Analysis of the Impact of Land Use and Land Cover Changes on Soil Erosion at the River Lamurde Catchment Area
Soil erosion is a major environmental challenge that threatens agricultural productivity, water resources, and ecosystem sustainability. This study assessed land use and land cover (LULC) changes and their implications for soil erosion vulnerability in the Lamurde Catchment, Jalingo, Taraba State, Nigeria. Landsat satellite images spanning a 21-year period (2002–2022) were analyzed alongside ancillary data, including topographic parameters, soil maps, and climatic data. A Maximum Likelihood Classification technique was employed to classify the satellite images into different LULC categories, and the results were validated using ground-truth data. The findings revealed significant changes in LULC patterns during the study period. Vegetation cover recorded the highest decline, decreasing by 20.4% (45,494.75 ha), while water bodies decreased slightly by 0.9% (539.6 ha). Conversely, bare surfaces and built-up areas increased by 19.2% (11,763.3 ha) and 2.1% (1,546.5 ha), respectively. These changes indicate increasing environmental degradation and a growing risk of soil erosion within the catchment. Further analysis showed that 17.4% of the catchment area is highly vulnerable to erosion, while 53.9% and 28.7% are moderately and weakly vulnerable, respectively. The study concludes that the reduction in vegetation cover and expansion of bare surfaces have increased erosion susceptibility in the Lamurde Catchment. It recommends afforestation and reforestation programmes, sustainable land management practices, erosion-sensitive urban planning, and increased public awareness to enhance soil conservation and reduce erosion risks.