Abstract

SIMBANGALA SIMBANGALA, Morgan; CAMPOS CAMARA, Bonnie Lucía  and  ARRIAGA RODRIGUEZ, Juan Carlos. Systematic Land Cover Transitions in the Costa Maya Region, Quintana Roo, México, 1993-2010. Perspectiva Geográfica [online]. 2015, vol.20, n.1, pp.103-132.  Epub Jan 31, 2024. ISSN 0123-3769.

The Costa Maya Region (CMR) is experiencing rapid land cover changes due to human activities threatening its sustainability. We applied a novel change detection analysis based on three classified maps and an in-depth statistical analysis to obtain a better understanding of key inter-category transitions and processes behind these transitions, from 1993-2010. The dominant signals of transition in the CMR are: agricultural land to urban area; exchanges between agricultural land and rainforest; and between mangroves and hydrophytic plants. The signals are characterized by a declining agricultural sector compared to rapidly expanding tourism activities reflected in urban sprawl, which implies a lack of balanced economic growth in the CMR. The study has revealed some new insights into the nature and processes (either random or systematic) of land cover change, enabling us to identify the dominant signs of land cover transitions, which should facilitate improved management of natural resources.

Keywords : Land Cover Change; Costa Maya; Matrix; Persistence; Swap; Transition.

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