The Impact of Land Use Change on Land Surface Temperature 1990-2020 for Environmental Monitoring in Kapota Island, Wakatobi Regency, Indonesia

Small islands have unique ecosystems and are vulnerable to land degradation and ecological threats. Integrating spatial and landscape ecology approaches greatly influences the effectiveness and efficiency of environmental monitoring and future environmental management planning. Uncontrolled land conversion, extreme climate conditions, high biophysical land constraints, and anthropogenic and political factors contribute to biodiversity pressures. This study aimed to measure the impact of land use and land cover changes on the LST, NDVI, and NDWI as well as changes in landscape patterns and structures for environmental monitoring and ecological sustainability on Kapota Island. The LST values in 1990 ranged from 21.50°C to 25.40°C, and from 22.63°C to 32.56°C in 2020. In contrast, the NDVI values in 1990 ranged from -0.765 to 0.754 and from -0.241 to 0.514 in 2020. The surface temperature increased in vegetated areas with low density, as well as in non-vegetated areas and settlements. Habitat fragmentation was relatively high, as indicated by the SHDI value closer to 1. Moving forward, future research should delve deeper into the specific drivers of biodiversity pressures, including uncontrolled land conversion, extreme climate conditions, biophysical constraints, and anthropogenic and political factors. Moreover, efforts should be directed toward maintaining a green cover exceeding 30%, enhancing vegetation density, minimizing land-clearing activities, and encouraging the cultivation of crops with good water storage capabilities. This research lays the foundation for a more nuanced understanding of the intricate dynamics at play on small islands and sets the stage for informed conservation and management strategies.