Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
5. Conclusions
This paper shows the multiscalar and multidisciplinary methods applied in landscape
analysis using ecological, geographical and cartographical techniques. At PNA scale the
comparative analysis of the vegetation and land use maps enabled us to identify five main
change dynamics in the territory: urban development, scrub encroachment, forest
encroachment, agricultural abandonment and new crops. Most of these dynamics were
consequence of the abandonment of traditional activities or the increase in urbanised areas.
For a detailed scale three study cases were chosen. In Cerceda open woodland and shrub
encroachment were more significant dynamics. Fragmentation measured was significantly
higher in 2009 than in 1975 and conserved the same permeability. This is an area with few
transformations by anthropic uses and that maintains the same vegetation types in both
dates. The increase of road infrastructures, urban pressure and agricultural abandonment
generated a homogeneous landscape in Fuencarral. This type maintains (2009) a great
diversity of land uses, wastelands and habitats well preserved that have and interesting role
such as ecological and territorial connectors. The most important changes in Torrelodones
were located in urban areas consolidated between 1975 and 2009. At northwest edge N-VI
highway introduced fragmentation and negatives effects with loss of permeability and
connectivity.
Author details
N. López-Estébanez and F. Allende
Department of Geography, Autónoma University of Madrid,
Francisco Tomás y Valiente, Madrid, Spain
P. Fernández-Sañudo and M.J. Roldán Martín
Environmental Research Centre of Madrid Region, Madrid-Colmenar Viejo,
Soto de Viñuelas, Tres Cantos, Spain
P. De Las Heras
Department of Ecology, Complutense University of Madrid, Faculty of Biology,
José Antonio Novais s/n, Madrid, Spain
Acknowledgement
This research was partially funded by the Spanish Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia
(projects CSO2009-12225-C05-02 and CSO2009-14116-C03-0102956-BOS).
6. References
[1]
McGarigal K, Marks B, Holmes C, Ene E, (2002) Fragstats 3.3. Spatial Patter Analysis
Program for Quantifying Landscape Structure, Department of Natural Resources
Conservation, University of Massachusetts.
