A Methodological Approach to the Study of Geomorphological Dynamics and Functional Connectivity in Mediterranean Mountain Areas

Mediterranean Mountainous Areas (MMA) face significant changes presently: these include changes of climate, land use and management and vegetation cover involving land abandonment, fires, and intensification, as well as social and demographic processes. MMA are pointed out as the most vulnerable areas to changes of different nature. These changes influence the present-day and recent geomorphological dynamics of MMA with important consequences that may be, among others, of hydrologic and pedologic nature. The main goal of this study is to assess methodologies for the analysis of the recent and current changes in the geomorphological dynamics, their driving forces, perturbations, and consequences over the supply of the most relevant Ecosystem Services (ES) of six mediterranean basins on South of the Iberian Peninsula; as well as to provide recommendations to mitigate global change effects and strengthen the resilience of mediterranean environment. The proposed methodological approach will analyse dynamics of geomorphic systems working at three temporal scales: past, recent, and current dynamics. Recent developments in ‘Structure from motion’ (SfM) photogrammetry related to the processing of historical aerial imagery will be studied to understand past dynamics. We will exploit currently available extensive coverage and high-spatial resolution datasets to understand recent geomorphic dynamics. An intensive monitoring approach will be used in selected study sites to analyse the present-day dynamics of these representative areas. Factors and driving forces determining the geomorphic dynamics will be examined. The consequences of these changes for sediment and water connectivity, water supply and other ES will be analysed.