How oil palm plantations are changing landscape features in the north of Colombia

Human-mediated ecosystem changes modify the physical characteristics of the landscape and the mechanisms driving energy and water balances. In tropical regions, global demands of food, energy, and goods have increased land transformation and reshaped the quality, availability, and movement of freshwater. One of the most prominent factors producing land changes in the tropics is agriculture expansion, which has transformed natural and modified ecosystems. Among the crops having the fastest expansion in the tropics is oil palm, the most important oil crop globally. Although the transition from forest to oil palm is significant in the tropics, new patterns transforming non-forested areas (agricultural and pasture land) to oil palm have been identified, specifically in the Neotropics. Little has been investigated on how the transition to oil palm impacts the hydrologic cycle in these areas. In this work, we examine the patterns and effects on this transition in northern Colombia, the largest oil palm producer in the American tropics. Focusing on lowland continental areas, we explore spatiotemporal patterns of oil palm expansion and vegetation structure by using remote sensing techniques and ground observations. We compare these patterns to hydroclimatic variables, finding links associated with changes in radiation, temperature, and moisture that drive changes in evapotranspiration. These findings improve understanding of how shifts in energy and water balance are influenced by oil palm expansion. We use remote sensing and other geospatial techniques to map oil palm, and time series analysis of local and national weather data are used to understand hydroclimatic variations. Understanding the effects of oil palm expansion in already-transformed environments helps identify key land-atmosphere feedbacks that influence freshwater resources, and to identify key land management strategies.