Abstract

ESTRADA LORETO, Feliciana; BARBA MACIAS, Everardo  and  RAMOS REYES, Rodimiro. Temporal wetland cover in the Usumacinta basin, Balancán, Tabasco, Mexico. Universidad y ciencia [online]. 2013, vol.29, n.2, pp.141-151. ISSN 0186-2979.

The wetlands of the Balancán, municipality were visually classified using LANDSAT satellite images during the minimum and maximum flood seasons of 2007. A total of 13 289 ha (3.48 %) and of 35 519 ha (8.66 %) of wetlands were identified for the minimum and maximum flood seasons respectively. A subsystem quantification indicated that 9 140 ha are riparian wetlands, 3 180 ha are lake areas and 968 ha are swamp wetlands for the minimum flood season, whereas 15 687 ha are riparian, 7 117 ha are lakes and 12 714 ha are swamps for the maximum flood season. Between-season variations were 2.40 to 3.71 % for riparian wetlands, 0.83 to 1.88 % for lake areas and 0. 25 to 3.07 % for swamp wetlands. The wetlands were classified within a range of greater than or equal to 1 ha, but smaller than 50 ha (70.9 % for the minimum flood season and 75.1 % for the maximum flood season) for the two seasons. A 2006 vs 2007 comparison of wetlands indicated that the lake areas increased by 3 170 ha, the swamps decreased by 16 542 ha and the riparian areas increased by 4 800 ha. The use of the geographic information system (GIS) and the visual interpretation of multispectral LANDSAT images (bands 4,3,2 combined) for both seasons, from which the Balancán, municipality wetlands in the Usumacinta river basin were obtained, will provide basic data for management and regulation plans for the territory in this sub-region of Tabasco.

Keywords : Freshwater wetlands; satellite images; Usumacinta basin; Balancán; Tabasco.

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