Impact of Land Use Change to the Soil Erosion Estimation for Cultural Landscapes: Case Study of Paphos District in Cyprus

Land use changes significantly impact soil erosion and loss rates in cultural landscapes, with urban areas exacerbating runoff while natural vegetation mitigates water erosion. A study of Paphos District, Cyprus, used Earth Observation (EO) data from Landsat 5 TM and Sentinel-2 to assess land cover changes between the 1980s and present, comparing Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) values. The research found that urban expansion and agricultural activities increase soil erosion, particularly in areas of cultural heritage value. By analyzing the cover factor—measuring the effect of vegetation, crops, and human activity on soil stability—the study highlighted how land use shifts alter erosion dynamics, posing risks to both natural and archaeological landscapes.

Cuca, B., & Agapiou, A. (2017). IMPACT OF LAND USE CHANGE TO THE SOIL EROSION ESTIMATION FOR CULTURAL LANDSCAPES: CASE STUDY OF PAPHOS DISTRICT IN CYPRUS. The International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences, XLII-5/W1, 25–29. https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-xlii-5-w1-25-2017