GIS based approach to analyse the relationship between land units and land use in the Central Region of Portugal

Land units refer to coherent spatial areas characterized by a degree of homogeneity concerning certain properties like geology, soils, and climate. The Land use mosaic corresponds to a circumstantial layer representing the landscape’s present state, depicting the present resource allocation factors. Nevertheless, the stable potential layer is related to the stable characteristics of each site and allows the identification of use constraints or potentials. In this study, we use a methodology based on the land unit concept to define a stable potential layer at a regional level. Therefore, land units were delimited for the Central region of Portugal, resulting from the combination of geomorphology, soil parent material, and bioclimatic influence. For each land unit, representative sample areas were characterized in terms of their land use mosaic characteristics. For that purpose, selected landscape metrics were used to quantify the land use mosaic geometrical attributes: Shannon’s Diversity Index, Edge Density, Mean Patch Size, and Number of Patches. The existing land use types were also quantified. Finally, a cluster analysis was performed to define groups of samples representing the land units with similar land-use mosaic types. The landscape metrics that best explain the influence of the permanent structure of the territory on the circumstantial structure of use are Shannon's Diversity Index, Edge Density, and Number of Patches. The highest diversity land cover patterns are located in formations with a lithology rich to very rich in silica under Mesomediterranean dry to subhumid climate. The validation of the previously defined land units confirmed the reliability of the proposed methodology, with most of the land units strongly influencing the land-use mosaic. The delimitation and characterization of homogeneous land units are useful for the definition of soil suitability and for the choice of the most appropriate uses and activities by the stakeholders.

This work is supported with Portuguese national funds by FCT - Foundation for Science and Technology, I.P., within theGEOBIOTEC - Project UIDB/04035/2020.

info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion