Ecuadorian Amazon Deforestation Hotspots Due to Oil Infrastructure Development in the 21 st Century

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Abstract. The Ecuadorian Amazon hosts remarkable biodiversity and cultural richness but faces increasing pressures from the expansion of oil-related activities. This study evaluated the distribution and concentration of deforestation hotspots between 2000 and 2023, analyzing their relationship with existing oil infrastructure and environmentally significant areas Land Use and Land Cover data from MapBiomas Ecuador were combined with Kernel Density Estimation (KDE) analyses based on the spatial distribution of oil blocks, pipelines, wells, and the limits of environmentally sensitive areas. The results indicate a net loss of 391,303 ha (4%) of forest cover, with 80% of the hotspots located within a 10 km radius of hydrocarbon infrastructure. However, intangible zones, protected areas, and water protection zones showed minimal impacts. The findings of this study provide technical evidence to support land-use management and conservation efforts in ecologically vulnerable Amazonian regions.

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