Land use and land cover changes on a tropical lake basin : the socioeconomic drivers and cascading impacts on hydrology and ecological system : powerpoint

Abstract

Lake Naivasha experiences frequent lake level fluctuations despite being on the decline in the last three decades. The main possible cause has been postulated to be increased abstraction around the lake. However, land use land cover changes (LULC) in the basin may be impacting on the level fluctuations and decline. The LULC interfere with runoff, evapotranspiration, and infiltration conditions of a catchment. The frequent lake levels fluctuations resulting from LULC impact significantly on riparian vegetation productivity and species composition. In addition, it has impact on the aquatic ecosystem water quality especially in terms of turbidity. Lake Naivasha basin has experienced significant LULC transformations predominantly caused by socio-economic drivers. Implications of past, present and future patterns of socio-economic drivers of LULC is vital to the understanding of social, ecological and limnological functioning of the basin. These factors are proposed to impact on the entire hydrological regime of the lake. In this study we present first results of the Earth Observation Integrated Assessment (EOIA) project for the governance of Lake Naivasha basin using Interdisciplinary approach that applies GIS and RS towards the understanding of the dynamics of Lake Naivasha ecosystem