Quantifying the land cover changes and fragmentation patterns in the Argentina Pampas, in the last 37 years (1974-2011)

Abstract

In the current work, a combination of land-cover dynamics maps and landscape pattern metrics based on remote-sensing images was employed to quantify the spatial and temporal land cover changes and fragmentation patterns in the centre of the Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina, in the period 1974-2011. This study area covers two agro-ecological zones: the Flooding Pampa and the Inland Pampa. In contrast with other regions of the Rio de La Plata Grasslands, native grasslands have been substituted by the expansion of short-grass matrix (grassland more adapted to grazing cattle): over the whole study period, the native grasslands decreased by 2,762.11 km2 in a study area of 21,911.39 km2. The fragmentation pattern in the landscape presented spatial differences between analysed agro-ecological zones, with better conservation status of native grasslands in the Flooding Pampa. The identification of this spatial pattern should promote policies of biodiversity conservation and sustainable management of this landscape.