Abstract

VALDERRAMA LANDEROS, Luis; BARET, Frédéric  and  ESPANA BOQUERA, María Luisa. Consistency between global and regional land cover maps in the state of Michoacan, Mexico. Rev. Chapingo ser. cienc. for. ambient [online]. 2011, vol.17, n.3, pp.343-360. ISSN 2007-4018.

For some years attempts have been made for constructing global maps using different types of images, methods and systems of nomenclature. These maps are difficult to validate and local-level accuracy can be very variable. The aim of the present study was to contribute to the validation of global land cover maps, comparing five of them for the particular case of the state of Michoacan, Mexico. The regional land cover map produced by the National Commission for Knowledge and Use of Biodiversity of Mexico was taken as reference, and consistency and spatial area as criteria. The comparison considering the original legends revealed inconsistencies, due in part to differences in classification systems. After a merged legend with six general classes was established, the overall accuracy between maps ranged from 9 to 62 %. Only 2 % of the pixels matched in 4 maps (mainly towns and water) and 88 % agreed in 2 or 3 maps. The main problem is the discrimination between cropland areas and other kinds of vegetation. The more recent maps based on the nomenclature proposed by FAO had an increased accuracy, but not enough to consider them as appropriately detecting the main land covers. The use of global land cover maps in situations of great biodiversity must be adequately contextualized.

Keywords : UMD; IGBP; MODIS; GLC2000; GLOBCOVER.

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