Landsat time series reveal simultaneous expansion and intensification of irrigated dry season cropping in Southeastern Turkey. Issue 1 (2nd January 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Rufin, Philippe; Müller, Daniel; Schwieder, Marcel; Pflugmacher, Dirk; Hostert, Patrick
• Is Part Of: Journal of land use science. Volume 16:Issue 1(2021)
• Page Start: 94
• Page End: 110
• Publication Date: 2021-01-02
• Subjects: Water resource management -- cropping intensity -- fallow frequency -- irrigation -- crop water requirements -- Google Earth Engine; Land use -- Periodicals; 333.7313
• DOI: 10.1080/1747423X.2020.1858198
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1747-423X

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Long-term monitoring of the extent and intensity of irrigation systems is needed to track crop water consumption and to adapt land use to a changing climate. We mapped the expansion and changes in the intensity of irrigated dry season cropping in Turkey´s Southeastern Anatolia Project annually from 1990 to 2018 using Landsat time series. Irrigated dry season cropping covered 5, 779 km² (± 479 km²) in 2018, which represents an increase of 617% over the study period. Dry season cropping was practiced on average every second year, but spatial variability was pronounced. Increases in dry season cropping frequency were observed on 40% of the studied croplands. The presented maps enable the identification of land use intensity hotspots at 30 m spatial resolution, and can thus aid in assessments of water consumption and environmental degradation. All maps are openly available for further use at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4287661 .