Cambios espaciotemporales en la cobertura de la tierra y valoración ecológica de las zonas ribereñas en la microcuenca del río Ipís, Costa Rica

[Introduction]: Riparian zones provide a wide range of ecosystem services, and in urban contexts with high human intervention, this provision can be especially important. However, urban riparian zones worldwide have been highly degraded. [Objective]: This research analyzed the spatiotemporal dynamics of land cover change over a period of 30 years (1992-2022) in the urban micro-basin of the Ipís River in the Greater Metropolitan Area (GAM) of Costa Rica and evaluated the ecological condition of its riparian zones. [Methodology]: This was done using geospatial techniques such as satellite image and aerial photo classification, map algebra, landscape metrics, and the use of an index for evaluating riparian ecological integrity (QBR index). [Results]: During the study period, in the Ipís River micro-basin there was a significant increase in impervious cover (66.6%) at the expense of more pervious cover with greater ecological functionality, and there has been greater fragmentation and isolation of patches of more pervious covers. The QBR index values also suggest high alteration and poor ecological integrity in the riparian zones of the micro-basin in general. [Conclusions]: The expansion of cover associated with urban uses has been prominent in the Ipís River micro-basin over the last three decades, and the high degradation in its riparian zones compromises the ability to provide ecosystem services in this context of high anthropogenic alteration.