Application of Vegetation Indices in the Reserva Ecológica Sede de Occidente (RESO)

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15517/79jz9e66

Keywords:

afforestation, Costa Rica, forest ecology, remote sensing, planning

Abstract

Vegetation indices are essential for the study and monitoring of forest systems in recovery; however, they have not been systematically applied in the protected areas of the University of Costa Rica. This study presents the quantification of three vegetation indices in the Reserva Ecológica Sede de Occidente, together with their field validation (ground truthing) and a comparison of the forest performance of this site with another successional system of similar age. The research was conducted using a mixed methodology that included satellite data analysis, field measurement of forest variables, and statistical evaluation. The results revealed a strong relationship between satellite parameters and those validated in the field and also showed that the forest patches of this reserve represent early successional systems that are recovering more slowly than other nearby sites. This slower recovery may be linked to vegetation management and manipulation in recent years. The findings demonstrate that satellite monitoring is a valuable tool for the continued study of the reserve, and its incorporation into a future management plan is therefore recommended

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Published

2025-12-01

Issue

Vol. 25 No. 45 (2025): Período junio 2025-noviembre 2025   

Section

Natural Sciences

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Copyright (c) 2025 Juliette Bédat , Cindy Rodríguez Arias , Carlos Rojas Alvarado (Autor/a)

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.

How to Cite

Application of Vegetation Indices in the Reserva Ecológica Sede de Occidente (RESO) . (2025). Pensamiento Actual, 25(45). https://doi.org/10.15517/79jz9e66