Spatial analysis of Puerto Rico's terrestrial protected areas [1:240 000]

Abstract

This research map describes Puerto Rico's terrestrial protected areas based on natural and anthropogenic elements of the landscape. We used geospatial data, i.e., land cover (Gould et al. 2007); urban, suburban, and rural settlements (Martinuzzi et al. 2008); and physiography to illustrate landscape elements and analyze what and how much is protected in Puerto Rico. Pie and bar charts convey statistics about each landscape element's distribution and level of protection. We also analyzed the landscape context of the protected areas by classifying each one as coastal, forested, herbaceous, or urban based on the dominant land cover that surrounds each area in a 1 km buffer and tabulated the land cover within and other statistics for each classification. Additionally, we mapped the linear distance from the protected areas providing a visual reference of the distribution and connectivity between the protected areas and charted how the land cover distribution changes from within the protected areas across distance groups.

Citation

Quinones, M.; Gould, W.A.; Castro-Prieto, J.; Martinuzzi, S. 2013. Spatial analysis of Puerto Rico's terrestrial protected areas [1:240 000]. Res. Map IITF-RMAP-03. Rio Piedras, PR: U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, International Institute of Tropical Forestry.