Land use and land cover (LULC) as well as its changes (LUCC) are an interplay between bio-geophysical characteristics of the landscape and climate as well as the complex human interaction including its different patterns of utilization superimposed on the natural vegetation. LULC is a core information layer for a variety of scientific and administrative tasks(e.g. hydrological modelling, climate models, land use planning).In particular in the context of climate change with its impacts on socio-economic, socio-ecologic systems as well as ecosystem services precise information on LULC and LUCC are mandatory baseline datasets required over large areas. Remote sensing can provide such information on different levels of detail and in a homogeneous and reliable way. Hence, LULC mapping can be regarded as a prototype for integrated approaches based on spaceborne and airborne remote sensing techniques combined with field observations. The book provides for the first time a comprehensive view of various LULC activities focusing on European initiatives, such as the LUCAS surveys, the CORINE land covers, the ESA/EU GMES program and its resulting Fast-Track- and Downstream Services, the EU JRC Global Land Cover, the ESA GlobCover project as well as the ESA initiative on Essential Climate Variables. All have and are producing highly appreciated land cover products. The book will cover the operational approaches, but also review current state-of-the-art scientific methodologies and recommendations for this field. It opens the view with best-practice examples that lead to a view that exceeds pure mapping, but to investigate into drivers and causes as well as future projections.
About the Author:

Dr. Ioannis Manakos is a Researcher in 'Remote Sensing' at the Information Technologies Institute, Centre for Research and Technology Hellas, an Adjunct Professor at the International Centre for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies, where he headed the Department of the Geoinformation in Environmental Management for 7 years, cooperates with the Group on Earth Observations for the Global Land Cover Task, and is currently serving as the Chairman of the European Association of Remote Sensing Laboratories. During his studies he specialized in spectroradiometric measurements and reflectance modeling (PhD at the Technical University of Munich), and satellite image and geospatial data analysis (MSc and Diploma at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki) for applications related with Agriculture, Environment and Physical Geography. He has been coordinating or participating in numerous EU, bilateral, and national projects (FPs, INTERREGs, etc.) for more than a decade. Activity topics concerned Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES), Space and Airborne Remote Sensing and its Complementation and Synergy with in-situ measurements, Environmental Resources Management, Soil Erosion Risk Assessment, Agricultural Practice Monitoring, Precision Agriculture, Regional and Rural Development, Management of Mediterranean Ecosystems, Biodiversity, and Tourism. Numerous articles and studies of his have been published in Journals, Books, and Workshops.

Matthias Braun has studied at the University of Freiburg (PhD) and the University of Bonn. He is Chairman of the EARSeL special interest group on remote sensing of land use and land cover, as well as scientific Co-editor of EARSeL eProceedings. He is currently Associate Professor at the Geophysical Institute, University of Alaska Fairbanks.