Synergistic Use of Time-Series Remote Sensing, Deep Learning, and AI for Land Transformation Monitoring

A special issue of Land (ISSN 2073-445X). This special issue belongs to the section "Land Innovations – Data and Machine Learning".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2026 | Viewed by 5423

Special Issue Editor


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Physical Geography, Stockholm University, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden
Interests: SAR remote sensing; natural hazard analysis; GIS; disaster management; AI applications in remote sensing
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue explores the powerful combination of time-series remote sensing data and deep learning artificial intelligence (AI) to monitor and analyze land transformation processes. Global landscapes are undergoing unprecedented changes due to factors like urbanization, climate change, deforestation, and agricultural intensification. These shifts demand advanced, reliable tools to track land use and land cover dynamics over time. Time-series remote sensing provides a wealth of consistent, long-term data, unaffected by short-term disruptions, capturing trends across seasons and years. Deep learning AI complements this by offering sophisticated methods for pattern recognition, predictive modeling, and automated data processing, enabling precise detection and interpretation of complex land changes. Together, they form a transformative approach to understanding land transformation and supporting sustainable management practices.

The objective of this Special Issue is to compile pioneering research that showcases how these technologies synergize to address critical land transformation challenges. It fits squarely within the scope of Land, emphasizing innovative methodologies, practical applications, and theoretical advancements. By integrating these tools, researchers can unlock new ways to monitor environmental shifts, inform urban planning, and enhance resource conservation efforts on local and global scales.

Potential topics include the following:

  • Time-series remote sensing for detecting and mapping land use and land cover changes;
  • Deep learning AI-driven classification and forecasting of land transformation trends;
  • Integration of multi-sensor data to improve monitoring accuracy and resolution;
  • Deep learning techniques for detailed land cover mapping and temporal analysis;
  • SAR imagery applications for land transformation and natural hazard monitoring;
  • Natural hazard detection and assessment using time-series and AI approaches;
  • Scalable AI-remote sensing frameworks for large-scale land transformation studies;
  • Case studies demonstrating real-world impacts and management strategies.

We invite submissions of original research papers, in-depth review articles, and comprehensive case studies that highlight the practical and scientific value of these tools. Contributions are encouraged from diverse disciplines, including environmental science, geospatial analysis, computer science, and urban studies, to foster interdisciplinary solutions for a sustainable future.

Dr. Mahdi Panahi
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Land is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • time-series remote sensing
  • deep learning
  • artificial intelligence (AI)
  • machine learning
  • land transformation
  • land use change
  • land cover mapping
  • synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery
  • natural hazard monitoring
  • environmental monitoring
  • change detection
  • multi-sensor data integration
  • predictive modeling
  • urbanization
  • climate change impacts
  • geospatial analysis
  • sustainable land management
  • temporal analysis
  • hazard assessment
  • remote sensing applications

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (4 papers)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

22 pages, 10718 KB  
Article
Scenario-Specific Landslide Warning Thresholds from Uncertainty-Based Clustering of TANK Model Soil Water Index Responses in Republic of Korea
by Donghyeon Kim, Sukhee Yoon, Jongseo Lee, Song Eu, Sooyoun Nam and Kwangyoun Lee
Land 2026, 15(4), 688; https://doi.org/10.3390/land15040688 - 21 Apr 2026
Viewed by 288
Abstract
Rainfall-induced landslide early warning systems require reliable estimation of soil moisture conditions. This study proposes a Soil Water Index (SWI) framework based on a three-stage TANK model. Through GLUE (Generalized Likelihood Uncertainty Estimation)-based behavioral parameter sampling and K-means clustering, SWI response characteristics were [...] Read more.
Rainfall-induced landslide early warning systems require reliable estimation of soil moisture conditions. This study proposes a Soil Water Index (SWI) framework based on a three-stage TANK model. Through GLUE (Generalized Likelihood Uncertainty Estimation)-based behavioral parameter sampling and K-means clustering, SWI response characteristics were classified into two representative scenarios: slow drainage (Scenario 1) and fast drainage (Scenario 2). Two-stage thresholds—Watch (α = 0.40 × SWIpeak) and Warning (β = 0.70 × SWIpeak)—were established from SWI rise profile analysis at 500 m and 5 km resolutions, providing 20–27 and 4–5 h of lead time, respectively. Verification against the July 2025 heavy rainfall event across multiple resolutions and spatial extents yielded Hit Rates of 0.984–1.000, while FAR (False Alarm Ratio) remained structurally high (0.607–0.648 for grids sharing the rainfall field with occurrence sites). These findings confirm that SWI serves as an effective regional-scale necessary condition indicator for landslide-triggering moisture, but FAR reduction requires integration with slope susceptibility information. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

44 pages, 11575 KB  
Article
GeoAI-Driven Land Cover Change Prediction Using Copernicus Earth Observation and Geospatial Data for Law-Compliant Territorial Planning in the Aosta Valley (Italy)
by Tommaso Orusa, Duke Cammareri and Davide Freppaz
Land 2026, 15(4), 533; https://doi.org/10.3390/land15040533 - 25 Mar 2026
Viewed by 1442
Abstract
Mapping land cover, monitoring its changes, and simulating future alterations are essential tasks for sustainable land management. These processes enable accurate assessment of environmental impacts, support informed policymaking, and assist in the planning needed to mitigate risks related to urban expansion, deforestation, and [...] Read more.
Mapping land cover, monitoring its changes, and simulating future alterations are essential tasks for sustainable land management. These processes enable accurate assessment of environmental impacts, support informed policymaking, and assist in the planning needed to mitigate risks related to urban expansion, deforestation, and climate change. This study proposes a GeoAI-based framework leveraging Multilayer Perceptron (MLP), a class of Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs), to predict land cover changes in the Aosta Valley region (NW Italy). The model uses Copernicus Earth Observation data, specifically Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 imagery, and is trained and validated on land cover maps derived from different time periods previously validated with ground truth data. The objective is to provide a predictive tool capable of simulating potential future landscape configurations, supporting proactive regional land use planning including regulatory constraints under the current land use plan. Model performance is evaluated using accuracy metrics. The land cover classification methodology follows established approaches in the scientific literature, adapted to the specific geomorphological characteristics of the Aosta Valley. To explore and visualize potential future land cover transitions, Sankey and chord diagrams are used in combination with zonal statistics and thematic plots. These provide detailed insights into the intensity, direction, and magnitude of landscape dynamics. Training data were stratified-sampled across the study area, covering a diverse set of land cover classes to ensure robustness and generalization of the MLP model. This GeoAI approach offers a scalable and replicable methodology for anticipating land cover dynamics, identifying vulnerable areas, and informing adaptive environmental management strategies at the regional scale, while simultaneously considering the latest urban planning regulations. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

20 pages, 8550 KB  
Article
Projected Soil Erosion Risk Under Shared Socioeconomic Pathways: A Case Study with RUSLE Modelling in Sakarya, Türkiye
by Ayşe Atalay Dutucu, Derya Evrim Koç and Beyza Ustaoğlu
Land 2025, 14(11), 2153; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14112153 - 29 Oct 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1445
Abstract
Türkiye is one of the most vulnerable countries in the Mediterranean Basin; the assessment of changes in soil erosion driven by both climate variability and anthropogenic factors is of great importance. This study aims to examine the current state and potential future changes [...] Read more.
Türkiye is one of the most vulnerable countries in the Mediterranean Basin; the assessment of changes in soil erosion driven by both climate variability and anthropogenic factors is of great importance. This study aims to examine the current state and potential future changes in soil erosion in Sakarya Province, situated in the eastern part of the Mediterranean Basin, by employing the GIS-based RUSLE (Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation) model. Considering the impact of climate change on precipitation regimes, rainfall projections for the 2061–2080 period under the high-emission SSP5-8.5 scenario were evaluated. The analysis revealed that the current average annual soil loss in Sakarya is 2.9 t/ha, with the highest erosion risk occurring on steep slopes, bare surfaces, and agricultural lands. By 2080, under the SSP5-8.5 scenario, the annual average soil loss is projected to be 2.6 t/ha, while slight and very slight erosion levels are expected to increase. These results provide important insights for identifying current risk areas and critical zones for conservation, as well as for projecting future erosion scenarios, thus contributing to sustainable land management policies at the watershed scale. The study suggests that strategies to reduce erosion risk in Sakarya should particularly focus on land management practices such as slope stabilization, afforestation, land cover improvement, and terracing. These approaches are crucial for mitigating land degradation (SDG 15.3) and ensuring sustainable agricultural production (SDG 2.4) within the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

16 pages, 5551 KB  
Article
An Enhanced Interval Type-2 Fuzzy C-Means Algorithm for Fuzzy Time Series Forecasting of Vegetation Dynamics: A Case Study from the Aksu Region, Xinjiang, China
by Yongqi Chen, Li Liu, Jinhua Cao, Kexin Wang, Shengyang Li and Yue Yin
Land 2025, 14(6), 1242; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14061242 - 10 Jun 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1514
Abstract
Accurate prediction of the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) is crucial for regional ecological management and precision decision-making. Existing methodologies often rely on smoothed NDVI data as ground truth, overlooking uncertainties inherent in data acquisition and processing. Fuzzy time series (FTS) prediction models [...] Read more.
Accurate prediction of the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) is crucial for regional ecological management and precision decision-making. Existing methodologies often rely on smoothed NDVI data as ground truth, overlooking uncertainties inherent in data acquisition and processing. Fuzzy time series (FTS) prediction models based on the Fuzzy C-Means (FCM) clustering algorithm address some of these uncertainties by enabling soft partitioning through membership functions. However, the method remains limited by its reliance on expert experience in setting fuzzy parameters, which introduces uncertainty in the definition of fuzzy intervals and negatively affects prediction performance. To overcome these limitations, this study enhances the interval type-2 fuzzy clustering time series (IT2-FCM-FTS) model by developing a pixel-level time series forecasting framework, optimizing fuzzy interval divisions, and extending the model from unidimensional to spatial time series forecasting. Experimental results from 2021 to 2023 demonstrate that the proposed model outperforms both the Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) and conventional FCM-FTS models, achieving the lowest RMSE (0.0624), MAE (0.0437), and SEM (0.000209) in 2021. Predictive analysis indicates a general ecological improvement in the Aksu region (Xinjiang, China), with persistent growth areas comprising 61.12% of the total and persistent decline areas accounting for 2.6%. In conclusion, this study presents an improved fuzzy model for NDVI time series prediction, providing valuable insights into regional desertification prevention and ecological strategy formulation. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

Back to TopTop