TEMPORAL AND SPATIAL ANALYSIS OF LAND USE CHANGE IN THE SOUTH CENTRAL REGION OF CHILE

ABSTRACT

This research examines the spatial and temporal changes of the land use in the Bio-Bio Region (Central-South of Chile), for the years 1998 and 2008. We used the national monitoring digital coverage of 1998 and aerial photographs of 2008. Subsequently, we constructed matrices that explain the changes and transitions between different land uses. Plantations grew at an annual rate of 2.5 % due to grassland and shrub consumption in 21 %, agricultural land 14%, in mixed forest it grew by 8.8 % annually, while in wetlands it grew by 1.6 % and native forest had the least growth rate of 1.1 %. Grasslands and shrub lands showed a loss at a rate of 2.5 % per year caused mainly by their conversion into plantations at 21% and to other agricultural land uses at 2%. Agricultural land surface was lost at an annual rate of 1.5 %. Land plantations had a percentage increase of 14%. The wet lands lost surface equal to 0.4 %. The surface, which was, converted into urban and industrial areas represent 2.6 % and plantations 1.6 %. The main driver of land use change is the plantations because the Bio-Bio Region has the largest amount of surface area (858,592 ha) of the country with exotic plantations.

Keywords:
monitoring; territory; plantations