Resumo

GUERRA-MARTINEZ, V  e  OCHOA-GAONA, S. Evaluation of the management program of the Pantanos de Centla Biosphere Reserve in Tabasco, Mexico. Universidad y ciencia [online]. 2008, vol.24, n.2, pp.135-146. ISSN 0186-2979.

The changes recorded from 1990 to 2000 in the type of vegetation and land use were quantified using a geographic information system, in order to evaluate the differences in the dynamics of land-use change in the two core areas with respect to the buffer zone of the Pantanos de Centla Biosphere Reserve, Tabasco. Landsat MSS and ETM satélite images were processed to produce vegetation and land-use maps for each evaluated year using georeferenced information collected in the field. The rate of change for each land-use and type of vegetation in each management area was calculated. No significant differences were found for the dynamics of land-use change between the core areas and the buffer zone. The tropical forest associations of Bucida buceras (puckteal) and Haematoxylum campechianum (tintai) decreased in area in all the management zones. The wetland vegetation communities in core area I and the mangrove forest in core area II also presented negative rates. The other land cover categories presented an annual increase in area, particularly the areas with pasture land. The changes observed in the core areas may be the result of the presence of canals, roads and towns, as well as of the expansion of pastures and agricultural areas, fires and oil extraction activities.

Palavras-chave : Land-use change; wetlands; remote sensing; biosphere reserves; geographic information systems.