Análisis multitemporal del cambio en la cobertura del suelo en la Mixteca Alta Oaxaqueña

The aim of this research was to assess the land use and vegetation change in a micro-basin of the Mixteca Alta in the state of Oaxaca, Mexico, from 1995 to 2016, through high resolution images and, thereby, identify the dynamics of loss and gain of the vegetal cover that allow to classify priority areas for conservation and restoration. The analysis was developed through an unsupervised classification and field validation. Results showed that forest cover has a positive increase of 6.6 % during the period from 1995 to 2016, as an outcome of restoration strategies promoted by indigenous communities and government institutions; agriculture decreased by 8.4 %, which is largely due to the fact that many areas have been abandoned due to migration and loss of soil productivity, as well as alteration of the precipitation regime, thus presenting a natural conversion to grasslands. The areas without vegetation decreased by 4.1 % as a result of the efforts in the construction of works for soil conservation, formation of successive terraces and stabilization of slopes. The increase in grassland areas within the micro-basin is a cause for concern, since should be considered as priority restoration areas due to the easily erodible soil type.