Linking land cover dynamics with driving forces in mountain landscape of the Northwestern Iberian Peninsula

摘要: Abstract The mountainous areas of the northwestern Iberian Peninsula have undergone intense land abandonment. In this work, we wanted to determine if abandonment rural was main driver landscape dynamics in Geres–Xures Transboundary Biosphere Reserve (NW Peninsula), or other factors, such as wildfires and management were also directly affecting these spatio-temporal dynamics. For purpose, used earth observation data acquired from Landsat TM ETM + satellite sensors, complemented by ancillary prior field knowledge, evaluate use/land cover changes our study region over a 10-year period (2000–2010). images radiometrically calibrated using digital elevation model avoid cast- self-shadows different illumination effects caused topographic variations area. We applied maximum likelihood classifier, well five approaches that provided insights into comparison thematic maps. To describe addressed analysis multilevel approach three with regimes environmental protection. possible impact assessed statistical spatially explicit fire data. Our findings suggest forestry activities are factors causing patterns. Specifically, found strong decrease ‘meadows crops’ ‘sparse vegetation areas’ favor woodlands scrublands. addition, huge on Portuguese side generated new ‘rocky areas’, while Spanish its does not seem been decisive factor recent years. conclude exodus last century, differences suppression policies between two countries protection schemes could partly explain patterns recorded covers.