Effect of the South Dikeon the canopy types of the Güira de Melena Wetland, Artemisa, Cuba

Abstract

Wetlands are of utmost importance for protection against meteorological events due to their ability to reduce the penetration of the sea. Historically, these ecosystems in Cuba have decreased their extension due to deforestation, the modification of the water regime and urban expansion. The wetlands of the south of Güira de Melena, Artemisa, Cuba, have presented modifications in the water regime due to the construction of hydraulic works such as the South Dike. Various studies have been carried out in which contradictory results have been reached on the effects of the dike on the vegetation of this area. A useful tool to be able to carry out investigations of variations in the coverage of coastal wetlands is the remote sensing of satellite images. The objective of this study was to evaluate the variations in the forest cover of the Güira de Melena wetland between 1985 and 2017. A supervised classification of the wetland cover was used with field data taken in the analyzed area. It was determined that the extension of the wetlands of the coastal zone of Güira de Melena showed variations between the years 1985 and 2017. The construction of works such as the South Dike for this region has probably had a negative impact on the swamp forests because they have had a reduction during the period analyzed. The swamp grasslands showed an increase towards the northern region, while mangroves predominated in the southern area, with which the protection of the coasts against meteorological events has been increasing.