Land Use/Land Cover Change Module
Quiz No 1: The Atlantic Coast of Honduras
QUIZ Image No. 1 - Cuero y Salado (western image) and Hi-res No. 1
QUIZ Image No. 2 - Pico Bonito/La Ceiba (eastern image) and Hi-res No. 2
Landsat-Infrared and Topographic map #1 and La Ceiba - Topo #2
Image No. 1 - Cuero y Salado Region
Questions on Image No. 1:
Point #1:
a) Compare and contrast the types of agricultural
landscape visible in terms of intensity of
mechanization, mono-culture (and at Point #14 in
Image No. 2 --farther below) as compared to what you
see in and around Point #2 in Image No. 1?
b) What type of “land use” categorization would you give
vs. “land cover”?
Review the FAO/GLCN/LCCS system-- Level I or II
category (http://www.glcnlccs.org/index.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=2)
Point #2:
a) How does this “settlement pattern” differ from what is
seen around Point #12 (Image No. 2 --farther below)?
b) Would you categorize both as “urban”? If not, how
would you differentiate them from each other in terms
of “land use” or “land cover”?
Point #3:
a) Can you infer from the images (either close-up aerial
images or otherwise) what are the primary livelihood
pursuits of those living in this small community?
b) How much of the vegetation seen in the satellite
imagery or aerial images is “natural” vs. “humanaltered”?
c) Look at the Topographic map for this point--how
does the vegetative cover differ today around this
settlement from what is inferred from the topographic
map classification?
Go to =
(http://resweb.llu.edu/rford/courses/ESSC5xx/slides/mapacartograficoCYSRVS.jpg)
Point #4:
a) What do you think causes the “linear” patterns seen in
the vegetation and “on-shore” coastal landscape?
Again, look at the Topographic map for this point as
well as imagery to look for clues.
b) How much of the vegetative cover do you think is due
to human intervention vs. natural processes including
“hazards” such as flood, hurricane, etc?
Point #5 and Point #6:
a) Compare the “forest” type (land cover) seen at Point
#5 with what is seen at Point #6. Which is more
“natural” vs. “human-created”?
b) What clues do you have that lead you to classify it one
way or the other?
c) Which land class is likely to have more species
diversity (floral and faunal) and why?
d) What “land use” vs. “land cover” class would you put
each one into? Give your reasons.
See the FAO/GLCN/LCCS system--(http://www.glcnlccs.org/index.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=2)
Point #7:
a) What type of vegetation/habitat category or
classification--Level I, II, or III (terrestrial and/or
aquatic ecosystem) would you give it?
See the FAO/GLCN/LCCS system:
Go to > (http://www.glcnlccs.org/index.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=2)
b) What types of wild animals (fauna) would you expect
to find in this habitat or ecosystem?
Point #8:
a) What type of hydrological and coastal landforms
(geomorphology) do you see here?
b) Why does the outlet to this water body/river enter the
ocean toward the west rather than toward the east in
the image?
c) Can you distinguish the possible livelihood patterns of
the homesteads on either side of the water body—the
western vs. eastern side. What clues are there?
Point #9:
a) Is this part of an agricultural land use or some other
use? Look at the patterns observable
from the air which are quite different from the
surrounding region.
b) How are the patterns different and what do you think
explain them?
Point #10:
a) This an agricultural landscape like most of the region,
but how is it different than what is observed at Point
#9 and Point #6?
b) What do you think causes the “blotchy-brown areas”
seen in this part of the landscape?
c) What land cover class would you put this zone into
(outside the large “agricultural forest-cover areas”
observable?
See the FAO/GLCN/LCCS system. Go to >
(http://www.glcnlccs.org/index.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=2)
Image No. 2 - Pico Bonito and the La Ceiba Region
Questions on Image No. 2:
Point #11 and #12:
a) Compare and contrast the types of landscape (LULC)
visible at Point #11 as compared to what you see
around Point #12?
b) What type of “land use” categorization would you give
each area in terms of “land use” vs. “land cover”?
Again see the FAO/GLCN/LCCS system. Go to >
(http://www.glcn-lccs.org/index.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=2)
c) What types of urban infrastructure do you see?
d) What types of livelihoods does these land covers/uses
imply?
Point #13:
a) What type of linear feature is this?
b) How long is it?
Use the Topographic Map to calculate a scale for the
image and thus measure the length.
(http://resweb.llu.edu/rford/ESSE21/LUCCModule/photos/TopoCeiba_region-2.png)
c) Would you categorize both as “urban” or “industrial” or
some other category?
Point #14:
a) Can you infer from the images (either close-up aerial
images or ground-level) what type of land use and land
cover classification this would be?
Again see the FAO/GLCN/LCCS system
Go to > (http://www.glcnlccs.org/index.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=2)
b)
How much of the vegetation seen in the satellite
imagery or aerial images is “natural” vs. “humanaltered”?
Points #15 and #16:
a) What differences are there between the vegetative
cover seen at point #15 as compared to Point #16?
Again, look at the Topographic map for this point as
well as imagery to look for clues.
(http://resweb.llu.edu/rford/ESSE21/LUCCModule/photos/TopoCeiba_region-2.png)
b) How much of the vegetative cover is due to human
intervention vs. natural processes?
c) What differences in “biodiversity” would you expect?
d) Which one is more diverse and why?
e) Can you see other types of “human” infrastructure in
the forest zone of each as well as between both
(between Point #15 and #16)?
Point #17:
a) Compare the “forest” class (land cover) seen at Point
#15 and #16 with Point #17.
b) What are likely to be the differences floristically and
ecologically?
c) What are the key factors that differentiate and “cause”
each category?
d) What “land use” vs. “land cover” class would you give
for each and why?
See the FAO/GLCN/LCCS system--(http://www.glcnlccs.org/index.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=2)
Point #18:
a) What critical type of infrastructure along this river is
observable at this point or can be inferred by looking
at the surroundings?
b) How is the river itself and surrounding vegetative
cover different between Point #18 and #20 going
downstream vs. between #18 and #19 going
upstream?
c) Which segment has been more human impacted and
in what ways?
d) What clues to “human impact” do you observe?
Point #19:
a) What type of “land use” vs. “land cover” would you give
for the areas around this point?
b) Can you distinguish the possible livelihood patterns of
the people who live in this area (around point #19 vs.
those homesteads around Point #20)?
Point #20:
a) How is the gradient of the river different upstream
from this point vs. downstream?
b) What explains the difference and what are the
implications for flood hazard, erosion, and other
impacts on both natural ecosystems and builtenvironments and infrastructure?
c) How might water management and infrastructure work
along the Rio Cangrejal affect the mouth of the river
and coastal zone--even offshore such as reef
systems?
END QUIZ:
http://resweb.llu.edu/rford/ESSE21/LUCCModule/case_study_1.html
Revised: November 14, 2006 Robert E. Ford – URL: http://resweb.llu.edu/rford