Impacts of changes in land use and fragmentation patterns on Atlantic coastal forests in northern Spain

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2009.11.004 Byline: Alberto L. Teixido (a), Luis G. Quintanilla (a), Francisco CarreA[+ or -]o (b), David Gutierrez (a) Abstract: Changes in forested landscapes may have important consequences for ecosystem services and biodiversity conservation. In northern Spain, major changes in land use occurred during the second half of the 20th century, but their impacts on forests have not been quantified. We evaluated the dynamics of landscape and forest distribution patterns between 1957 and 2003 in Fragas do Eume Natural Park (northwestern Spain). We used orthoimages and a set of standard landscape metrics to determine transitions between land cover classes and to examine forest distribution patterns. Eucalypt plantations showed the greatest increase in area (197%) over time. Furthermore, transitions to eucalypt plantations were found in all major land cover classes. Forest showed a net decline of 20% in total area and represented 30% of the landscape area in 2003. Forest losses were mainly due to eucalypt plantations and the building of a water reservoir, while forest gains were due to increases in shrubland, meadows and cultivated fields which had been recolonised. Forest patch size and core area decreased, and edge length increased over time. In turn, increases were obtained in mean distance between forest patches, and in adjacency to eucalypt plantations and to a water reservoir. These results suggest an increase in forest fragmentation from 1957 to 2003, as well as a change in the nature of the habitat surrounding forest patches. This study shows that land use changes, mostly from eucalypt plantation intensification, negatively affected forested habitats, although some regeneration was ongoing through ecological succession from land abandonment. Author Affiliation: (a) Area de Biodiversidad y Conservacion, Escuela Superior de Ciencias Experimentales y Tecnologia, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Tulipan s/n, Mostoles, E-28933 Madrid, Spain (b) Area de Geologia, Escuela Superior de Ciencias Experimentales y Tecnologia, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Tulipan s/n, Mostoles, E-28933 Madrid, Spain Article History: Received 13 March 2009; Revised 17 November 2009; Accepted 27 November 2009