Abstract

ALCALA-ROJAS, Alejandro et al. Multitemporal analysis using high-resolution images in a Tamaulipan Thornscrub. Rev. mex. de cienc. forestales [online]. 2026, vol.17, n.94, pp.4-27.  Epub June 30, 2026. ISSN 2007-1132.  https://doi.org/10.29298/rmcf.v17i94.1562.

In Northeastern Mexico, a biodiversity conservation area was established within an industrial complex, where a reforestation program with native species was implemented in 2010. The objective of this paper was to quantitatively assess, through multitemporal analysis of high-resolution images, the effectiveness of an ecological restoration project in the Tamaulipan Thornscrub, based on spatial changes in vegetation cover and land use recorded between 1995 and 2024. The results indicated a linear increase (R 2 =0.92) in vegetation cover over time. In 1995, it occupied 32.22 % of the conservation area, and in 2024, 62.67 %. In contrast, the area used for agriculture decreased from 38.5 % in 1995 to 12.6 % in 2008, and was zero from 2014 onwards. Likewise, the grassland cover decreased from 27.1 % in 1995 to 17.1 % in 2024. The results of the study show a recovery in vegetation cover as a result of the implementation of the ecological restoration program over an area of 83 ha. This included the planting of 69 537 individuals from rescues and 18 500 individuals from local nurseries, with a survival rate of 85 % by 2024 for at least 10 species of ecological interest. The findings confirm the effectiveness of these strategies in restoring vegetation, which can serve as a basis for the design and implementation of larger-scale restoration projects.

Keywords : Agriculture; land use change; supervised classification; biodiversity conservation; reforestation; ecological restoration.

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