Aplicación de la teledetección y sistemas de información geográfica en los cambios del uso y cobertura del suelo en el área de influencia del canal de riego Cayambe-Pedro Moncayo

Abstract

This study analyzes land use and land cover changes in the area influenced by the Cayambe-Pedro Moncayo irrigation canal between 2012 and 2023, using satellite imagery and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) tools. The implementation of this canal has led to significant transformations in the landscape structure, particularly in agricultural and urban sectors. Using multitemporal remote sensing techniques with Landsat 8 and Sentinel-2 sensors, a supervised classification was applied through the Random Forest algorithm to identify eight land cover classes: pasture, roses, maize, forest, miscellaneous, others, reservoirs, and populated areas. Results show a significant reduction in pasturelands, likely due to conversion into intensive agricultural land or urban expansion. Maize cultivation showed a notable increase, doubling its area in several parishes, while rose cultivation also expanded, strengthening its economic relevance in the region. Forest cover exhibited variable dynamics depending on the parish, with some areas experiencing loss due to anthropogenic pressure and others showing partial recovery. Reservoirs expanded significantly, reflecting improvements in water infrastructure. Additionally, urban areas grew, highlighting ongoing urbanization processes. Despite these internal changes, the total area of the study region remained practically constant, indicating a reorganization of land use rather than territorial expansion. This redistribution emphasizes the need to integrate water management with territorial planning and environmental conservation. The study concludes that remote sensing and GIS are effective tools for monitoring landscape transformations and supporting informed decisions toward sustainable land use.