Urban Land Cover Change in Ecologically Fragile Environments: The Case of the Galapagos Islands

A study on the Galápagos Islands reveals that object-based classification using spectral indices is more effective than sub-pixel spectral mixture analysis for mapping impervious surfaces in heterogeneous urban environments. This method, applied to the three main inhabited islands, showed a strong correlation (R² = 67.7%) between estimated and true impervious surface abundance, despite limitations from Landsat imagery's pixel size. The research found an average annual urban growth rate of 3.3% from 1992 to 2017, highlighting the need for integrated planning systems to balance conservation efforts with sustainable development in this ecologically fragile UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Benítez, F., Mena, C., & Zurita-Arthos, L. (2018). Urban Land Cover Change in Ecologically Fragile Environments: The Case of the Galapagos Islands. Land, 7(1), 21. https://doi.org/10.3390/land7010021