Evaluación del cambio de coberturas de la tierra y efecto de la expansión de la palma de aceite en el Municipio de San Carlos de Guaroa, Meta

Abstract

The present project was carried out in the municipality of San Carlos de Guaroa, located in the northwest of the department of Meta, Colombia, in order to perform a multitemporal analysis (1990- 2019) that allows identifying the main changes that the territory has suffered in relation to the expansion of oil palm plantations. In addition to this, it is intended formulate a proposal for land use, which allows identifying the optimal uses and activities to be developed, through the approach of potential and sustainable uses. Consequently, in order to meet the stated objectives, a multi-temporal analysis was developed based on the classification of satellite images in order to evaluate the dynamics of change of coverage. Similarly, to achieve the development of the recommended use proposal, was made the biophysical characterization of the territory and the identification of conflicts of use in order to determine if changes in land use, in relation to the expansion of oil palm crops, have generated direct effects on the forest mass of the municipality or if the growth of these plantations has occurred on other agricultural lands, pastures or areas without vegetation. The results allowed to show that San Carlos de Guaroa has been established over time as the municipality of Colombia with the largest area of ​​oil palm cultivation and that, in addition, this crop comprises the fundamental axis of the economy in this municipality . However, its expansion occurred simultaneously with processes of loss of important coverage such as gallery and riparian forests and natural savannas, which provide ecosystem services of support, regulation and provision. Based on these results, a recommended use model was proposed that is composed of three categories: Productive areas, Protection and conservation areas and Urban development areas, showing that the largest extension is occupied by the Productive areas because the biophysical characteristics of the municipality facilitate the development of these activities; this category is followed by Conservation and Protection Areas and Urban Development Areas.