Change and dynamics in Mediterranean evergreen oak woodlands landscapes of Southwestern Iberian Peninsula

摘要: Abstract Landscapes with open evergreen oak woodlands in Southwestern Iberian Peninsula have been subjected to a consistent forest loss. In these landscapes, the abandonment of traditional land management activities associated major use transformations, such as replacement agricultural uses and native by both shrublands fast-growing Eucalyptus pine ( Pinus pinea L.) plantations. this study spatially explicit approach, combining aerial photographs, geographical information systems cover metrics, was used assess long-term landscape dynamics over 50-year period. The aim provide interpreted quantitative on determine key roles farmland, shrubland new plantations ongoing loss fragmentation woodlands. Different trends intensification were found across areas mainly related combination particular socioeconomic biophysical conditions, resulting different types conservation restoration issues. A comprehensive assessment (biophysical socioeconomic) change driving forces is, therefore, presented discussed, baseline for future planning setting appropriate management, strategies studied landscapes. Although focused specific system Mediterranean, methodology applied herein can be extrapolated other comparable human-driven scattered tree systems, within cultural