Contemporary land use changes in prealpine Mediterranean mountains: a multivariate GIS-based approach applied to two municipalities in the Southern French Prealps

Abstract

This paper examines recent land use changes in the Mediterranean mountain setting of the Diois region of the Southern French Prealps, which has undergone considerable change related to evolution of the agro–sylvo–pastoral system and the decline of agriculture since the beginning of the 19th century. The aim was to describe the evolution of land use and the influence of environmental factors on it. Land use maps were created for 1828, 1956 and 1991 to quantify landscape modifications. Changes in anthropogenic pressure on land were assessed from changes in population and livestock. Relationships between several environmental factors (e.g. bedrock classes, surface deposits, elevation, slope, aspect, dip, dip orientation and relation between dip and slope) and land use changes were appraised. Social, economic and technical changes have influenced the agricultural system. Between-class Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA) showed that decision-making during two periods, 1828–1956 and 1956–1991, was influenced by environmental variables, notably slope, but also elevation, bedrock type and surface deposits. Impacts on hillslopes, fluvial processes and the landscape in general resulting from land use change have created specific problems for land management and development.