VEGETATION STRESS LEVEL AND NATURAL HYDROCARBON SEEPAGE IN UGWUEME, AWGU LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, ENUGU STATE, NIGERIA
Abstract
Hydrocarbons that seep from the earth’s sub-surface often affect the environment, soil, rocks and stress growing vegetation. In this study, natural hydrocarbon seepage was mapped in Ugwueme, Awgu Local Government Area of Enugu State, Nigeria using Remote Sensing and GIS
techniques with the aim of detecting vegetation stress changes over a period of time. It was conducted using Landsat 7 ETM+ 1996, Landsat 7 ETM+ 2006 and Landsat 8 OLI/TIRS 2016.
The global positioning system and the topographical maps of scale 1:100,000 were utilized for ground verification. Results revealed that the category of severely stressed vegetation rose
progressively from 40.25% in 1996 to 54.73% in 2006 and then to 60.82% in 2016, while the category of less stressed vegetation reduced from 59.75% in 1996 to 45.27% in 2006 and then to
39.18% in 2016. There is an overall increase in the vegetation class cover classified as severely stressed, proving that remote sensing and GIS is a valuable tool for mapping hydrocarbon
seepage areas. Thus, afforestation, re-afforestation and good land practices are recommended as preventive and remedial measures in the study area.
References
Blackburn, G. A. and Steele, C. M. (1999).
Mapping the effect of natural oil and gas on
plants using remote sensing. International
Journal of Remote Sensing, 33(1):13-17.
Lichtenthaler, H.K. (1996). Vegetation Stress:
An introduction to stress concept in plants.
Journal of Plant Physiology, 158:17-23.
Miller, L.R. and Carter, A.G. (1994). Early
detection of vegetation stress by digital
imaging within narrow stress-sensitive
wavebands. Remote sensing of
Environment, 131:31-37.
Noomen, M.F., Skidmore, A.K. and Meer, F.D.
(2007). Detecting the Influence of Gas
Seepage of vegetation using Hyper-Spectral
Remote Sensing ITC. Enschede: the
Netherlands (ITC).
Oyundari, B. (2008). Spectral indicators for
assessing the effect of hydrocarbon leakage
on vegetation: International Institute for
Geo-information Science and Earth
Observation. Enschede: the Netherlands
(ITC).
Perry, J.E. and Anderson, E.J. (1991). The
characteristics of wetland plant stress using
leaf spectral reflectance: Implications for
wetland remote sensing. Enschede: the
Netherlands (ITC).
Petrovic, A. and Khan, S. (2008). The Remote
Sensing detection and geochemical studies
for locating hydrocarbon-induced
alterations in Lisbon Valley. Enschede: the
Netherlands (ITC).
Pietro et al (2001). Detecting vegetation leaf
water content using reflectance in the
optical domain: Remote sensing of
Environment. Enschede: the Netherlands
(ITC).
Pysek, P. and Pysek, A. (1989). Changes in
vegetation caused by experimental leakage
of natural gas: Remote sensing of
Environment. Enschede: the Netherlands
(ITC).
Sani Yahaya (2013): Determination and
monitoring of vegetation stress using hyperspectral
remote sensing. Unpublished Ph.D
thesis, University of Nottingham.
Schumacher, D. (1996). Surface Geochemical
Exploration for Petroleum: Principle of
Surface Geochemical Exploration.
Enschede: the Netherlands (ITC).
Smith, K. L., Steven, M. D. and Colls, J. J.
(2000). Remote Sensing of vegetation stress
owed to leaking underground pipeline:
Aspects of Applied Science. Enschede: the
Netherlands (ITC).
Smith, K. L., Steven, M. D. and Colls, J. J.
(2004). Remote Sensing techniques for
monitoring plant stress responses to leaking
gas. International Gas Research
Conference proceedings, 22-26.
Smith, K.L. (2002). Remote Sensing of the leaf
responses to leaking underground oil and
gas. Unpublished Ph.D. Thesis, University
of Nottingham, UK.
Smith, K.L., Steven, M.D. and Colls, J.J. (2005).
Plant spectral responses to oil and gas
leakage and other stresses. International
Journal of Remote Sensing, 42-48.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the publisher.
