Julie Ruiz

Analysis of landscape pattern change trajectories within areas of intensive agricultural use: case study in a watershed of southern Québec, Canada

This study aimed at capturing the spatial variability of landscape patterns and their trajectories of change from 1950 to 2000 within a watershed, which is representative of areas of intensive agricultural use. After an analysis of landscape features changes for the entire watershed based on aerial photographs, hierarchical clustering analysis provided a typology of landscape patterns for the cadastral lots. Following that, the trajectory of change of each lot was characterized (nature, importance, direction, rate of change). Seven types of landscape patterns are distinguished by the relative importance of different classes of landscape features and 51 trajectories of change were identified for the lots. The analysis shows that although the majority of lots were subjected to a homogenization of their landscape patterns since 1950, this trend is not entirely uniform and that since 2000 it occurs alongside trends towards diversification of certain landscape features on some lots. Furthermore, nearly a third of the lots are not following the main trajectories of change detected. Thus, the results suggest that extrinsic forces (policies, technologies) that are directing main changes in areas of intensive agricultural use toward uniformity could be modulated by internal forces (uses and values of the population). A better understanding of theses internal forces seems crucial to manage landscapes. From a methodology standpoint, although the hierarchical clustering analyses appear useful for understanding the spatial and temporal variability of landscape patterns, particular attention must be given to validating the typology chosen to characterize them.

VERS DES PAYSAGES MULTIFONCTIONNELS EN ZONE D'INTENSIFICATION AGRICOLE. UNE RECHERCHE INTERDISCIPLINAIRE AU QUÉBEC (CANADA)

In areas of intensive agricultural uses, the trends towards the homogenization of landscapes are creating a risk of devitalization for rural communities. The restoration of environmental functions of these landscapes, as the consideration of issues related to quality of life, is now urgent. In that context, an interdisciplinary research project is conducted since four years in Quebec (Canada). The objective of the project is to identify landscape structures that would allow for both the reintroduction of past functions (environmental), as well as being responsive to new functions (residential, amenities, etc.). Emphasizing the most critical dimensions of the rural environment (biodiversity, co-inhabitation of populations, water quality), the results of this research offer planning guides for the reintroduction of the multifunctional character of the landscapes in areas of intensive agriculture.