Effect of tidal regime, relative sea level and wind intensity on changes of mangrove area / Noorita Sahriman

Mangrove are very well known for its contribution to the wildlife, human, and
ecosystem. Mangrove provide habitat, food, medicine and building material makes it
so valuable and important. However, despite all the benefits they offer, mangrove are
being threatened all over the world. Mangrove loss and deforestation has become a
worldwide issue. The destruction and replacement of mangrove forests spread widely
for various reasons. This study focuses on determining the effect of environmental
parameters toward mangrove areas. Three indicators were taken as a primary
parameter in this study. Those parameters were tidal regime, wind intensity, and
relative sea level. These three information has been obtained from Forest Research
Institute Malaysia (FRIM), Forestry Department Peninsular Malaysia (FDIM) and
Malaysian Meteorological Department (MMD) beside all the research from previous
study. The study area for this research covered the east and west coast of Malaysia.
For the east coast is Chendering in Terengganu while for the west coast is Kuala Perlis
in Perlis. The detection of mangrove areas was performed by using Landsat 5 TM and
Landsat 8 OLI satellite imagery in PCI Geomatica software. The process of
determining the mangrove area was done using supervised classification with
maximum likelihood classifier and supported with site verification. The area covered
is 5km x 5km per image or 25 km² with the range period of ten years from 2005 till
2015 and the satellite images selected were in the year of 2005, 2010 and 2015. The
change of mangrove areas was determined. Chendering mangrove areas increased
3,243 m² during 2005 to 2015. While in Kuala Perlis mangrove increased 1,892 m²
during the same period. The relationship between tidal regime, relative sea level and
wind intensity were analysed based on the result from mangrove area changes that has
been obtained through supervised classification and correlation analysis. The final
result shows several responses that managed to accomplish the aim and objectives of
this study. The classification processing for the mangrove area had been successfully
acquired with more than 85% accuracy. The changes of mangrove forest area were
managed to obtain and it did prove that the mangrove area has shown some changes
along the year of 2005, 2010 and 2015.