**4. Results**

The results come from the analysis of the land-use related to vegetation changes for the Galicia region in the years 1990, 2000, 2006, 2012 and 2018. The results will be exposed through the tables, and thematic cartography. This typology of results exposed allows for extracting the most relevant information and characterizing the evolution of land use based on the 15 land uses determined by CLC in level 2. The information is organized as presented in **Table 2**, in percentage.

In order to know what are the differences in area extension for every land use, the differences in percentage areas between years are calculated.

From the information in **Table 3**, it can be seen that the two greatest differences occur for land uses 2.4. and 3.1. between 2000 and 2006. Indeed, −12.88% for 2.4. corresponding to Heterogeneous agricultural areas and 3.1. corresponding to forests. For this reason, it was determined the percentage area for land uses, but in this case at the Level 3.

**Table 4** shows that the highest percentage corresponds to 3.1.1. in 2006 whose value is 23.83% 2006, that is to say, about a quarter of Galicia is occupied by broadleaved forest. Nonetheless, it is important to take into account that the percentage of this land use was very lower years before, 7.75% in 2000 and 7.63% in 1990. Consequently, a huge increase in the area occupied by broad-leaved forests occurred between 2000 and 2006. Although in a lower intensity and also between the same years, has occurred an increase of the land use 3.1.2. coniferous forest, from 2.78% in 2000 to 10.47% in 2006. On the contrary, a reduction of the area occupied occurred in the same years for the land uses 2.43. the land occupied by agriculture and 3.1.3. mixed forest.


#### **Table 2.**

*Percentage of land uses according to level 2 of CLC nomenclature in the Galicia region (Source: authors).*


*Analyzing the Evolution of Land-Use Changes Related to Vegetation, in the Galicia Region… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.106015*

#### **Table 3.**

*Percentage difference of land uses according to level 2 of CLC nomenclature in the Galicia region (Source: authors).*


#### **Table 4.**

*Percentage of land uses according to level 3 for 2.4. and 3.1. land uses according to CLC nomenclature in the Galicia region (Source: authors).*

In this regard, to know the highest differences in the percentage area of the land uses, again it was calculated the difference between the years analyzed, but at the level 3 and specifically for the land uses classified into 2.4. and 3.1.

According to **Table 5**, it seems that the increase in certain kinds of land uses such as 3.1.1. broad-leaved forest and 3.1.2. coniferous forest is compensated by the decrease of other land uses like 2.4.2. complex cultivation, 2.4.3. the land occupied by agriculture and 3.1.3. mixed forest. Nonetheless, it is advisable to execute more exhaustive study research to know it.


#### **Table 5.**

*Percentage difference of land uses according to level 3 for 2.4. and 3.1. land uses according to CLC nomenclature in the Galicia region (Source: authors).*

In addition, using ArcGIS 10.5 Geographic Information Systems (GIS) management software, it was possible to more accurately represent the location of each area (thematic cartography) – i.e., according to their respective CLC nomenclature and temporal variance, **Figures 4**–**10**.

Because between 2006 and 2000 has occurred the highest difference for land uses was classified into the groups 2.4. and 3.1. thematic cartography was made for this land use at level 3 and in these years.

Although **Figures 9** and **10** show the land uses for both years, it is really difficult to know where these changes have been produced. Because these land uses occupy most of the Galicia territory and they are very spread. However, it is possible to realize that

#### **Figure 4.**

*Land uses according to level 2 of CLC nomenclature in the Galicia region in 1990 (Source: Authors by ESRI ArcGIS, 2020).*

*Analyzing the Evolution of Land-Use Changes Related to Vegetation, in the Galicia Region… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.106015*

#### **Figure 5.**

*Land uses according to level 2 of CLC nomenclature in the Galicia region in 2000 (Source: Authors by ESRI ArcGIS, 2020).*

#### **Figure 6.**

*Land uses according to level 2 of CLC nomenclature in the Galicia region in 2006 (Source: Authors by ESRI ArcGIS, 2020).*

#### **Figure 7.**

*Land uses according to level 2 of CLC nomenclature in the Galicia region in 2012 (Source: Authors by ESRI ArcGIS, 2020).*

#### **Figure 8.**

*Land uses according to level 2 of CLC nomenclature in the Galicia region in 2018 (Source: Authors by ESRI ArcGIS, 2020).*

*Analyzing the Evolution of Land-Use Changes Related to Vegetation, in the Galicia Region… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.106015*

#### **Figure 9.**

*Land uses according to level 3 for 2.4. and 3.1. land uses of CLC nomenclature in the Galicia region in 2006 (Source: Authors by ESRI ArcGIS, 2020).*

#### **Figure 10.**

*Land uses according to level 3 for 2.4. and 3.1. land uses of CLC nomenclature in the Galicia region in 2012 (Source: Authors by ESRI ArcGIS, 2020).*

in the north area 3.1.2. land uses disappear between the analyzed years. Besides, in the west area disappear land uses classified in 2.4. and 3.1., in favor of other land uses since more white areas appear. This effect is also observed in the southeast area.
