Lidar and Satellite Data for Climate Monitoring and Archaeology Management in The Yaxha’ Lagoon Landscape in Guatemala

Abstract. The Yaxhà lagoon is located in Guatemala, within the Maya Biosphere Reserve, in the 'El Triangulo Cultural' National Park, a protected area bordering Belize and several indigenous concessions. The park contains three monumental archaeological citadels, Yaxhà, Nakum, and Naranjo, including a wetland’s landscape protected by the Ramsar treaty. Additionally, there is a large artificial wetland, Poza Maya, and a series of small settlements covered by earth and tropical vegetation. The park requires ongoing management of archaeology, testimonies of Maya civilization. The Author proposes preserving biodiversity and controlling vegetation together with the conservation of archaeology to achieve the sustainability of this goal. Climate change exacerbates environmental and anthropogenic threats, particularly water stress, which will increase in the next decade according to IPCC and RCP Scenarios, making the preservation and fruition of sites increasingly difficult. A potential approach to monitor climate by examining parameters and indicators relevant to heritage (rain erosion) and biodiversity preservation (vegetation and water stress) is proposed. The tropical canopy was surveyed by VTOL UAV with LiDAR by the University of Jaén, with the University of San Carlos, and a German company for VTOL and pilot expertise. LiDAR produced an accurate topography of archaeological landscape and vegetation in a competitive time. It penetrates through foliage, making it possible to monitor vegetation and rain erosion impacts on cultural heritage. Together with satellite data analysis, this method provides a change detection of the landscape, georeferencing all the expected changes due to climate variability. That greatly benefits park managers, conservators and researchers.