Dynamic response of vegetation, land surface temperature and carbon storage to changes in land use and land cover in Mysuru City, Karnataka, India

Abstract

Land use and land cover (LULC) changes are associated with notable environmental concerns, such as alterations in land surface temperature, loss of vegetation and the impact on carbon sequestration, especially within urban settings. Urban planners worldwide are investigating these impacts. A study utilizing remote sensing and geographic information system techniques examined changes in land surface temperature (LST), normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and carbon sequestration in Mysuru City from 1992 to 2022. The results showed a 2.39% decrease in vegetation cover and a substantial 36.97% increase in urban areas, leading to elevated LST by an average of 4 °C. Carbon storage has significantly declined to 25 Mg ha⁻¹ in 2022 from 56 Mg ha⁻¹ in 1992. The spatial extent of zero-level carbon storage has steadily diminished over the years. The analysis indicates a negative relationship between LST and carbon storage, with a weak correlation explained by a coefficient of determination (R²) value of 0.063 in 1992 and 0.024 in 2022. Conversely, a positive relationship exists between the NDVI and carbon storage, suggesting that effective strategies such as afforestation, reforestation and urban greening practices can enhance carbon sequestration capacity and mitigate climate change impacts in rapidly growing cities. The results of this study offer valuable insights for city planners and policymakers, aiding in the identification of areas experiencing increased LST and diminishing natural landscapes. Furthermore, the study can serve as a foundation for identifying urban hotspots, cold spots and areas conducive to urban thermal comfort. The results of this study can be enhanced by using a higher spatial resolution satellite dataset, thus providing a prospect for future research.