Transformation in the Soil Coverage of the Cinco Mil Micro-Basin, (Santander, Colombia)

Abstract

Introduction: Yariguíes's mountain range, located in the center of the department of Santander, constitutes one of the most relevant strategic ecosystems in the eastern Colombian Andes. However, there is no updated information that describes how deforestation and overexploitation have affected the ecosystem coverage of the Cinco Mil micro-basin. Objective: establish the change in the land cover of the Cinco Mil micro-basin for the 2010-2016 period. Materials and Methods: a multi-temporal analysis was carried out, based on the information available in the Geographic Information System for Planning and the National Territorial Ordering of the Agustín Codazzi Geographical Institute, techniques of visual classification based on satellite images and the cross-tabulation methodology developed by Robert Pontius. Results: The dense forest and fragmented forest categories presented the highest total change in a proportion of 11.79 % (1,178.79 ha) and 14.72 % (1,472.21 ha) respectively. Conclusions: advance reconnaissance processes in the field, which allow characterizing the protected natural areas of the Yariguíes through their inhabitants, in order to identify initiatives that contribute to the conservation of ecosystem services.