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<p>The Inter-Andean Dry Forest is one of the most endangered ecosystems in the world. The extensification of anthropogenic land-use has transformed the Inter-Andean Dry Forest in the landscape of the Rio Chota watershed, Ecuador. However, there is no evaluation of the land use/land cover dynamics to determine the loss and recovery of this ecosystem. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of the extensification of agricultural land-use on the spatial pattern of the Inter-Andean Dry Forest ecosystem and the state of the landscape in the RCW during the periods 1991–2000 and 2000–2017. The effects of land-use change on the spatial pattern of the Inter-Andean Dry Forest were evaluated at the landscape level using satellite images and landscape metrics. The loss of the Inter-Andean Dry Forest was 45 % from 1991 to 2017, at a deforestation rate of 2.3 % per year. The largest loss of forest (42.7 %) occurred from 2000 to 2017. From 1991 to 2000, the number of patches of Inter-Andean Dry Forest increased by 194 % but decreased by 64 % in 2017. Over the entire study period, the major change in the landscape was the conversion of the Inter-Andean Dry Forest to agriculture (36.7 %), which was related to important changes in the spatial patterns of this ecosystem. Inter-Andean Dry Forest loss and fragmentation were associated with the extensification of agricultural land-use. The Rio Chota watershed is a landscape increasingly transformed by human processes. This study provides baseline information on landscape structure and composition. This information could help make management decisions for the Inter-Andean Dry Forest in specific landscape areas.</p>
</abstract>

The Inter-Andean Dry Forest is one of the most endangered ecosystems in the world. The extensification of anthropogenic land-use has transformed the Inter-Andean Dry Forest in the landscape of the Rio Chota watershed, Ecuador. However, there is no evaluation of the land use/land cover dynamics to determine the loss and recovery of this ecosystem. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of the extensification of agricultural land-use on the spatial pattern of the Inter-Andean Dry Forest ecosystem and the state of the landscape in the RCW during the periods 1991–2000 and 2000–2017. The effects of land-use change on the spatial pattern of the Inter-Andean Dry Forest were evaluated at the landscape level using satellite images and landscape metrics. The loss of the Inter-Andean Dry Forest was 45 % from 1991 to 2017, at a deforestation rate of 2.3 % per year. The largest loss of forest (42.7 %) occurred from 2000 to 2017. From 1991 to 2000, the number of patches of Inter-Andean Dry Forest increased by 194 % but decreased by 64 % in 2017. Over the entire study period, the major change in the landscape was the conversion of the Inter-Andean Dry Forest to agriculture (36.7 %), which was related to important changes in the spatial patterns of this ecosystem. Inter-Andean Dry Forest loss and fragmentation were associated with the extensification of agricultural land-use. The Rio Chota watershed is a landscape increasingly transformed by human processes. This study provides baseline information on landscape structure and composition. This information could help make management decisions for the Inter-Andean Dry Forest in specific landscape areas.

Extensification of Agricultural Land-Use Generates Severe Effects on the Critically Endangered Inter-Andean Dry Forest in the Ecuadorian Andean Landscape

Departamento de Ciencias Forestales, Facultad de Ingeniería Forestal

Journal of Landscape Ecology

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

The Inter-Andean Dry Forest is one of the most endangered ecosystems in the world. The extensification of anthropogenic land-use has transformed the...

Extensification of Agricultural Land-Use Generates Severe Effects on the Critically Endangered Inter-Andean Dry Forest in the Ecuadorian Andean Landscape

Publié en ligne: 01 janv. 2024

Pages: 132 - 148

Reçu: 23 nov. 2023

Accepté: 18 déc. 2023

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/jlecol-2023-0020

Mots clés
Anthropogenic processes, Agriculture, Changing landscape, Deforestation, Ecuador, Rio Chota watershed

© 2023 James Rodríguez-Echeverry, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Extensification of Agricultural Land-Use Generates Severe Effects on the Critically Endangered Inter-Andean Dry Forest in the Ecuadorian Andean Landscape

Publié en ligne: 01 janv. 2024

Pages: 132 - 148

Reçu: 23 nov. 2023

Accepté: 18 déc. 2023

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/jlecol-2023-0020

Mots clésAnthropogenic processes, Agriculture, Changing landscape, Deforestation, Ecuador, Rio Chota watershed

© 2023 James Rodríguez-Echeverry, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Mots clés
Anthropogenic processes, Agriculture, Changing landscape, Deforestation, Ecuador, Rio Chota watershed