Estimating Advance of Built-Up Area in Desert-Oasis Ecotone of Cholistan Desert Using Landsat

There have been few attempts to estimate the effects of land use and cover (LULC) on ecosystem services in desert-oasis ecotones, which are recognized as critical ecological barriers buffers that prevent deserts from expanding into oases. This research investigated how remote sensing geographic information technology may be used monitor changes LULC Cholistan desert Bahawalpur region Pakistan between years 2015 2022. The objective this was identify thematic statistical shifts study area due various human interventions area. Landsat-8 images were processed using maximum likelihood supervised classification technique 500 training samples categorize four classes, i.e., desert/barren land, waterbodies, vegetation, built-up areas, with an overall accuracy 93% 98% for 2022, respectively. Results indicate a significant expansion is up 43%, agriculture vegetation declined by 8%, waterbodies decreased 41%, 2% when compared 2015. change detection approach revealed agricultural directly encroached rapidly increasing urbanization had 19% rise population growth within eight annual rate more than 3%. will helpful assess quantity spatial temporal ecosystem, usually ignored policymakers governments less economic activity, although it plays huge role biodiversity conservation balancing regional ecosystem.