Monitoring loss of biodiversity in cultural landscapes. New methodology based on satellite data

One of the most urgent priorities in the conservation and management of biodiversity in Europe is the assessment of landscape conservation conditions, as well as the analysis of landscape changes. Europe is characterised by the heterogeneous nature of its cultural landscapes. We approached the monitoring and management of habitats and landscapes in the European Atlantic Biogeographical Region at landscape level, using a new methodology which integrates geographical information systems (GIS), remote sensing, environmental variables and landscape ecology. The analysis focuses on the biosphere reserve known as Terras do Miño (NW Iberian Peninsula) using two main criteria: a classification scheme based on the pan-European system EUNIS (European Nature Information System) and ecologically meaningful units of analysis, and the assessment of landscape change based on landscape indicators and conservation criteria. Spatial indices, contagion, fractal dimension and dominance, reveal a fragmentation process, occurring at sub-regional level. This process has mainly affected forests and scrublands in the area under study. Our results show the traditional landscape is declining and there is a drop in the habitats of greatest environmental interest. The methodological approach proposed in this paper will facilitate comparative analyses with those changes that may occur in other natural regions within Europe.