Estudio multitemporal de la cobertura boscosa del cantón Chambo de la provincia de Chimborazo a través de imágenes satelitales “Landsat 8”.

Abstract

This research proposes a multi-temporal study of the forest cover of Chambo Canton in the province of Chimborazo through Landsat 8 satellite images. Two types of forest ecosystems were determined, the evergreen forest of the páramo and the high montano evergreen forest of the north of the eastern Andean mountain range present in the study area, then through satellite images which were exposed to an atmospheric correction process to obtain better quality images, the classification was supervised to observe the tendency of change that the forest cover has suffered in the years 2015, 2017 and 2019. Also an information search on composition and structure studies of high montano forests existing in the Chambo canton was developed, which allowed us to know the most representative tree species of this type of ecosystems. The high montano evergreen forest of the north of the eastern Andean mountain range between 2015 and 2017 had a decrease in its territory of 192 hectares, for the years 2017 and 2019 there was a decrease of 97.86 hectares of forest, the causes that have influenced and have more intervened in the loss of this ecosystem is the increase of the agricultural frontier, agricultural activities, illegal exploitation of forest resources and even tourism in an irresponsible manner. The environmental culture is essential in the society because it must be prepared to obtain an environmental improvement, a rationalization and preservation of the natural resources, understanding that as they are destroyed, the quality of life of future generations is being destroyed.