Remote sensing based indicators of changes in a mountain rural landscape of Northeast Portugal

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2011

Authors

Isabel Pÿças (Author) Other; Mario Cunha (Author) FCUP; Luis S Pereira (Author) Other

Journal

Title: Applied Geography

Vol. 31

Pages: 871-880

ISSN: 0143-6228

Publisher: Elsevier

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 64 Citations

Scopus - 70 Citations

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-002-Q3Q

DOI: 10.1016/j.apgeog.2011.01.014

Abstract (EN): Landscape metrics were used to analyze landscape changes and related driving forces in a mountain rural landscape of Northeast Portugal over three decades. This landscape has great heterogeneity, which favors high levels of diversity and provides for a variety of habitats. The landscape metrics were obtained from land cover maps derived from Landsat images of 1979, 1989 and 2002. Results indicate a trend for increased landscape fragmentation, decrease of annual crop fields (-43%) and, mainly, increase of meadows (+60%). Results relate with decline and aging of the rural population, and to several measures and policies of subsidies implemented in the region in application of the Common Agriculture Policy, which contributed to the replacement of annual crops by meadows. Results are potentially useful to base appropriate policies for landscape management and conservation planning.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 10