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Uncertainty analysis as a tool for refining land dynamics modelling on changing landscapes: a case study in a Spanish Natural Park

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Abstract

In this study we developed a methodology aimed at improving the assessment of inter-annual land cover dynamics from hard classified remotely sensed data in heterogeneous and resilient landscapes. The methodology is implemented for the Spanish Natural Park of Sierra de Ancares, where human interference during the last century has resulted in the destruction and fragmentation of the original land cover. We ran supervised classifications, with a maximum likelihood algorithm (Maxlike), on a temporal series of Landsat images (1991–2005), followed by an uncertainty assessment using fuzzy classifications and confusion indices (CIs). This allowed us to show how much (and where) of the resulting maps contained a substantial amount of error, distinguishing data that might be useful to measure land change from data that are not particularly useful when applying a post-classification comparison methodology. In this way, we can detect true changes not skewed by the effects of uncertainty. Even if patterns of change were always coherent amongst years, they were more realistic after reducing uncertainty, in spite of a substantial decrease in the number of available pixels (i.e. unmasked by the method). We then computed land cover dynamics by means of a model specifically designed to determine the frequency of disturbances (mainly fire events) and the vegetation recovery time during the study period. Model outputs showed correlated landscape patterns at a broad scale and provided useful results to explore land cover change from pattern to process.

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by the Regional Government of Junta de Castilla y León (Spain) and Fondo Social Europeo, under the research project funding supplied by the order EDU/1490/2003, awarded to J.M. Álvarez-Martínez. The authors would like to thank their support and comments to Fire Ecology Research Group of the University of León, Land Dynamics Group of the University of Wageningen, Cartography Support Service of the University of León and forest engineers and rangers of the Environmental Section of the Autonomous Region of Castilla y León. We also are grateful to Althea Davies, F.J. Lozano, A. Moran and L. Soler for help, and the anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Área de Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas y Ambientales, Universidad de León, Campus de Vegazana, 24071, León, Spain

    Jose Manuel Álvarez-Martínez, Susana Suárez-Seoane & Estanislao de Luis Calabuig

  2. Land Dynamics Group, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 47, 6700 AA, Wageningen, The Netherlands

    Jetse J. Stoorvogel

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  1. Jose Manuel Álvarez-Martínez
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  2. Jetse J. Stoorvogel
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  3. Susana Suárez-Seoane
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  4. Estanislao de Luis Calabuig
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Correspondence to Jose Manuel Álvarez-Martínez.

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Álvarez-Martínez, J.M., Stoorvogel, J.J., Suárez-Seoane, S. et al. Uncertainty analysis as a tool for refining land dynamics modelling on changing landscapes: a case study in a Spanish Natural Park. Landscape Ecol 25, 1385–1404 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10980-010-9492-z

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