Harmonization of land-cover data to assess agricultural land transformation patterns in the peri-urban Spanish Mediterranean Huertas

ABSTRACT Most of the peri-urban areas in European cities are characterized by a mix of rural and urban uses. Despite being sprawled areas, they provide opportunities for improving green connectivity at a multiscale level, between urban-green and natural or agricultural peripheral extensions. Several land monitoring services, both at national and European levels, have become key tools to perform the analysis and diagnosis of its transformation patterns and dynamics. However, the accuracy of available datasets is typically not adequate for approaching the spatial complexity of these areas. This research proposes a methodology to improve precision by combining land use datasets and applies it to a specific study case, the peri-urban Spanish Mediterranean Huertas, highly valued agricultural and cultural landscapes under an intense urban pressure. Findings reveal that this method detects and solves inaccuracies, and it is easily replicable in different spatial contexts, becoming an effective tool for decision-making processes.