Abstract

CAMACHO-SANABRIA, José Manuel et al. Coverage/land use changes in a portion of the Mountainous Mexican Transition Zone. Madera bosques [online]. 2015, vol.21, n.1, pp.93-112. ISSN 2448-7597.

The Southwest region of the State of Mexico (PSEM as it stands in Spanish) is located in the so called Mexican Transition Mountainous Zone. The forest communities that prevail in this area are pine trees forests (Pinus spp.), oak trees forests (Quercus spp.), mixed ones, mountainous cloud forest and tropical deciduous forest, which are being modified due to the influence of human processes. This research paper establishes a methodology to analyze the changes on the land cover of the PSEM which took place from 1989 to 2009 using a technique of image satellite interpretation (Landsat TM), as well as the use of the maximum authenticity algorithm which leads towards the implementation of soil and vegetation maps whose main purpose is to obtain information on the validity of these study cases. Overlapping those maps, it is possible to come up with a matrix of changes to check annual modifications on the land cover, and based on it the changes rates can be measured. From data obtained through this research, it can be stated that the land cover of this forest has considerably decreased because 19 262 ha disappeared and were taken up by water supplies (105 ha), farming lands (19 113 ha), human settlements (39 ha) and technical and controlled agriculture (5 ha). It can be summed up that this deforestation mainly comes as a result of the practice of agriculture and livestock activities indeed.

Keywords : category; evaluation of theme reliability; supervised classification; matrix of changes; changes rates.

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