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Lars Eklundh

Professor

Personal photograph

Landscape connectivity loss after the de-escalation of armed conflict in the Colombian Amazon (2011–2021)

Author

  • Jesica López
  • Yuyang Qian
  • Paulo José Murillo-Sandoval
  • Nicola Clerici
  • Lars Eklundh

Summary, in English

Rapid deforestation has been well-documented in Colombia after the 2016 peace agreement with FARC. While many analysis using remote sensing identify land cover change, structural connectivity variables are less studied for understanding landscape transformation. In this work, we used data from the Landsat archive from 2011 to 2021, the Continuous Change Detection and Classification algorithm (CCDC), and Morphological Spatial Pattern Analysis (MSPA) to analyze deforestation, land cover change, and landscape connectivity in northwestern Colombia’s Amazon. We examined the spatial patterns in three specific subsets in the Colombian arc of deforestation, with a special focus on the surroundings of the National Natural Park Serranía de Chiribiquete. Our results confirm changes in structural connectivity linked to pasture expansion from the conversion forest to pasture during the analyzed period showing changes in the borders of Serranía de Chiribiquete National Park along rivers and roads, where cattle is transported. Before 2016, the average annual deforested area in the three study areas was 27.93 km²; after 2016, this number increased to 73.36 km². The outcomes of our study contribute to an improved understanding of pasture dynamics. They can aid decision-making in areas that play a key role in ecological networks necessary for long-term conservation efforts. Our quantitative assessments have revealed a temporal shrinking of the core area, indicative of a decline in forest cover. Concurrently, we observed an expansion of the edge and background areas, which is consistent with the proliferation of pastures. This study presents methodology and data in support of policy-making for sustainable land use and ecological connectivity to mitigate further environmental degradation in the area.

Department/s

  • BECC: Biodiversity and Ecosystem services in a Changing Climate
  • Centre for Environmental and Climate Science (CEC)
  • LU Profile Area: Nature-based future solutions
  • Dept of Physical Geography and Ecosystem Science

Publishing year

2024-10

Language

English

Publication/Series

Global Ecology and Conservation

Volume

54

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

Elsevier

Topic

  • Ecology
  • Environmental Sciences

Keywords

  • Landscape connectivity
  • CCDC
  • MSPA
  • Change detection algorithms
  • Land use
  • Cattle ranching
  • Deforestation
  • Colombian Amazon

Status

Published

Project

  • From Canopy to Catastrophe: Understanding the Environmental Crisis in Northern Colombian Amazon

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 2351-9894