Institutional Repository
Technical University of Crete
Technical University of Crete
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| URI: | http://purl.tuc.gr/dl/dias/5306881B-8DDD-4FD4-BF47-78D38F108077 | ||
| Year | 2025 | ||
| Type of Item | Diploma Work | ||
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| Bibliographic Citation | Fotios Lempesis, "Mapping spatio-temporal variations of ecological quality on the island of Crete and Its correlation with environmental factors", Diploma Work, School of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Crete, Chania, Greece, 2025 https://doi.org/10.26233/heallink.tuc.102885 | ||
| Appears in Collections |
This thesis concerns the mapping and assessment of the ecological quality of the island of Crete using a combination of the two techniques of telescoping and geospatial analysis. The main purpose of our study is to highlight both spatial and temporal variations in ecological quality and to analyse the relationships between the Remote Sensing Ecological Quality Index (RSEI) and environmental parameters such as altitude, slope, land use and road network. The analysis was based on satellite data, which were processed and analyzed using geographic information system (GIS) software such as QGIS and ArcGIS. The key indices used for the study include NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index), WET (Wetness Index), LST (Land Surface Temperature) and NDBSI (Normalized Difference Built-up Soil Index). These indices provide us with information on vegetation, wetness, surface temperature and urban areas and contribute to the overall assessment of ecological status.The method for constructing the final indices began by normalizing the original indices to the range of values ( from 0 to 1 ) and creating the RSEI. Spatial analysis was then carried out to correlate the RSEI with the elevation and slope of the terrain by creating maps(DEM ,SLOPE) and creating correlation tables of these two. In addition, the relationships of the index with land use were analysed, dividing the island into six main categories: forest areas (Trees), urban areas (Built Area), crops (Crops), water areas (Water), pastures (Rangeland) and bare soil (Bare Soil). The analysis was conducted for five consecutive study years (2014, 2016, 2018, 2020, 2022) to assess changes in ecological quality over time.Data processing was mainly done with the help of excel program while maps were created with the help of GIS programs such as Qgis and ARCgis.The aim of our work is to provide a comprehensive picture of the ecological situation of Crete by highlighting the relationships between geomorphology, land use and ecological quality. The methodology developed provides a tool for monitoring and assessing ecological quality. At the same time, this research seeks to contribute to informed decision-making for the sustainable management of the natural environment, addressing challenges such as climate change and ecosystem degradation.
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