The use of descriptors of ecosystem functioning for monitoring a National Park Network: a remote sensing approach

ALCARAZ-SEGURA, D.; CABELLO, J.; PARUELO, J.M.; DELIBES, M.

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT

Año: 2009 vol. 43 p. 38 - 48

0364-152X

Abstract Baseline assessments and monitoring of protectedareas are essential for making management decisions,evaluating the effectiveness of management practices, andtracking the effects of global changes. For these purposes, theanalysis of functional attributes of ecosystems (i.e., differentaspects of the exchange of matter and energy) has advantagesover the traditional use of structural attributes, like a quickerresponse to disturbances and the fact that they are easilymonitored through remote sensing. In this study, wedescribed the spatiotemporal patterns of different aspects ofthe ecosystem functioning of the Spanish national parks andtheir response to environmental changes between 1982 and2006. To do so, we used the NOAA/AVHRR-GIMMSdataset of the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index(NDVI), a linear estimator of the fraction of photosyntheticactive radiation intercepted by vegetation, which is the maincontrol of carbon gains. Nearly all parks have significantlychanged during the last 25 years: The radiation interceptionhas increased, the contrast between the growing and nongrowingseasons has diminished, and the dates of maximumand minimum interception have advanced. Some parksconcentrated more changes than others and the degree ofchange varied depending on their different environmentalconditions, management, and conservation histories. Ourapproach identified reference conditions and temporalchanges for different aspects of ecosystem functioning,which can be used for management purposes of protectedareas in response to global changes.