environmental protection were found to be the major factors that caused the main changes. This study is helpful for decision making for eco-environmental recovering and rebuilding as well as predicting the future development.