Impact of Urban Expansion on Vegetation Dynamics in Mysuru City (1988-2024): A Multi-Temporal NDVI Analysis

Urban expansion has emerged as a major driver of vegetation degradation in rapidly growing cities of the developing countries. This study assesses the long-term impact of urban expansion on vegetation dynamics in Mysuru using multi-temporal Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) analysis. Landsat satellite imagery from four representative years -1988, 2000, 2012, and 2024 was processed to generate NDVI maps capturing vegetation density and condition across different stages of urban growth. To examine spatial variability, a direction-wise analytical framework was adopted, dividing the city into eight directional sectors and extracting maximum, mean, and minimum NDVI values for each sector. The results indicate a consistent decline in NDVI values over the 36-year period, confirming progressive vegetation loss associated with outward urban expansion. Vegetation degradation is spatially uneven, with eastern, south-eastern, and north-western sectors experiencing sustained declines in mean and minimum NDVI values, reflecting rapid and largely unregulated urban growth. In contrast, northern and southern sectors exhibit comparatively higher NDVI values and greater vegetation resilience due to the continued presence of agricultural land, tree cover, and relatively regulated development. Temporal analysis reveals a non-linear vegetation response, with limited and short-lived recovery during certain periods that remains insufficient to offset long-term cumulative loss. The study demonstrates that urban expansion in Mysuru has substantially altered vegetation patterns, resulting in green space fragmentation and reduced vegetation density. The direction-wise NDVI approach provides an effective framework for identifying ecologically stressed urban growth corridors and supports the integration of vegetation conservation into future urban planning strategies.