Landscape changes have been rapid and occurring at a large scale in the last century (Antrop, 2005; Calvo-Iglesias et al., 2008). Principal agents of these changes that act simultaneously are accessibility, urbanization, globalization and natural calamities (Sua et al., 2010; Ramachandra et al., 2012). The dynamics of these changes have been attributed to socioeconomic and regional factors or agricultural and industrial policies (Lasanta-Martínez et al., 2005; MacDonald et al., 2000; Olsson et al., 2000).

This dynamic phenomenon necessitates landscape monitoring and assessment of changes in spatial patterns over time. Identifying driving forces for landscape changes ensures sustainability of natural resources. Interactions between landscape spatial pattern and ecological processes explain the impacts of landscape changes on habitats, biodiversity, complexity and fragmentation of the landscape, and on cultural values (Dramstad et al., 2001; Zeng & Wu 2005). Hence, there is a need to quantify landscape changes considering both spatial arrangement modifications and their consequences.