Resumo

GIDDINGS, Lorrain; CHIAPPY, Carlos; SOTO, Margarita  e  GAMA, Lilly. Modificaciones ecológico-paisajísticas del estado de Veracruz, México. Invest. Geog [online]. 1996, n.33, pp.31-49. ISSN 2448-7279.

The conservation status and environmental disturbances in the state of Veracruz, Mexico were evaluated. The method used was developed at the Institute of Ecology and Systematics of Havana, Cuba for small islands (less than 800 km²), based upon concepts of landscape ecology. In Cuba the information required for the method was taken directly in situ by experts, and deductions of conservation were made manually. Because of the large area of this state (about 70,000 km²), existing map information published by the national mapping agency, INEGI (National Institute of Statistics and Geography) were used instead of in situ studies. Specifically, information was derived front maps of soils, physiography, agricultural frontier, vegetation and land use, and superficial hydrology, as well as some information in the Bioclimas geographical information system. Another innovation was the use of computers to automatice the procedure. The resulting map contains nine degrees of modification, from very slightly modified to completely changed (as in cities). About 23% of the sate was classified as very strongly modified, but it would be possible to restore 20% which are classified as slightly or partially modified.

Palavras-chave : landscape; ecology; landscape ecology; conservation; Veracruz; Mexico.