Cambios en el uso del suelo y la fragmentacion estructural de coberturas naturales en el piedemonte Orinoquense (2000-2024) y su relacion con la oferta hidrica. Caso de estudio : Villavicencio

Abstract

Territorial transformation is one of the most evident processes within the environmental dynamics of tropical regions. In the foothills of the Meta Department, particularly in the municipality of Villavicencio, land cover and land use changes recorded over recent decades have been associated with the expansion of agricultural and livestock activities, urban growth, and, to a lesser extent, vegetation regeneration processes occurring simultaneously. These dynamics have resulted in a heterogeneous landscape where highly disturbed areas coexist with transitional zones and sectors that still preserve more continuous natural cover. In this context, the spatial organization of the territory responds not only to productive activities but also to historical processes of land occupation and land use that have shaped the relationship between local communities and their natural environment. The distribution of land cover and its transformations over time influence both landscape structure and ecological functioning. In particular, vegetation cover plays a significant role in processes such as infiltration, soil moisture retention, and surface runoff regulation, all of which are closely linked to water dynamics within the territory. From this perspective, water availability in the present study is considered an indirect indicator of the territory’s capacity to regulate hydrological processes, inferred from the configuration and transformation of land cover. This approach makes it possible to analyze the relationship between land use and water resources at a territorial scale without relying on direct hydrometric measurements, which is consistent with methodologies based on spatial analysis and secondary information sources. The purpose of this monograph is to analyze land cover and land use changes in the municipality of Villavicencio between 2000 and 2024 through a spatial and multitemporal approach and to describe how these transformations may be interpreted in relation to surface water availability. The study seeks to improve understanding of how productive intensification, urban expansion, and ecological succession processes have contributed to the current territorial configuration, while also generating information that supports a more comprehensive interpretation of these dynamics. Methodologically, the research was conducted through a multitemporal analysis of land cover for the periods 2000–2006, 2006–2012, 2012–2018, and 2018–2024, using the CORINE Land Cover methodology adapted for Colombia. Through the spatial comparison of land cover maps, categories of change were identified, including stability, agricultural and livestock frontier expansion, urban growth, early and intermediate succession, and modifications in areas associated with water resources. This procedure enabled not only the quantification of transformations in terms of surface area but also the identification of spatial patterns in landscape evolution. Although the analysis is based on cartographic information and secondary sources, which limits the possibility of establishing direct causal relationships between territorial transformations and hydrological variability, it allows for the identification of consistent trends in landscape configuration over the last two decades. Therefore, the study focuses on interpreting these dynamics from a territorial perspective rather than directly measuring their effects. Overall, the results are expected to contribute to a better understanding of territorial dynamics in Villavicencio by highlighting the interaction between productive activities, regeneration processes, and the spatial organization of the landscape. Furthermore, the study seeks to contribute to discussions on the relationship between land use and water resources in piedmont environments, providing elements that may support environmental planning and management processes aimed at sustainable territorial development and the protection of water as a strategic resource.Keywords: Land Use Change; Land Cover; Landscape Fragmentation; Water Availability; Spatial Analysis; CORINE Land Cover; Orinoquian Piedmont; Villavicencio.