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Deforestation in Continental Ecuador with a Focus on Protected Areas

Author

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  • Janina Kleemann

    (Department of Sustainable Landscape Development, Institute for Geosciences and Geography, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Von-Seckendorff-Platz 4, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany)

  • Camilo Zamora

    (Department of Sustainable Landscape Development, Institute for Geosciences and Geography, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Von-Seckendorff-Platz 4, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany
    Department of Remote Sensing, Institute of Geography and Geology, Julius-Maximilians-University of Würzburg, Oswald-Külpe-Weg 86, 97074 Würzburg, Germany)

  • Alexandra Belen Villacis-Chiluisa

    (Department of Remote Sensing, Institute of Geography and Geology, Julius-Maximilians-University of Würzburg, Oswald-Külpe-Weg 86, 97074 Würzburg, Germany)

  • Pablo Cuenca

    (Research Group of Tropical Ecosystems and Global Change, Universidad Regional Amazónica Ikiam, Tena 150101, Ecuador
    Global Change Laboratory, Universidad Regional Amazónica Ikiam, Tena 150101, Ecuador)

  • Hongmi Koo

    (Department of Sustainable Landscape Development, Institute for Geosciences and Geography, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Von-Seckendorff-Platz 4, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany)

  • Jin Kyoung Noh

    (Research Group of Tropical Ecosystems and Global Change, Universidad Regional Amazónica Ikiam, Tena 150101, Ecuador
    Global Change Laboratory, Universidad Regional Amazónica Ikiam, Tena 150101, Ecuador)

  • Christine Fürst

    (Department of Sustainable Landscape Development, Institute for Geosciences and Geography, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Von-Seckendorff-Platz 4, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany
    German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Puschstr. 4, 04103 Leipzig, Germany)

  • Michael Thiel

    (Department of Remote Sensing, Institute of Geography and Geology, Julius-Maximilians-University of Würzburg, Oswald-Külpe-Weg 86, 97074 Würzburg, Germany)

Abstract

Forest conservation is of particular concern in tropical regions where a large refuge of biodiversity is still existing. These areas are threatened by deforestation, forest degradation and fragmentation. Especially, pressures of anthropogenic activities adjacent to these areas significantly influence conservation effectiveness. Ecuador was chosen as study area since it is a globally relevant center of forest ecosystems and biodiversity. We identified hotspots of deforestation on the national level of continental Ecuador between 1990 and 2018, analyzed the most significant drivers of deforestation on national and biome level (the Coast, the Andes, The Amazon) as well as inside protected areas in Ecuador by using multiple regression analysis. We separated the national system of protected areas (SNAP) into higher and lower protection levels. Besides SNAP, we also considered Biosphere Reserves (BRs) and Ramsar sites. In addition, we investigated the rates and spatial patterns of deforestation in protected areas and buffer zones (5 km and 10 km outwards the protected area boundaries) using landscape metrics. Between 1990 and 2018, approximately 4% of the accumulated deforestation occurred within the boundaries of SNAP, and up to 25.5% in buffer zones. The highest rates of deforestation have been found in the 5 km buffer zone around the protected areas with the highest protection level. Protected areas and their buffer zones with higher protection status were identified as the most deforested areas among SNAP. BRs had the highest deforestation rates among all protected areas but most of these areas just became BRs after the year 2000. The most important driver of deforestation is agriculture. Other relevant drivers differ between the biomes. The results suggest that the SNAP is generally effective to prevent deforestation within their protection boundaries. However, deforestation around protected areas can undermine conservation strategies to sustain biodiversity. Actions to address such dynamics and patterns of deforestation and forest fragmentation, and developing conservation strategies of their landscape context are urgently needed especially in the buffer zones of areas with the highest protection status.

Suggested Citation

  • Janina Kleemann & Camilo Zamora & Alexandra Belen Villacis-Chiluisa & Pablo Cuenca & Hongmi Koo & Jin Kyoung Noh & Christine Fürst & Michael Thiel, 2022. "Deforestation in Continental Ecuador with a Focus on Protected Areas," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(2), pages 1-26, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jlands:v:11:y:2022:i:2:p:268-:d:746217
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Martha Cecilia Vergel Verjel & Thiago Almeida Vieira, 2024. "Agriculture in Protected Areas of Latin America: News Website Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(3), pages 1-26, January.
    2. Josimar da Silva Freitas & Alfredo Kingo Oyama Homma & José Francisco de Carvalho Ferreira & Milton Cordeiro Farias Filho & Armin Mathis & David Costa Correia Silva & Luiz Mário Padilha, 2023. "Limits and Possibilities of Vegetable Extraction in Extractive Reserves in the Amazon," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-13, February.
    3. Koo, Hongmi & Kleemann, Janina & Cuenca, Pablo & Noh, Jin Kyoung & Fürst, Christine, 2024. "Implications of landscape changes for ecosystem services and biodiversity: A national assessment in Ecuador," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 69(C).
    4. Lucía Toledo & Gloria Salmoral & Oswaldo Viteri-Salazar, 2023. "Rethinking Agricultural Policy in Ecuador (1960–2020): Analysis Based on the Water–Energy–Food Security Nexus," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(17), pages 1-22, August.
    5. Fabián Santos & Luisa Di Lucchio & Manuel Múgica Barrera, 2025. "Strengthening the Adoption of Copernicus Services in Latin America: Capacity Building Experiences in Ecuador and Bolivia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(4), pages 1-40, February.
    6. Diego Mejía-Veintimilla & Pablo Ochoa-Cueva & Juan Arteaga-Marín, 2024. "Evaluation of the Hydrological Response to Land Use Change Scenarios in Urban and Non-Urban Mountain Basins in Ecuador," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-13, November.
    7. Sadeghi, Azin & Zhunusova, Eliza & Günter, Sven & Dieter, Matthias, 2023. "Households' livelihood in restricted forest landscapes: What is the impact of contextual factors?," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 154(C).
    8. Saulo Folharini & António Vieira & António Bento-Gonçalves & Sara Silva & Tiago Marques & Jorge Novais, 2023. "A Framework Using Open-Source Software for Land Use Prediction and Climate Data Time Series Analysis in a Protected Area of Portugal: Alvão Natural Park," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-16, June.

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