Linking land use dynamics and climate variability to eutrophication in key basins of Thailand | |
| Author | Nongrat Sukarasuta |
| Call Number | AIT Thesis no.RS-25-06 |
| Subject(s) | Land use--Thailand Climatic changes--Thailand Eutrophication--Thailand Water quality--Thailand |
| Note | A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Systems |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Abstract | Eutrophication has emerged as a critical environmental issue affecting freshwater ecosystems worldwide, with Thailand’s key river basins increasingly vulnerable due to rapid changes of changes in land use and fluctuations in climate. This work set out to explore the spatial and temporal influences of land use transformation and climate parameters on the degradation of water quality in the targeted basins, focusing on their role in driving eutrophication processes. Land use dataset, long-term meteorological records, and water quality datasets were analyzed to detect LULC transitions, quantify climatic trends, and evaluate relationships with nutrient-related and optical water quality indicators, including chlorophyll-a, Trophic State Index (TSI), total suspended matter (TSM), turbidity, and color dissolved organic matter (CDOM). Results revealed substantial LULC transformations over the study period, characterized by significant expansion of farmland and urbanization land replacing forested and wetland areas. These changes corresponded with increased nutrient and sediment influxes into water bodies, reduced natural filtration capacity, and altered hydrological patterns. Statistical analyses demonstrated that agricultural and urban areas were positively correlated with chl-a, TSI, turbidity, and TSM, whereas forest cover exhibited strong negative correlations, reflecting its buffering effect against runoff and erosion. Climatic analysis indicated that temperature was a more consistent driver of eutrophication than rainfall, with annual correlations reaching R² = 0.84 for chlorophyll-a and CDOM with R² = 0.80, while rainfall effects were more seasonal, intensifying nutrient surges during wet-season high flows and influencing sediment dynamics. The combined effects of nutrient-rich runoff from human-modified land uses and elevated temperatures accelerated eutrophication trends, with wet-season pulses often triggering algal blooms and dry-season low flows sustaining high nutrient concentrations. These findings highlight that both land use pressures and climate warming contribute to long-term water quality degradation. Key recommendations include conserving forest and wetland buffers, applying sustainable farm nutrient management, upgrading wastewater treatment, and using seasonal monitoring to curb eutrophication. By linking spatial land use dynamics with climate-driven variability, this study provides an evidence-based framework for protecting aquatic ecosystem health in Thailand’s changing environmental context. |
| Year | 2025 |
| Type | Thesis |
| School | School of Engineering and Technology |
| Department | Department of Information and Communications Technologies (DICT) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Systems (RS) |
| Chairperson(s) | Virdis, Salvatore G. P.; |
| Examination Committee(s) | Tripathi, Nitin Kumar;Xue, Wenchao; |
| Scholarship Donor(s) | Royal Thai Government Fellowship; |
| Degree | Thesis (M.Sc.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2025 |